Gone Fishin' Portfolio
The Gone Fishin' Portfolio was created by Alexander Green, investment director at The Oxford Club, and introduced in his 2008 book The Gone Fishin' Portfolio: Get Wise, Get Wealthy... and Get on With Your Life. Green designed the portfolio to require minimal ongoing attention -- the name deliberately evokes the idea that once you build it and commit to annual rebalancing, you can step away and live your life rather than obsessing over markets.
Investment Philosophy
Green's strategy draws on the academic evidence supporting low-cost index funds and broad diversification across asset classes that respond differently to economic conditions. The portfolio holds a fixed mix of domestic and international equity funds at various market-cap and style exposures alongside bonds, real estate, precious metals, and natural resources. Annual rebalancing restores the target weights, which enforces a disciplined buy-low, sell-high dynamic without requiring any judgment about which assets will outperform. The philosophy holds that most individual investors destroy wealth through overtrading, high fees, and emotional reactions to short-term market moves -- and that a simple, diversified, low-cost portfolio beats complexity over time.
Who It's For
This portfolio suits investors who want a complete, globally diversified allocation that requires only one tune-up per year. The inclusion of precious metals and natural resources makes it more resilient to inflationary environments than typical domestic-only portfolios. It is appropriate for long time horizons and investors who want meaningful real asset exposure alongside traditional stocks and bonds.
Pros
- Simple annual rebalancing discipline -- minimal ongoing time or attention required
- Broad diversification includes real assets that can perform well during inflationary periods
- Designed specifically for individual investors without access to institutional resources
- Disciplined buy-and-hold approach reduces behavioral mistakes from overtrading
Cons
- Relatively complex structure with allocations across multiple niche asset classes for a passive approach
- Commodities and precious metals have underperformed stocks over very long periods, creating a return drag compared to equity-heavy portfolios
- Annual rebalancing across many positions generates transaction costs and potential tax events in taxable accounts
Signals are available for a curated set of tactical portfolios. This portfolio is not currently covered.
See covered portfoliosarrow_forwardTarget Allocation
Performance Snapshot
Rolling Returns
| Period | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year | -34.2% | +7.9% | +47.9% |
| 3 Year | -8.7% | +7.0% | +22.6% |
| 5 Year | -0.5% | +7.0% | +17.8% |
| 10 Year | +3.3% | +7.1% | +11.0% |
Growth of $10,000
Historical Drawdown
Percentage decline from the portfolio's peak value at each point in time.
Rolling Returns
Annualised return for each rolling period ending on that date.
Annualised return for each 1Y period ending on that date.
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