Cost for a days fishing trip/ freshwater

[bigfishnfreak]

3 hours ago, the reel ess said:

Come over to the southeast. Not to get into politics, but it's a little "more free" here. OK, it's a lot more free. A license or a permit is what you get when the government takes away your liberties, then sells them back with stipulations.

 

And gas is way cheaper here. Of course, in SC, we don't have any 20+ lb. bass.

 

Are there no lower cost opportunities? Or are you after a trophy? If the lake is full of 10+ lb. bass, I'd probably pay it too.

 

I tow a kayak in the bed of my truck approximately 2 miles. So gas is negligible. I spend whatever I lose in soft plastics most days. Sometimes I lose a blade bait. I have thrown a Plopper that broke off so high in the trees I couldn't see it. But my buddy got it back for me months later. So I'd have to say I don't spend much at all per trip, though my wife and daughter would disagree based on the Amazon cart.

The reel ess,

The 20 lb has have went the way of the dinosaur , I fish the San Diego lakes weekly, 10 lber is few and far between. The lakes are no longer managed, no longer are trout stocked. We have had low water conditions for many years. Live bait is limited, waterdogs were legal then to.

A hunting and fishing license is 200.00 without a big game tag.

That's why tennesee folks have lots of new neighbors. Tennessee is a great place , dont let them change that.

[QED]

1 hour ago, bigfishnfreak said:

The reel ess,

The 20 lb has have went the way of the dinosaur , I fish the San Diego lakes weekly, 10 lber is few and far between. The lakes are no longer managed, no longer are trout stocked. We have had low water conditions for many years. Live bait is limited, waterdogs were legal then to. [stuff deleted]

 

What happened in SD (other than the CA drought stuff)?  Florida strain bass were introduced decades ago so big fish used to be common. I lived a year in La Jolla a while ago and the fishing in SD was great back then.

[Woody B]

It's only money.  Fishing is FUN!!!!

[bigfishnfreak]

24 minutes ago, QED said:

 

What happened in SD (other than the CA drought stuff)?  Florida strain bass were introduced decades ago so big fish used to be common. I lived a year in La Jolla a while ago and the fishing in SD was great back then.

The 1980's and 90's, tons of big fish, I'm not a biologist,  and the city no longer has one. We had a great one. Dont know if catch and release has changed the big fish ability to thrive.

To many small fish competing for food. I have caught presently a few 8-9 lbers. The crappie population has dropped substantially . People would drive from LA to crappie fish el cap.

The fishing style has changed as well, beating the bank now, it was anchor and fish offshore structure with large baits. Fewer bites but better fish.

Tom, (wrb) could be more helpful as to the big fish. I'm sure he has seen a change.

[the reel ess]

2 hours ago, bigfishnfreak said:

The reel ess,

The 20 lb has have went the way of the dinosaur , I fish the San Diego lakes weekly, 10 lber is few and far between. The lakes are no longer managed, no longer are trout stocked. We have had low water conditions for many years. Live bait is limited, waterdogs were legal then to.

A hunting and fishing license is 200.00 without a big game tag.

That's why tennesee folks have lots of new neighbors. Tennessee is a great place , dont let them change that.

Wonder if this is the reason the Tactical Bassing guys relocated.

[Darth-Baiter]

thinking more.  if I amortize my initial cost of admission.  rods, kayak (two of them), baits, etc.

 

I am up to about $3,172.12 per trip.    you boat guys are really bolstering the economy. 

[padlin]

Bass Raider or canoe so no boat gas.

60 min backroad drive one way, cost me $20 today, F150 4x4. Maybe $10 for supplies, so $30 for a day out with one of the grandsons.

[soflabasser]

As long you are happy, it is worth all the money you invest into fishing.

[schplurg]

If I lost $50 in baits a day fishing I'd quit.

[WRB]

California fishing isn’t a cheep date.

Annual fresh water fishing license is $54

If you own a boat there are fees for the trailer license and boat tags.

Annual pass fees for local lakes average $135 for the boat and $70 for the vehicle. 

Ifyou choose to pay per visit in lieu of annual pass averages $20 per trip boat and vehicle weekends, about $15 weekdays.

Gasoline is around $5.70 per gallon. Lunch isn’t free.

Everything else averages around $15 for soft plastics.

It comes to travel time/distance, for me about $50 per outing.

Tom

  

 

[MN Fisher]

EEE-gads

17 minutes ago, WRB said:

California fishing isn’t a cheep date.

Annual fresh water fishing license is $54

Mine was half-that.

18 minutes ago, WRB said:

If you own a boat there are fees for the trailer license and boat tags.

Trailer has a perma-license...one fee, good for life.

Boat registration on the F-9 is about $30 every three years.

20 minutes ago, WRB said:

Annual pass fees for local lakes average $135 for the boat and $70 for the vehicle. 

Ifyou choose to pay per visit in lieu of annual pass averages $20 per trip boat and vehicle weekends, about $15 weekdays.

All public lakes in MN are free to use...ramps are maintained by the DNR using tax money and their share of the state's lottery proceeds - by constitutional amendment when they authorized lottery sales in the state.

 

[Swamp Girl]

5 hours ago, schplurg said:

If I lost $50 in baits a day fishing I'd quit.

I couldn't take you to a northwestern Ontario wilderness lake then, at least not fishing the way I do, i.e. with 6 lb. test for smallmouth, because pike cut the line several times each day and not the 40" pike, but the young ones with their sharp puppy teeth. However, it's worth it to have your own lake. 

[scaleface]

If you want to save a little cash , next time you buy plastic worms , dont buy Junebug. Instead buy Green Pumpkin or watermelon . They will last twice as long .

[roadwarrior]

[J._Bricker]

14 hours ago, WRB said:

California fishing isn’t a cheep date.

Annual fresh water fishing license is $54

If you own a boat there are fees for the trailer license and boat tags.

Annual pass fees for local lakes average $135 for the boat and $70 for the vehicle. 

Ifyou choose to pay per visit in lieu of annual pass averages $20 per trip boat and vehicle weekends, about $15 weekdays.

Gasoline is around $5.70 per gallon. Lunch isn’t free.

Everything else averages around $15 for soft plastics.

It comes to travel time/distance, for me about $50 per outing.

Tom

  

 

Pretty much spot on Tom!  Granted, for me it’s $15.00 to launch and I can no longer get a yearly launch pass cause they were probably loosing money on those who were fishing more than once a week. And the one cost everyone forgets about when owning a boat is the “luxury tax” from the County Assessors Office. It was definitely quite a surprise when I opened that envelope ?

[fishingram24]

7 dollars gas for the truck, 30 miles round trip, 5 dollars launch fee,  25-30 dollars for non ethanol in the boat on an average day, over 65 so I have a lifetime hunting and fishing license that was a one time fee of 5 dollars. Bag of plastics and a spinner bait.

[Woody B]

On 7/29/2022 at 1:56 PM, Woody B said:

It's only money.  Fishing is FUN!!!!

 

So...I'll do the math just for fun.

 

I live 34 miles from the (free) ramp I normally use.  My truck get's 14 mpg towing my boat.  Current gas price here is $3.49 per gallon.  We'll call it 6 gallons but should be closer to 5.  That's ~$21 for truck gas.  I normally use 2 to 4 gallons a day in the boat.  That's $14 for boat gas.  I don't count food.  I take my food/drinks with me.  That's the same food and drinks I would eat/drink if I wasn't fishing.  I have a lifetime NC Sportsman license (fishing and hunting) that I bought 40 years ago.  The bait monkey doesn't count.  (LOL).   

 

So if my Wife goes with me it cost ~$35 per trip.  If she doesn't go I usually give her some money to go shopping, casino, or whatever to entertain her.  So.... It she doesn't go with me it's usually ~$135 per trip.    

 

 

 

 

 

At current prices gas for a fishing trip to the lake I normally go to cost $35 for truck and boat.   I work 21 miles from home.  That's 210 miles a week to go to work.  I get 19 mpg not towing.  That comes out to ~$39 dollar a week to work.   So..........work is more expensive than fishing.  

[papajoe222]

I have yearly licenses for three states. Not counting those fees, I like to keep costs under $100 for fuel, supplies and launch fees for trips under 100mi.  Local lakes don't have launch fees and my tow vehicle gets better than average fuel mileage, so I'd say $25 for everything.

[Deleted account]

On 7/29/2022 at 11:25 PM, schplurg said:

If I lost $50 in baits a day fishing I'd quit.

If I lost $50 in baits a day, I'd learn how to fish...

[TnRiver46]

On 7/29/2022 at 11:24 AM, Darth-Baiter said:

I think its the home prices.  I am in Ca and I have 3 no-gas motor boat ramps 7 minutes from me in three directions.  

wait wut!??

 

I just noticed this part.  our gas prices were that BEFORE all of this stuff happened.  I am gonna Zillow your hood now.

We are maxed out with Californians, sorry………

 

just messing, but it is ASTONISHING how many people have moved from CA to TN in the last couple years. I have hundreds of close friends and I can’t think of any that don’t have CA neighbors now. 

cost per trip varies greatly. 

I can only think of one ramp that I use with a launch fee and it’s $1, Poland creek. Gas price just depends on where I go, which boat I use, and how far I drive away from the access. The real cost comes when I break things, like lower units or trailer wheels. or when I use a kayak rod holder even though I know better 

[TnRiver46]

On 7/29/2022 at 12:10 PM, bigfishnfreak said:

 

That's why tennesee folks have lots of new neighbors. Tennessee is a great place , dont let them change that.

We are trying. Most , maybe 75-90% of folks move here and are perfectly happy. There is a small portion that move here and can’t stop talking about how things were better wherever they came from and trying to re create their former circumstances. It’s a strange pattern, not sure why they left if everything was so much better from whence they came 

[Jaderose]

This thread makes me glad I live in NOWEMO.  Cheapest cost of living in the whole US.  Resident fishing license for year?  12 bucks.  Conservation areas everywhere.  12 miles to my favorite lake.  usually only one there.  No pleasure boaters.  Perfect size for Bass Raider.  No, there ain't any 20lbers but there are plenty of 3-9 lbers and that's ok with me.

[Choporoz]

On 7/29/2022 at 12:55 AM, softwateronly said:

- 117 miles to lake house // 40 ish mpg and 1:45hrs and 13$ in tolls

- mortgage on 2nd house 

- bait monkey

 

s**t

 

scott

Lol....I guess my glass is half full.  I was going to ignore the commute and 2nd mortgage parts... and just say 'walk down to the dock and push the kayak in: $0.00'

 

 

[TnRiver46]

25 minutes ago, Jaderose said:

This thread makes me glad I live in NOWEMO.  Cheapest cost of living in the whole US.  Resident fishing license for year?  12 bucks.  Conservation areas everywhere.  12 miles to my favorite lake.  usually only one there.  No pleasure boaters.  Perfect size for Bass Raider.  No, there ain't any 20lbers but there are plenty of 3-9 lbers and that's ok with me.

$12 license??? Color me jealous. It’s pretty much $50 here if you don’t do any hunting. The DNR pays people to do nothing, has a massive surplus, and then cries poor mouth and understaffed 

[Jaderose]

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

$12 license??? Color me jealous. It’s pretty much $50 here if you don’t do any hunting. The DNR pays people to do nothing, has a massive surplus, and then cries poor mouth and understaffed 

The Mo DNR is excellent.  We have tons of Conservation areas that are well managed, they have many educational programs for kids and adults.  Heck, even the monthly magazine is outstanding.  I would find it hard to believe there is a better one in the country.