Gas and it's impact on fishing

[mandinga]

please share your thoughts on what the price of gas will do for your personal fishing trips...will you go less? closer places?



what about the price of gas on the fishing economy as a whole?


Will Ifish benefit from the price of gas increasing?

[Irish Pennant]

Every year at Memorial weekend I would either take the family or go with some buddies to Sekiu. This year we passed it up because of the cost. One family trip to Sekiu would have cut into the fishing bucks so much that we would have been out many TUNA trips. Sekiu was impacted as was Hama Hama (we always stop there for a bussle of oysters) as was Ill Eagle fire works stand (We love the name). I will be more creative with my planning for TUNA trips but I still plan on doing more this year than last. I'm addicted, there's no hope for me.

[salmontime]

I plan on making as many trips as I normally would back in the days of lower gas prices. I think we'll make more of an effort of putting another person in the boat, carpooling and splitting gas costs for the boat and truck. I'd rather reduce my number of trips to work to offset the amount of money I spend on fishing trips. If that's possible.

[pirk fan]

It is changing my decision as to what boat to take, the big one's sitting, the 14 foot gregor with the fuel efficient 15 hp Honda is fishing. Instead of running offshore, I'm working the jetties for my bottom fish, and it's not necessarily that much of a sacrifice, just a little more challenging. Last Tuesday, 10 blacks and 2 ling cod for two fishermen..not that bad a day

[roguesteelheader]

We will be staying close to home and going a lot less. We have our Suburban up for sale (it is all set up for fishing out of). We will will not be doing our annual Winter trip to the coast any longer where we would keep our Travel trailer over there for a couple of months. I think if fuel gets up to 6 to 10 dollars like they are predicting we will stop fishing all togather as food prices and everything else will be so expensive that no one but the very wealthy will be able to afford to do anything but stay home.It makes no difference who gets in the Whitehouse we are toast.
Pete

[Snapset]

I will fish the same number of days, in the same places, but the trips will be for a longer duration. Whereas I used to go to Brownlee, Thompson or Diamond for a 2 or 3 day trip, I will make half the trips and stay twice as long.

I am riding the bike to work every day now, so my gas usage is about 1/2 of what it used to be.

[lost_sailor]

Exactly. I'm thinking when you get somewhere you have to stay a while...

I finally got my motorboat floatable, otherwise I'd say I'll be taking the little car and an inflatable... but gosh I've been doing that for 4 years.

[SouthCoastStu]

Definitely staying closer to home; no more trips down South (Coquille, PO, Elk). Going to limit it to no more than two Tuna trips (when they are close and it's flat ). No more Halibut. Maybe 3-4 more bottom fish trips. Limit myself to ~1/2 tank of gas for Salmon fishing in the bay in September. No runs up the river to fish for Shad. No runs up to Winchester to catch Herring.....

We planned on going to Wickiup for our annual week vacation at the end of June. Seriously considering not going and staying home when we figured out what it would cost in gas $$$'s

Riding the bike to work every day it doesn't rain.

This is really going to mess up the economy if it keeps up

[Freakwater]

Finances are going to greatly reduce ocean trips this summer. I flat out don't have the dough. Next summer I will have some financial relief and will fish a lot regardless of fuel prices, because that's what I do. But this summer?..... gas prices are keeping me off the water.

Freakwater

[Wingdam]

Three years ago I sensed this coming and with a tear in my eye I dumped my full size Dodge and my 20’ Predator w/200 2-stroke Yami while I could still get top dollar. I was fortunate that both were paid off, and I took the money and bought a compact pickup and two high mileage compact cars for my wife and I. We also bought an 8hp kicker for the drift boat. The smaller truck gets 6-7mpg better mileage when towing, and I don’t have to drive it everyday. Commuting with the sub compacts saves serious coin that we can spend on fishing trips. Aside from drifting, we can still do many of the things in the drift boat we did in the sled like crabbing, trolling, and motoring around in tidewater. Bottom line is that downsizing and economizing has allowed us to continue enjoying our sport non-stop without too much shell shock at the pump. If gas gets to $10 bucks a gallon we will still be able to go, just not as often.

[ampersat]

Three years ago I sensed this coming and with a tear in my eye I dumped my full size Dodge...

I wish I would have listened to my gut to begin with and never have bought the Dakota. I'm going to take a beating selling it to get into something more economical but gas prices aren't going to come down soon, if ever.

[GraphiteZen]

Originally Posted by ampersat

I'm going to take a beating selling it to get into something more economical...

Try an anti-global warming forum

[retaliate]

Cutting back on fishing trip's started last year for me, & already this year I've fished fewer day's than the same time last year, these fuel prices will surely seperate the have's from the have not's.

[mandinga]

It sounds to me like the TUNA boys will be hard hit! That is truly a shame.


This will have a ripple effect on the sport fishing economy. Less trips means less revenue for some of these guides and tackle shops...especially the specialty shops that are located in obscure hard to get to locations.

The price of guided trips has to go up. most guides will feel a crunch on both sides with rising gas prices on one side and decreasing customer base on the other.

[mandinga]

i'll fish closer...frequent trips to central and eastern oregon may be a once in a while thing now.

thats a hard pill to swallow for me...trout fishing on the west side of the cascades is marginal at best.

i'm not going to complain though, just going to deal.




when will a gas tanker truck to get hijacked for it's cargo...? I read about people ripping metal off of everything they can get their hands on...when is it fuel?

[retaliate]

Originally Posted by mandinga

i'll fish closer...frequent trips to central and eastern oregon may be a once in a while thing now.

thats a hard pill to swallow for me...trout fishing on the west side of the cascades is marginal at best.

i'm not going to complain though, just going to deal.




when will a gas tanker truck to get hijacked for it's cargo...? I read about people ripping metal off of everything they can get their hands on...when is it fuel?

Mad Max the Road Warrior might become a reality.

[RiverJohn]

It influenced my buying a 115hp 4stroke EFI Outboard over a 330hp inboard. I will fish just as much as I always have though.

I think since price of gas is not negotiable, we do our best and get used to it.

Hurry up Science...

[GFISH1]

I don't plan on doing anything differently. My little 16 footer with a Suzuki 50hp motor is very efficient. I can be on the water all day and not use up a six gallon tank, even when I tool around the lake at higher speeds. I got the boat so my wife and I could enjoy it, and that's what we will do. Everything is going up in price, so I'll just have to deal with it. Compared to other countries, we're pretty lucky. How long that will last is up for debate but for now....enjoy getting out while you still can!

[Fshklr]

Fuel prices are already keeping me home...600 a month in just work fuel

I have been saving for tuna trips this yr...No Steelies, No Springers, No Sturgeon (huge sacrifice to my SANITY! and the elevation of the POSTAL METER!) and had to turn down 4 Hali offers...

Some days I have been ready to light the pumps on fire watching the pumps go Glug.4$, glug 4$, glug 4$, glug 4$,$,$......Glad I'm not SUICIDAL....YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've chose to decline all fishing over the last 5 months other than a fistfull of trips last april with a few ifishers and friends for my 1 keeper Springer...that one fish equated to cost about $750.00

If things don't change by next summer '09', I'm selling my boat and rod/reel tackle inventory, hell maybe sooner. I cannot justify the $$$ anymore when I cannot use them.

[Phil Layer]

Look on the bright side!

The boat launches have no lines. The hot holes that used to be crowded are like ghost towns now.

[Freakwater]

Originally Posted by Fshklr

If things don't change by next summer '09', I'm selling my boat and rod/reel tackle inventory, hell maybe sooner. I cannot justify the $$$ anymore when I cannot use them.

You'll have to learn to bank fish!

Freakwater

[feisty's wife]

I fish once a week, launch close to home, I am thankful to have a 15ft Alaskan with a 25hp Mercury Bigfoot, brand new, great on gas.

[Stowaway]

Originally Posted by Freakwater

You'll have to learn to bank fish!

Freakwater

Wouldn't it be nice to reel in a few Jacksons or a limit of Grants

[backlash442]

And who said 4 bucks wasn't going to hurt.

Took a 600 mile r.t. last month. Split 3 ways came out to 100 bucks/person. Not so bad. I used to make that 3-4 times/summer on my own but not now. At least under the present financial circumstances. Should that change for the better it won't stop me from going. Otherwise it's car pool and split costs.

[tafish7]

I'll fish the same amount as I have in the past no matter what the price of gas is. When I fish the Wind for springers I ususlly fish during the week and come home on weekends. I do the same at Drano for Summer steelhead and fall chinook. When and if the price gets to bad I'll stop comming home on weekends and just stay and fish more.

"WOW" I should have come up with that excuse years ago. The wife will just have to live with me fishing more and comming home less.

There may be a silver lineing to this cloud after all.

[Kevin2023]

With my low income I had to cut down alot. I've only made about 1/5 the trips that I made last year at this time. Have to build the savings back up.

[River Ranger]

Staying close to home for me. As much as I want to fish the Trask and the Bay I have springers within minutes on the Clack and Sandy.

RR,

[Davy]

Yes, I didn't think I would let it effect much, but now every time that pump says 105 bucks , just for my truck tank ,,I start thinkin of closer places to home to fish. The coastal fisheries are just too much to go much I think. I think Willamette river bass better be very afraid this year. Or maybe not actually. It's mainly the "gettin there" cost. Unless I run offshore usually the boat doesn't use too much in fuel.

[Okie]

No change at all with the exception that the gas bill will be higher. Still going fishing and hunting the same as always. Have always been concerned about gas prices, even when it was .30 cents a gallon.

Good Luck;

[69scout]

Well, we are carpooling to our fishing spots more.

Staying closer to home, cut back on trips to the Snake River and beaches.

If it keeps going up higher I'll be selling my fishing gears....

[yep]

When gas hit 2.60 a gallon we sold our expedition and stryker. Now we have a 2wd escape and a 15' smokercraft.

[gweedo#1]

Originally Posted by yep

When gas hit 2.60 a gallon we sold our expedition and stryker. Now we have a 2wd escape and a 15' smokercraft.

When it hits 7 a gallon it will be blow up raft and a bicycle built for two...