How Many Calories Do You Burn Fishing and How Can You Track Them

 The average person will burn between 150 to 550 calories per hour while fishing. However, the exact number of calories that you will burn depends on the type of fishing that you do. Do you enjoy lighter intensity fisher such as fishing from a boat? You will burn fewer calories than you would by waddling.

Nonetheless, today we will show you what are the most calorie-intensive fishing styles and show you how to calculate how many calories you burn fishing. That’s not all. We will also show you a couple of other methods to track burned calories, so make sure to stick around for the end.

How to Track Calories Burned While Fishing?

#1 Use the Math Formula

Right from the start, we want to mention that the number of calories burned while fishing depends on your weight and the intensity of your fishing style. Below you can find a formula that helps you calculate the exact number of calories that you will burn while fishing.

The Formula: Calories burned pe minute = (MET x body weight (in KG) x 3.5) ÷ 200

For those who are unfamiliar with MET, they should know that this is the measurement of the energy cost of physical activity for a determined period of time. For example, a task that is categorized as “MET 1” is equal to sitting still on the couch while not eating any food. You can check out multiple examples below to help you determine the right MET.

Type of Activity MET Calories Burned
Fishing, jog or line, standing, general 1.8 129
Fishing from boat or canoe, sitting 2 143
Fishing, ice, sitting 2 143
Fishing with a spear, standing 2.3 165
Fishing, fishing wheel, setting net and retrieving fish, general 3 215
Fishing, general 3.5 251
Fishing, commercial, light effort 3.5 251
Fishing from the riverbank, standing (Taylor Code 660) 3.5 251
Fishing, dip net, setting net and retrieving fish, general 3.5 251
Fishing, set net, setting net and retrieving fish, general 3.8 272
Fishing, catching fish with hands 4 286
Fishing from the river bank and walking 4 286
Fishing related, digging worms, with a shovel 4.3 308
Fishing, crab fishing 4.5 322
Fishing, commercial, moderate effort 5 358
Fishing in a stream, in waders (Taylor Code 670) 6 430
Moving ice house, set up/drill holes 6 430
Fishing, commercial, vigorous effort 7 501

#2 Smartwatch or Fitness Tracker

If you don’t want to spend time calculating how many calories you burn fishing, a smartwatch or fitness tracker will always get the job done. Smartwatches have advanced to the point that each model is equipped with a built-in calorie burned tracker. Obviously, some do a better job than others, and picking a device that is in the high-end price range will help you receive more accurate readings.

Tech companies have created proprietary algorithms that calculate multiple factors to provide an accurate calorie burned reading. The way that this works is that the algorithm takes in personal information such as the user’s weight, height, age, and it calculates it with the information from the sensors.

Another great benefit of using a smartwatch or fitness tracker is that it also works like a smartphone. This is quite important when fishing because you never want to get the device wet, even though it might be advertised as “waterproof.” That’s not all. Some smartwatches are also equipped with built-in LTE and GPS. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about getting lost on your next fishing trip.

How to Get a Total Workout While Fishing

Even though fishing might be a relaxing activity, it can also turn into a total workout if you know what kind of fishing you need to do. Wading is the most physically demanding style of fishing that you can do. According to the formula featured above, you will end up burning around 1,000 calories in a 4-hour fishing trip. Now that is quite impressive! The slippery rocks will challenge your balance, and the resistance of the river will force you to strengthen the muscles of your legs. That’s not all. You will also end up getting a good workout for your arms because you have to cast and row.

If you keep the correct posture while wading, you will strengthen your lower back muscles. A fun fact that most people don’t know about fishing is that when you raise the rod for the back cast, you will work the following muscles: deltoid, bicep, extensor digitorum, and extensor carpi ulnaris. To make things even better, you will work the following muscles when making the forward cast: triceps, deltoids, and extensor carpi radialis. So, the next time someone tells you that fishing is not a sport, you should let them know that casting the rod is not as easy as it seems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes fishing a sport?

Some people love fishing because they get the chance to break away from the busy office life and relax, while others enjoy the sport aspect of fishing. This activity is categorized as a sport because it requires skill, physical exertion and is competitive. There are thousands of tourneys all over the world that you sign-up for.

How many calories do you burn fishing?

As previously mentioned in the intro, the average person burns around 130 to 175 calories an hour. However, there are many factors that can increase the number of calories burned per hour. Are you wading? This is going to increase the number of calories burned up to 1000 per 4 hours. Now, this is a full-body workout! Who needs a personal trainer anymore?

Can you lose weight fishing?

Even though fishing is usually categorized as a relaxing activity, you can actually lose weight while doing it. A study performed by the Journal Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases concluded that fishing and eating a fish-based diet would help people lose a significant amount of weight. If you also bring a boat so that you can row to your favorite fishing spots, you will also build muscle and strength.