With Gas Prices quickly approaching $4 per gallon will you change your game?

[JohnR]

With Gas Prices quickly approaching $4 per gallon will you change your game?

Looking for the top ten suggestions to change up your game so the gas prices don't hurt as bad.

Couple of obvious;

• Fish a little less solo and a little more buddy system
• Try less new spots and stick with better known
• Fish closer to home

What do you think? What other options do we have?

[BigFish]

Its definitely going to factor into when and where I fish! I already talked to my buddies about long distance trips...we will try to buddy up and split the gas cost! Most of my "Cape" trips are Spring and Fall anyway.....Summer I will stay closer to home. Mostly when I do make a longer trip, my fishing trip will be extended a bit to make it more worthwhile......example if I fish the Cape with a buddy we will try to make it an all night trip fishing perhaps 36 hours at a stretch with cat-naps. My Cuttyhunk junkets are no problem....actually quite cost efficient as we burn no fuel.....just wear and tear on the feet!

[spence]

Best case I'm only fishing once or twice a week and mostly stick to local waters...so it won't make a difference to me.

My bigger issue is TIME.

-spence

[Clogston29]

i bought a more efficient vehical, and will try to car pool more often, but usually I'll end up driving up alone because its more convenient and because I don't really like relying on someone else's schedule. I'll also cut back a bit on other things (eating out for lunch, etc.) as necessary. Fishing is important, and I won't sacrafice much, just try to be a bit more efficient.

[afterhours]

i got a truck which is 30% better on fuel. can't really do much as far as soco trips......can't not go and i refuse to let those a$$'s in power affect my sport.

[BrianS]

Originally Posted by spence

Best case I'm only fishing once or twice a week and mostly stick to local waters...so it won't make a difference to me.

My bigger issue is TIME.

-spence

Amen to that.

[Slingah]

I dont think it will change my spring and summer outings....and come fall, I'll just probaly just stick to fishing close to home...

[Eliot]

1) For the past several years I had all types of extra "stuff" on my boat (like 14 rods). This year it is the minimum necessary.
2) I used to cruise at 30-35 MPH while burning 16-18 gals/hr. At 20 mph I'm burning 10 gals/hr total. Nothing wrong with 20!!!!
3) Just made a sign for the cabin door....."These Yamahas don't run on Thank You's!

[HESH2]

fish close to home,but fish alot during the week so it adds up.but i'm not about to change my fishing because of gas prices,gotta bite the bullet and pay.i think about my friends who golf,the membership fees,cart costs,fuel getting there.same as us lost golf balls (plugs) golf clubs(rods etc).fishing to me is a bargain and big stress reducer.

[spinncognito]

I am fortuneate enough to be surrounded by water up here on Cape Ann, so close to home is the way to go for me. That being said, it can still be costly hittting all the spots and driving around this "other" Cape.

I will be hitting the ditch on the 21st (May) because I have to attend a seminar in somewhat nearby Taunton.

[MrHunters]

i hope to not change too much but this thread isn't about that.

Like when we bought our house and started that budget, we need to pay attention to the little things. Do we REALLY need that cup of dunks, or can we drive by the sandwich shop? Things like that. That stuff adds up.

[Mr. Sandman]

35/16 =2.1 mpg

20/10 =2.0 mpg

looks like a wash to me.


Truck fuel while expensive is not a wallet buster for me. Yep 100 bucks to fill it up (4.20/gal here) but I have little distance to drive and don't commute. The boat however is a problem. 135 gal * say $4.50 =607 + 20 bucks for ringfree so that make 625 bucks per fill up for two weeks of fishing local waters. That is a lot in my book and I just plan to use the boat a lot less this year not put my lobster pots in and surf fish more.

If fuel prices exceed 5 bucks next season I will give up my slip (4K) and trailer it and use the slip money for fuel. As many people are doing this this year, I expecet to see boat ramp traffic jams this summer. I'll keep an eye on this. Its getting to be where it is not worth it anymore....and I love to fish. If is stays this high next year...I'll call it a day with the boat after that. I'm winding down.

Took a few swings with my clubs this weekend... I think pleasure boating is going to be a thing of the past for many.

[MrHunters]

^^^

Mr.Sandman. that was a very depressing post.

[EarnedStripes44]

The game wont change for me, maybe a few rules. The trouble will be convincing the woman of the house I am not with some other women as will fish throught the night into the morning. As someone else said, I will put in more time, and sacrifice sleep.

[JFigliuolo]

The CRX lives on!!! put a new timing belt on her, gets almost 40 MPG. My game shouldn't change too much. But $5 -$6 will start to effect me.

[Rappin Mikey]

Besides Memorial Day Weekend. I will strictly fish in Western MA until they leave the end of June. I'm working Summer School so we can afford three day weekends on the Cape all Summer.

[Flaptail]

Living on Cape Cod this question doesn't factor in too much with the vehicle ( the X gets 22 mpg) and a 14 foot boat with a 6 gallon tank that I can fish two days out of on one tank.

Now the 62 mile round trip to work ea. day that can be a problem!

Hmmm... work? Fish?

[fishaholic18]

I'll be doing more fresh water fishing and running the boat much slower...

[numbskull]

I was planning to let the family starve.

[nightprowler]

sold my truck and bought an economical compact that gets much better mileage. like flap, fishing isn't the problem, its the 130 miles/day commute thats killing me.

[JLH]

It’s definitely going to start having an impact if prices keep going up… I’ll try to cut down on other things but its 80 miles to the shore for me and it’s going to be hard to justify taking multiple trips a week like I have in the past. I may seriously have to consider moving closer to the shore!

1. Fish the river more early in the season with fewer weekend trips down to RI.
2. Pack lunches instead of buying or going out at work
3. I’ll be taking the boat out less and fishing more from the surf or the kayak

[Rockport24]

I'll just be staying closer to home, even the jaunt from Salem up to Gloucester/Rockport adds up after a while. I've already cut back, I usually head down to RI in the spring for schooliepallooza before they get up here, I just skipped that this season. I have a decent commute too, so I don't even really want to drive far to fish.

[WadingWill]

My wife bought a Toyota Prius last year and man are we glad she did, I might have to hijack it from her some nights if the prices keep going up. Not the coolest looking car on the road, but she's averaging 60mpg which is all we care about. The next vehicle I buy will be a hybrid, they've really come a long way these past few years.

[MarshCappa]

I'm in an ok situation. My skiff hardly burns anything and 6.5 gallons can get me to my fishing waters and back several times. I'm lucky if I go shore fishing my drive is short (couple of miles). The other nice thing is I have a company gas card for my vehicle which is a 4 cylinder. When I go to the pumps in the summer I fill up my skiff tank with that card. Not to abuse the benefit of the card I just leave about 4 gallons shy of filling up the car if I'm filling my skiff tank.

[Mike P]

I probably use more gas starting the engine 4-5 times a night than I do driving to one spot on the Canal and biking it--so I'd be doing more pedaling than steering this season. Biggest decision will be "Capeside or mainland?" and the wind will help decide that for me.

[hq2]

Nah. I usually fish locally from shore, and my car gets about 30 mpg. It won't affect me all that much.

[RIROCKHOUND]

No more Watch Hill trips unless the bite is seriously on.
Add extra crew for Canyon trips.
Otherwise, fish local. Catch more there anyways

[ThrowingTimber]

Nothings going to change too drastically. I am considering a small bay boat, with the distances I travel to fish I'd be saving money in the long run. drive 140+ miles round trip OR trailer to public launch and have fish 10-35 mins from the ramp...

Also working from home permanently so my commute is from bed, to the shower, to my dresser, to the coffer maker, to the laptop... So thats like I dunno 200 steps at most..

spoke with friends who live in SF last week and they were paying 4.10. Another friend was drivign cross country and she got caught stopping in the middle of arizona at one of those you should have stopped 60 miles ago gas stations she paid 5$+ per gallon, and if you dont get it there you're not making it out of the dessert....

[MrHunters]

Originally Posted by ThrowingTimber

So thats like I dunno 200 steps at most..

sp

ill bet its less than that. !!!

[Rockport24]

Originally Posted by ThrowingTimber

Nothings going to change too drastically. I am considering a small bay boat, with the distances I travel to fish I'd be saving money in the long run. drive 140+ miles round trip OR trailer to public launch and have fish 10-35 mins from the ramp...

yeah, you would save gas, but then all your fish wouldn't count!
just kidding of course!