Pardon My Rant...

[Preytorien]

So here's my rant. Maybe I'm justified, but I've noted that most people seeking justification actually aren't.

 

I don't own a boat. Unfortunately. My wife and I just had a child, and she stopped working. I don't make any kind of major salary. I say that to make the point that I won't be getting a boat anytime soon. Between the cost of the boat, the fact I'd have to get another vehicle to tow it, and the launch fees......I'm not in any position to make that decision anytime in the next several years.

 

The closest lakes to me are both reservoirs on the smaller side, but have some incredibly nice homes around. Basically, the nicest homes in a 150 mile radius are all within driving distance of me on these reservoirs. The reservoirs have pretty limited access since they are almost completely surrounded by homes, which of course don't take well to fishermen walking through their perfectly manicured yards to fish the bank. Other than about 20 docks, there's no easy or feasible way to get on these lakes to fish with the exception of hoping a kind fellow fisherman with a boat will allow me to tag along.

 

The only major river, which is pretty small, in our area is not only incredibly dirty, but gets a very heavy amount of boating traffic due to a local canoe/tubing company that rents out from April to October. The number of wild and crazy people that float down it all day every day makes fishing there out of the question.

 

Then to make matters worse, most of the local neighborhoods in my area which have retention ponds have asked me to leave. I'm not a confrontational person, and I understand I have to obey the HOA kingpins so I leave without a problem. I could lie and say I live there, but I'm not that kind of guy. Even with permission in 3 of these neighborhoods from acquaintences that live there, the HOA is insisting I not fish there.

 

So, I'm increasingly more frusturated. I am watching my favorite sport disintegrating before my eyes because of more and more limited areas to fish. I can't afford a boat, my local bodies of water aren't bank-fishing-friendly, and I'm not allowed to fish neighborhoods.

 

What's a guy to do?

 

[A-Jay]

Perhaps something like this could help get you off the bank ~

 

A-Jay

 

http://www.cabelas.com/category/Pontoons/104508180.uts

[EvanT123]

Change your thought process man. I was in the same kind of position lasts year. Limited over fished spots, limited access, crappy water all that.

What I did was take a drive open up that google earth and find some new places. Dont say you know them all because you dont. Ive also learned as much as I could about fishing mostly from this great site and be the best fisherman I could. There is so many ways to catch a bass it can be daunting. I focused this year on simple proven methods to catch fish and tried to become the best I can at them. Over the winter I bought tons of lures and a few setups and you know what they are collecting dust. I streamlined my tackle to improve my time fishing and not putzing with tackle. Pardon me if I'm wrong but if your a new fisherman frustration is just a part of the game and you can't let it get to you head. Learn from those times where you don't get bit or miss a fish and try to improve on it. If you spend an hour or even a half hour throwing everything you have at a spot move on the fish aren't there. Get in the car and change your spot. Hope this wasn't to harsh but keep at it and keep a positive attitude. Good luck.

[Robdog]

There are actually a lot of boats out there that can be had on the cheap, sometimes even free.

Kayak fishing sounds like the way for you to go, check Craigslist for a 12' flat water kayak. You can strap them to the top of any vehicle, there's no maintenance, and you can go anywhere. You can pick used ones up for $100-200 and in most cases the paddle and PFD will come along with it. I have a bass boat and a pontoon, but I love fishing out of my kayak because it can put me on water nobody else can get to. I hope you can solve your problem and stay with the sport.

[Helluva_Engineer]

You can get a fishing kayak for cheap enough. They're more fun anyways.

[AK-Jax86]

I was going to say google earth too.

Or you could try to make a fishing friend in one of these neighborhoods you've been asked to leave. I personally don't like to lie either but if I were down to my last few fishing options I would have to tell that lie and say I love there. I would even go as far as to find a exact address and be like yea my parents live at 123 Now What U Have To Say Blvd. I'm just I visiting them.

I was told to leave a neighborhood pond because I didn't have permission. One time the cops were called and the cop was cool he didn't even hassle me he just asked me to leave in case the person who called is watching then he said I could come back right after lol he was a cool guy, I didn't go bak that day though. I guess one of the people who live on the lake saw and approached me like 2 weeks later when I came back. He introduced himself to me and told me that I could park in front of his house and if anyone gave me any trouble to tell them I am visiting him. He was like I am retired so if anyone hassles you ring the bell. Sometimes you run into good kind hearted people like that

[AK-Jax86]

People keep sayin buy this the man just had a child and his wife is nt working which means only 1 paycheck an boy do I know I just went through it BABIES ARE EXPENSIVE LOL. Being a new father I'm sure he feels same way but it's hard to bring yourself to make any self purchases of over $100 lol. So him getting any type of boat is out of the question for now. Until the baby is old enough and you can pass off buying a boat to your wife as "baby think about how much fun and memories we will have in this boat"

[Loop_Dad]

I have no idea what's it like to be in your area, but one possibility it forget the major body of water and go small. My biggest fish of the year so far came out from a pond that I never knew existed until 1 year ago. If you hit a jack pot, you basically own the place.

 

If you want to be on the water and iIf you ave having tough time paying for even launch fee, then maybe float tube might be a way to go for you. I see those on Craigslist for less than $100 including everything.

[Robdog]

I know kids are expensive, I got a couple. But finding a way to float is a matter of how much you want to float. There are boats that can be had for free, and there are people always wanting odd jobs done to pick up a few extra dollars. Bartering is always an option.

[Catt]

Bass Clubs! Most allow co-anglers

[rockchalk06]

I bought an 8ft Pelican, motor and battery for 450 bucks a few months ago. They can be had cheaper too. It's not an 80k Ranger, but it gets me on the water.

[Brian Needham]

 

 

What's a guy to do?

 

work hard

take care of your wife

be the best daddy you can to your child

pay your bills

be loyal to your personal cause

 

then fish when and where you can, if you can.

[Mr_Scrogg]

work hard

take care of your wife

be the best daddy you can to your child

pay your bills

be loyal to your personal cause

then fish when and where you can, if you can.

Pfft,

Call into work

Run around on your wife

Dont be around

Use bill money to buy a boat

Lie your butt off

Fish everyday you call into work.

* kayak is the way to go. Low investment/maintenance. Can be had fairly cheap used. If you find one, PM me and Ill send you some tie down straps.

[Raul]

Dude, there´s a huge difference between what you want or desire and what you can have with what you have. You want a purty lookin´ bass boat fer bassin´ and you can´t have it. END OF STORY, that´s what you want and you won´t have it for whatever reasons. Given the situation what you need is to be able to fish them lakes with purty houses that sorround them lakes and do so without having to step on them purty manicured lawns, that means fishin´ them from the wáter, the solution may not be what you desire but what you can have to solve the dilemma:

 

1.- Get a Jonboat, a 12 footer don´t weight too much, can be easily cartopped, can carry a lotta weight and don´t need a 1000 lb gazillion horsepower  injun to run it and don´t need no xtra peekup to tow it. Heck, I cartopped LaTinaSesina on a VW Beetle.

 

2.-  A canoe, not my absolute favorite watercraft  but what applies to a jonboat applies to a canoe.

 

3.- Well, you can´t afford a jonboat, there´s still a solution, maybe you can afford a plastic pontoon boat, there are small ones, an 8 footer is prety dandy craft and you can power it with a large trolling motor.

 

Fortunately you don´t live where gators live :

 

4.- Man I can´t even afford that ! .... man poverty is s real !"%$# , then a pontoon can be the answer , cheaper tan a hard boat, easily storable and carryable, it can also be powered with a trolling motor so you don´t have to row.

 

5.- Ok, dokie, I´m a real pauper, misery is worse than poverty but stil, there´s an affordable solution -----> a belly boat. Only problem with a belly boat is that it needs animal power to move it, look it on the bright side, you´ll do plenty excercise while doing it, it´s good for your health.

 

Ranting doesn´t help, you don´t solve nuthin´, you get frustrated ( and rant ) instead of looking for solutions.

[Raul]

Holly cow ! and I forgot:

 

6.- An inflatable boat ! how could I forget ? I fished several times from an inflatable boat, you can get a special base and mount a TM to move around.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

kayak man Kayak!

[tomustang]

Kayak or 10' Jon boat with a trolling motor/battery.

[Felix77]

IMO where there is a will there is a way. I am sure there are great waters to fish from the bank if you just take the time to find them. My fav spot is about 30 minutes away. Found it last year.

[inrll]

Get a kayak and just put the bass boat out of your mind. A kayak will open up a whole new world of fishing to you.

 

Oh by the way one of my top producing places is a small river that has a canoe/tubing business on it. On an average day I'll see 50-100 people, usually 1 or 2 of them are fishing and they are just a casual bobber fisherman. This river holds a lot of fish and just like anything else they are totally used to the people floating over top of them. In fact more than once I have caught smallmouth directly under a canoe.

 

I don't mean to harp on small rivers specifically. A kayak will put you in some great places and before you know it you'll be wondering why you ever wanted a bass boat. I was in your exact same position about 10 years ago and bought my 1st kayak. Now I kayak fish almost exclusively.

[Preytorien]

Yea, I've floated the idea of a kayak or inflatable watercraft of some kind. It's plausible, but I think for the time being I'll have to stick to bank fishing.

 

I think one of my best avenues will be to find a couple of honey holes and just keep them secret to myself. A couple of you mentioned finding some of-the-beaten-path types of places, and using Google Earth I've scouted a few. I'm going to keep them to myself, that way I'll have some sembilance of privacy and a place to "call my own" until the boat option will allow me to break out even more.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions, the best thing to know is that I'm not giving up anytime soon. I still have a couple of places that I can still visit, so at least I'm not totally out of options.

 

Thanks for hearing me out and all the advice guys! :Victory: :Victory:

[Sam]

Maybe you need to stay home and take care of your wife and baby as you advance your career.

 

I know you love bass fishing but you have to have your priorities straight now that you have to support a family.

[derekxec]

lol get a cheap pair of waders and walk the edge in the water....they cant say anything then lol

[Mitch G.]

You can get a jon boat or a 14-16 ft. V very cheap off craigslist......In my area I've seen them, boat motors AND trailer for under 1000......I'm in a similar situation, but I live in an apt. complex and have nowhere to keep it....but the marinas I found out will let you keep it there for 35.00/month.....next yr springtime,I'll have my boat finally

[KyakR]

Congrats on your baby! There's alot on parents you and your wife's age. I understand how important it can be to get away for just an hour! We kayakers are passionate about the way we get to glide and fish and be part of nature ! But if you can't afford anything yet, a bass club not only might have co-angler spots. Especially people who understand, like here. Try this:

http://www.bassresource.com/bassfish/bass_fishing_clubs.html

[RoachDad]

People keep sayin buy this the man just had a child and his wife is nt working which means only 1 paycheck an boy do I know I just went through it BABIES ARE EXPENSIVE LOL. Being a new father I'm sure he feels same way but it's hard to bring yourself to make any self purchases of over $100 lol. So him getting any type of boat is out of the question for now. Until the baby is old enough and you can pass off buying a boat to your wife as "baby think about how much fun and memories we will have in this boat"

Keep whining.  That will solve it. 

 

This is so easy, it is close to dumb.  if you can't afford it, stop doing it.  When I had my kids I did not make much money and stopped doing fun stuff.  That is what Dad's do.