WHEN I semi-retired in 2018 I was inundated with mates and friends with the promise of mid-week fishing trips. Having all that spare time on my hands meant I was keen to get out mid-week and avoid the weekend crowds on the water. The reality was that 90 percent of those promised trips never eventuated. Everyone was too busy working or didn’t have time during the week to get out. That didn’t come as a big surprise but it left me having to re-evaluate my fishing options.
For the first three years of semi-retirement I was based in Hervey Bay where I only knew a few people that I’d choose to fish with. That meant I had to seriously consider fishing by myself or fish weekends with a few limited fishos. Fishing solo wasn’t new to me. I’d chased carp on fly, fished the rocks and even boat fished by myself. Fishing solo requires a certain mindset compared to fishing with a mate or a few mates and I much prefer to fish with company. I like the banter of fishing with mates and it’s always a plus to have someone to help launch the boat, net fish and take photos. Doing all that on your own isn’t difficult but as I said, it does require a different outlook and perspective.
In my four years of semi-retirement, I’ve enjoyed some exceptional fishing – a lot of it with mates or my children but also quite a bit by myself. Fishing solo has its bonuses and disadvantages so let’s take a look at some of them a little closer.
Many forms of sportfishing lend themselves to solo sessions. If you’re land based or have a boat or kayak, the possibilities are endless. There’s nothing stopping you from fishing any estuary, beach or bay and inshore location by yourself.
I’ve found one of the biggest obstacles to fishing solo is getting motivated. It’s very easy to make tentative plans the day before to get out and have a fish but it’s also very easy to get distracted the next morning and find something easier to do.
Fishing solo puts all of the onus on you to make things happen. There’s no one else turning up at your place or meeting you at the ramp at 5am. You have to get up and make it happen on your lonesome.
To be a successful solo angler you need to make a plan and stick with it. The temptation is always there to plan a solo fishing trip then decide to play golf or spend the day with my wife instead. These days, my solo trips are very structured. I look at my work calendar, social schedule, house work and the weather/tides and pick a few days each week for fishing. These are based on what’s biting and what I’d like to chase. Once those days are selected, it’s locked in and I make sure it happens.
Fishing solo puts all of the onus on you to make things happen. There’s no one else turning up at your place or meeting you at the ramp at 5am. You have to get up and make it happen on your lonesome. Once out on the water it’s all up to you to plan a strategy. There’s no best mate to bounce tactics or lure selections off. Where and how you fish is entirely in your hands which can be a real challenge for many anglers. There’s a lot to think about and plan when you’re out on the water on your own. If you’re a competent angler it just happens naturally but if you’ve always been one to follow the lead or not think outside the box, you’ll struggle until you get the hang of it. That will only make you a better angler by having to think and do it all alone. It also makes each hook up or capture much more significant having done it all by yourself. Despite having no one else to witness a solo capture, I get great satisfaction every time a solo plan or tactic comes to fruition. When I’ve cast to, hooked, landed and released any capture all by myself I’m a very happy man.
Now there are some adjustments that need to be made when fishing solo. You really need to have a boat launching routine worked out. When I ran my TABS 4800 solo launching was dead easy. The Bonito 560 is considerably heavier but I’ve worked out a few techniques that make it easier on various ramps. It does take a little longer than two up and that’s why I only fish solo mid-week and avoid weekends and holiday periods. I’ve also worked out a few ways to take photos while fishing alone. Most of these make use of a time delay GoPro mounted in the boat and even my iPhone. They’re not to the standard of SLR photos taken by a second person but they serve the purpose for social media, etc.
There’s also the safety factor to be taken very seriously when boating or fishing by yourself. I always wear a lifejacket or vest when one up in the boat or kayak. I also make use or the kill switch wrist lanyard while travelling even though I never fish solo in rough conditions or nasty weather. I also fish the rocks by myself but only a few very selective platforms, wearing a life jacket and only when the seas are dead flat. No matter where I fish solo, I always let someone know where I’ll be and when to expect me back home just in case something happens.
