Have you thought of moving to a warmer state??

[Kyle S]

Wintertime blues are currently peaking at the moment...

 

This post would be a mile and a half long if I listed all of the things I despised about the cold weather.

 

I realize I sound like a pansy. 

 

Here in Virginia, Winters aren't even that bad in comparison to many other states. I still hate them with a burning passion lol.

 

How do you northern folks deal with it? @A-Jay, @MN Fisher, @J Francho @Mbirdsley???

 

Moving to a warmer climate has been on my mind quite a bit lately.

 

Has anyone ever honestly considered moving south??

 

And If you were to move somewhere warmer, where would that be?

 

@BrianMDTX I remember reading a username explanation thread on here and you stated you made the journey south.  Please tell me you're loving February more than I am?

 

[BBuck]

I'm in Tampa, Florida and while the "winter" is practically non-existent, the summer heat is brutal. In the dead of summer, the water is in the high 90's sometimes and the fish are half-cooked when you catch them. For me, Feb-May and Oct-Nov are the best times to fish around here. It's not too hot, the fish are biting good, and not as many people fishing (except for the springtime). 

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, Kyle S said:

How do you northern folks deal with it?

 

Has anyone ever honestly considered moving south??

You just do...in some cases moving is not an option, either because of financial issues or other reasons. So you grin and bare it because you can't do anything else.

 

I use to be more active in the winter:

Hunting was always an option as the season doesn't close until end of Feb to mid-March depending on the species. But with the wife becoming partially disabled and me being her PCA, I don't get the time anymore to travel to good hunting spots.

I also cross-country skied, but I've 'outgrown' the skis I have - X-C ski sizes are based on the weight of the skier, and I've put on some since I was last out...and can't afford a new pair.

 

Now I just hang around the house, work on projects or read/play board games with the wife. It passes the time and it's not totally boring.

 

 

[Mbirdsley]

This winter has been going by fast.  However, that’s only because, I have totally gutted my 17 ft sea nymph and I am re-doing the entire inside and deck.  I have been working on the boat for a month.  Winter time is when I try to get my major boat maintance done IE packing or re-placing bearings and other things. I try to get everything done so that I have to do little maintenance during the season other than random issues that pop up 

 

most winters I get the boat maintenance done quick.  Than I move onto reel maintenance.  Again, the goal to have all the major stuff done to get through the year and only fix issues as they pop up.  
 

other than that yeah it gets brutal during the winter especially this late in the year.  Ice fishing really dosent do it for me.  I don’t ice fish alone but, being with family and friends it’s a good excuse to get out of the house but, ice fishing doesn’t scratch my fishing itch. Other than that watching you tube videos on techniques I want to try in the coming year and I usually make my major purchases this time of year. 
 

I’d rather live where the cold hurts my face than deal with gators, snakes, bugs, scorpions, and tornadoes.  I’d like to take a fishing trip south though 

 

My wife works as an under writer for a large national insurance company. This company likes associates to transfer to differnt branches for promotions.  she is very good and respected at her job.  Has had a couple of promotions already.  She is 7 years younger than I am.   We have had the discussion that if an opportunity came that she should take it.  Hopefully it would be 2 years max.  I’ve got a BA in history and 10 years in quality and machining so I can get a job any where.  However, I was born in Michigan and that is where I will be buried. 

[The Bassman]

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

 So you grin and bare it because you can't do anything else.

 

 

 

 

Careful. You might freeze something off doing that.

[J Francho]

I'd go as far as retiring in VA, but that's about as south as I'd want to go.  Really, it's only intolerable a couple weeks a year in western NY.  I also enjoy driving through devastating snow.  It's the annoying 2-3" you have to brush off the car every morning that gets to me.  I've driven all over the east coast to fish, and honestly, where I live is as beautiful a place as any.  Way prettier than Florida, that's for sure.  Plus aside from the rare earthquake or tornado, there's really no deadly forces of nature, unless you count tax season.  It's still pretty inexpensive in my part of the state, though.

[MN Fisher]

Just now, The Bassman said:

Careful. You might freeze something off where you live.

They're looking at 40s next week - time to break out the swimsuits.

[Kyle S]

Florida sounds like a dream right about now @BBuck. I'm sure the overwhelming heat of the summer can get old though...

 

It's refreshing to hear about good fishing in the months that I often times struggle.

 

I can't foresee my boat leaving the driveway for another month or so.

 

Thanks for the insight@MN Fisher. My 'hat's off to you' as they say.

I enjoy reading your posts.

 

If I could nail down a good wintertime hobby like you mentioned, things might not be as depressing lol 

 

Hopefully your water thaws soon and you can try out all of that fishing gear i've seen you post about!

 

 

 

 

[Captain Phil]

23 minutes ago, BBuck said:

I'm in Tampa, Florida and while the "winter" is practically non-existent, the summer heat is brutal. In the dead of summer, the water is in the high 90's sometimes and the fish are half-cooked when you catch them. For me, Feb-May and Oct-Nov are the best times to fish around here. It's not too hot, the fish are biting good, and not as many people fishing (except for the springtime). 

 

Amen brother!   Florida seems great when your boat is buried in a snow bank.  Come back in July and see how you like it.  Every part of the country has some good and bad things.  The best you can hope for is to be rich and retired.  Then you can fish north in the summer and south in the winter.  

[Kyle S]

Reading a few of yall's replies, I can tell how much your home state means to you. I too, feel the same. That feeling, and all of my family living here in VA are the two factors that 'keep the moving to somewhere else' thought at bay.

 

 

[J Francho]

6 minutes ago, Kyle S said:

If I could nail down a good wintertime hobby like you mentioned, things might not be as depressing lol 

Here's mine:

 

[Kyle S]

Just now, J Francho said:

Here's mine:

 

I love it! Skateboarding was a massive part of my childhood and continued well into my  late teens. I've still got a board and hop on it every now and just to make sure I can still kick flip and do the odd tre-flip every now and then. 

 

An indoor skatepark nearby would be a dream come true. There are a few decent skateparks around here and TONS of street spots all over the city if your into that sort of thing. Perhaps I'll hop back on the board some day soon.

[FishinBuck07]

Every year gets tougher for me!  At some point yes it will become too much and we will be moving further south.  East Tennessee will most likely be as far south as I go!  Right now I just stay drunk to deal with winter!!  haha

[roadwarrior]

Winter should be over by Sunday.  Hope to find a few brown fish on the  Tennessee

River next week.

 

 

 

[Team9nine]

Wife and I have started looking at retirement locations that are all located further south than we already are (Midwest), but I’m guessing that ends up being more central than southern, say along an AR/TN/NC line to avoid terribly hot summers, but still have more mild winters.

[roadwarrior]

Well, we have a lot of fishing options in the region. If you want "big city" amenities, 

Nashville might be a consideration.  Also, TN has no state income tax. 

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Kyle S said:

Wintertime blues are currently peaking at the moment...

 

This post would be a mile and a half long if I listed all of the things I despised about the cold weather.

 

I realize I sound like a pansy. 

 

Here in Virginia, Winters aren't even that bad in comparison to many other states. I still hate them with a burning passion lol.

 

How do you northern folks deal with it? @A-Jay, @MN Fisher, @J Francho @Mbirdsley???

 

Moving to a warmer climate has been on my mind quite a bit lately.

 

Has anyone ever honestly considered moving south??

 

And If you were to move somewhere warmer, where would that be?

 

@BrianMDTX I remember reading a username explanation thread on here and you stated you made the journey south.  Please tell me you're loving February more than I am?

 

I hear ya ~ 

I can tell you that while I make posts about the cold & snow, truth is the only part that I really dis-like is not being able to fish over the winter.

The rest of it is "just Life".

In the service I moved 19 times in 28 years.  THAT was a PIA. 

However I got to see some places and experience different deals - all be it all on the east coast.

What I took from that was every place we live has the good, the bad & the ugly.

We just need to decide what version of that we want to endure.

My decision as to where to retire to and live out the rest of my days had several layers to it.

Much of that revolves around my wife's health, which is not good.

We could have gone anywhere, literally.

Cost of living, availability of health care, and type of life style of the area, all came into play.  My fixed income goes a long way here. 

In the end, much of what keeps many folks from settling in this area, is what I like most about it.  I prefer rural, small town deals, with no hurricanes, and very few people in general. 

If there is a vehicle in front of me at one of the few stop lights here, we call that traffic.

Read that again. 

Good Luck with your decision.

A-Jay

 

 

 

[FryDog62]

I enjoy fishing, hiking and playing softball - things we can only do about 4-5 months of the year here in Minnesota. So I feel I've only lived about 1/3 of my life being stuck here... The good news that makes me only about 19 years old with many years to go!

 

Haha, yes it is exceedingly tough to live this far north if you don't ice fish, snowmobile, play hockey, etc. Days get long and we don't get much sun light and a lack of vitamin D is not healthy. 

 

Have wanted to "re-shuffle the deck" here for years but were raising kids and then health issues with my wife and son delayed any kind of a significant move.  We are nearing a decision to either live here half the year and half somewhere else where its warmer. Or, move to a state with more of a balanced 4-Season climate.  We sold our house in late 2020 and are renting and doing research now...

 

My preference is somewhere without state income tax or cities known for riots and constant protests. Both have hurt my business and I'm tired of it frankly. We'll see... hopefully something different in the coming year ~

[gim]

26 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

Then you can fish north in the summer and south in the winter.  

 

I often wondered why older people always left the north and headed to Arizona or Florida for a few months in the winter, my own Grandparents included.  Its pretty easy to see why they did that now.  I've got winter and "off-season" hobbies like hunting, ice hockey, racquetball league, etc but its pretty obvious that I'd rather be in Florida fishing than here in the winter.  Perhaps someday when I get older and retired I could do it.

 

The summer in the south is pretty intolerable.  Just as intolerable as it is in in the winter up north.

[Team9nine]

4 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Well, we have a lot of fishing options in the region. If you want "big city" amenities, 

Nashville might be a consideration.  Also, TN has no state income tax. 

 

Currently focused on the Knoxville/Chattanooga-Greenville (SC) triangle. TN and SC are both very tax friendly ?

[TnRiver46]

21 minutes ago, FishinBuck07 said:

Every year gets tougher for me!  At some point yes it will become too much and we will be moving further south.  East Tennessee will most likely be as far south as I go!  Right now I just stay drunk to deal with winter!!  haha

They make plenty of drunk juice in 55 gallon drums in East Tennessee too haha

6 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

Currently focused on the Knoxville/Chattanooga-Greenville (SC) triangle. TN and SC are both very tax friendly ?

You’re moving?? Wheeler could rent you his guest room in hixson haha

[J Francho]

21 minutes ago, Kyle S said:

I love it! Skateboarding was a massive part of my childhood and continued well into my  late teens. I've still got a board and hop on it every now and just to make sure I can still kick flip and do the odd tre-flip every now and then. 

 

An indoor skatepark nearby would be a dream come true. There are a few decent skateparks around here and TONS of street spots all over the city if your into that sort of thing. Perhaps I'll hop back on the board some day soon.

I'm not doing tres any time soon.  Tranny is a bit easier on my 48 yo body, though I still hit some hand rails and banks.  I love a nice beat up parking block as well.

 

Forgot to mention that these things swim in ever ditch along the lake.  Another fun winter activity:

[Junger]

I get less tolerant of winter every year in the DC metro area. We spent a month in Sanibel, FL to do virtual work and school for our kids. Her family is in NJ, and mine is in MD. It's sad to say, but I think when our parents are no longer with us, we'll have a serious discussion about moving down there.

[TnRiver46]

10 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

I enjoy fishing, hiking and playing softball - things we can only do about 4-5 months of the year here in Minnesota. So I feel I've only lived about 1/3 of my life being stuck here... The good news that makes me only about 19 years old with many years to go!

 

Haha, yes it is exceedingly tough to live this far north if you don't ice fish, snowmobile, play hockey, etc. Days get long and we don't get much sun light and a lack of vitamin D is not healthy. 

 

Have wanted to "re-shuffle the deck" here for years but were raising kids and then health issues with my wife and son.  We are nearing a decision to either live here half the year and half somewhere else where its warmer. Or, move to a state with more of a balanced 4-Season climate.  We sold our house in late 2020 and are renting and doing research now...

 

My preference is somewhere without state income tax or cities known for riots and constant protests. Both have hurt my business and I'm tired of it frankly. We'll see... hopefully something different in the coming year ~

Riots and protests in the south are centered around football games 

[Michigander]

I use winter as a rest season and to redirect my energies to other things that get neglected by fishing.