I was wondering what percentage of time do you spend at an old fishing location? and what percent of time do you spend looking for a new fishing spot? it is so hard for me to not fish a old location that has been producing fish.
I probably fish 95% of old locations and 5% of new locations. Just something that has been on my mind.

I read an article a couple of months ago that was written for bass fishing, but I think it applies here too. The author was saying what limits so many people is fishing a spot too long because "I've caught them here before" and not finding new water. That being said, when you have enough spots that you can just bounce from spot to spot and always find fish why look for more?

I'm still in the developing inventory of spots phase for sure

For me I would say about 40% of my time is looking for new spots. I have the strong urge to fish old spots too, but after 3 or 4 trips of catching less or nothing, I go looking again. Yesterday, I was at PK just looking for about 3 hours found one place that kinda looks promising. Did not fish, was just looking.

For me...it just depends on what my goal for the day is, and how much time on the water I have. If I'm just out fishing with a friend or two for a 1/2 day, I'll probably fish known stuff 80% of the time. If I'm fishing by myself all day, then I'll prob only fish old stuff 40-50% of the time.

Another example...I have been spending time on smaller lakes across East Texas this Summer/Fall...many of them I have never been on. My goal for each of these days has been to graph 80% of the lake and mark what I can find...then go back and fish whatever I have found for the last 20% of the day. Then the 2nd time I went back to that lake, I reversed it and fished things I marked 80% of the time, and spent the last 20% of the day graphing the part of the lake I did not cover the first trip out.

For me, it's not always about today's trip to a certain body of water...it's more about the next trip

i Like that Duck

Before you go determine if you are going fishing,...or going looking, or maybe both.
It was hard for me at first to make up my mind to spend time looking,..when I knew I
could be catching fish..now sometimes its more fun to go looking.
The more you look, the better you become at looking for places to fish...

Fishing the same milk run every time or 90% of the time won't help improve fishing knowledge or skills. Try fishing at least one or two new spots every time you go to the lake. Even that spot that looks the worst. I've been surprised before.
Duck Jerky covers the subject well. Dedicate some time to exploring.