How far will you travel for a 1 day fishing trip?

[Catch and Grease]

I recently got into fishing from a kayak and I’m wondering how far y’all will go for a day trip, also how long is your normal commute for fishing?

 

I’ve got a couple good spots around me but the bigger lakes are a decent drive, lake Seminole is 2-3 hours away from me depending on what part of it you are wanting to fish.

[Jar11591]

Have a couple lakes around me with in 15 minutes. My favorite lake is about 45 minutes away. I have a few spots 1.5-2 hours away that I hit a few times a year. 

[padlin]

For a one day trip, normal is an hour +/-, once in a while as far as 2. Anything farther is an overnighter, come to think of it some of the 2 hour trips are overnight too.

[Junk Fisherman]

The majority of my 1-day trips are 35 to 45 minutes away.  There's a river 1.5 hours away that I would fish if the circumstances were right.  I used to do some 2 hour away trips in the past to southern Wisconsin but not anymore.  

[LrgmouthShad]

Longest I’ll go is a little over 2hrs. My normal drive is an hour and 45 minutes. So I’m pretty much maxed out at the moment. I’ll probably check out some closer lakes soon too

[Susky River Rat]

I’ve done close to 3 for a one day trip. I used to do 1.5 hours pretty much all the time. Now I am down to an hour or under.

[BayouSlide]

My limit is about 1 1/2 hr drive and that's the reason I haven't fished Toledo Bend yet.

 

But that will change now that my new camping van has finally been delivered (after over a year and a half on order).

 

After my mods are finished, TB here I come ??

[gim]

1 hour ago, Jar11591 said:

Have a couple lakes around me with in 15 minutes. My favorite lake is about 45 minutes away. I have a few spots 1.5-2 hours away that I hit a few times a year. 

This is pretty close to me too.  A couple lakes are 15-30 minutes, another couple are about 45, and a bigger one that I fish about 2-3 times/season is 90 minutes.  That is my max for a day trip outing, and I usually pick up my Father to go with halfway there.

 

If I wasn't towing a boat, I might consider going a little further.  But hauling a boat requires slower, safer driving than without.

[Standard]

I rarely fish without a 45min - 1 hour drive.  I try to limit it to 1.5 hours one way for a day trip, although I occasionally stretch it to 2 hours if it's for a good spot.  Fly fishing in the driftless, I may start at a spot that's an hour drive but end up with a 2 hour drive home at the end of the day.

[flyfisher]

I have lakes/rivers within 20 minutes and the majority are 45-90 minutes.  I make a few trips a year that are about 4 hours one way as well.  As long as my fishing time is longer than my drive time I am good.  

[gim]

1 minute ago, flyfisher said:

I make a few trips a year that are about 4 hours one way as well.  As long as my fishing time is longer than my drive time I am good.  

So if you drive 4 hours one day, and 4 hours back, then your fishing time is at least 8+ hours at that spot?  That's 16 hour day or more.  That's a long day.  I wouldn't have the energy.

[flyfisher]

3 minutes ago, gimruis said:

So if you drive 4 hours one day, and 4 hours back, then your fishing time is at least 8+ hours at that spot?  That's 16 hour day or more.  That's a long day.  I wouldn't have the energy.

yup I do it 4-5 times a year at least.  I leave my house around 3-4am on the water around 8 leave the water at dark and get home around midnight usually.

[Jleebesaw]

So I just moved. My old house had a whole bunch of small lakes within a half hr drive. I used to fish several spots that were around an hr to an hr and a quarter. Now, I'm about 3 minute drive from lake champlain. Depending on where I want to launch, it's 3-30 minutes. I drove 2.5hrs one way to go crappie fishing last weekend though.

[J Francho]

I have so many great fishing lakes within a 90 minute drive or less I rarely go further. The closest is five minutes from house. 

[MN Fisher]

^ Like John, I've got lots of good lakes right in my neighborhood - heck, the lake that the state record largemouth was caught in is less than 30 minutes away.

 

And Tonka consistently makes BASS' top 100 lakes - and I'm 2 blocks from the lake, 5 minutes from the closest launch.

[Captain Phil]

As you might expect, Florida has many fishing opportunities. So many that it's often a challenge to choose one over another.  These days it's not which lake is the closest, it's which lake has the least aggravation.  Our population has exploded to the point where everything is crowded.   Our boats ramps are maxed out even on weekdays. The Harris Chain has been beaten up so badly by tournaments that it's hard to find a fish that hasn't seen a hook.   Lately, I find myself fishing in smaller lakes closer to home.  Most of them are pretty good.

[gim]

1 hour ago, flyfisher said:

yup I do it 4-5 times a year at least.  I leave my house around 3-4am on the water around 8 leave the water at dark and get home around midnight usually.

That's impressive.  And dedicated.

[Catch and Grease]

2 hours ago, BayouSlide said:

My limit is about 1 1/2 hr drive and that's the reason I haven't fished Toledo Bend yet.

 

But that will change now that my new camping van has finally been delivered (after over a year and a half on order).

 

After my mods are finished, TB here I come ??

That’s some dedication lol, Now I won’t feel as crazy driving 2 hours to fish Seminole, I’m gonna give it a shot and see how much of a hassle it is.

Edit: Meant to quote flyfisher’s post, did the wrong one, don’t know how to fix it 

[GaryH]

Normal is 1 to 2 hrs. For same day. After that it’s overnight. 

[volzfan59]

One hour, maybe two at the most.

[bowhunter63]

As far as time and money will let me .

[Cbump]

2-2.5 is about max for me on a 1 day trip. 

[Bird]

The wife and I camp at various lakes in VA/WV and stay for a week at a time, 4 hour drive 1 way.

 

I'll take the boat down couple days before and fish for several hours and then leave the boat and come back home.

 

After our week long trip, I bring the wife home pulling the camper and next morning have to run back down and get the boat but fish again for several hours.

 

It's a tremendous amount of driving and you may ask " why don't you let the wife tow the boat ?

Simple answer:

I've been with this sweet woman for almost 40 years and she could tear up a digging iron. 

I refuse to set her up for failure.

[roadwarrior]

3 minutes ago, Bird said:

I refuse to set her up for failure.

                 

 

                                                       

[Darth-Baiter]

2 hours MAX.,  hitting this lake tomorrow.  it is so remote (i have 45 minutes on a dirt road) it is rare i see bass boats.  some zealous boaters will drag a boat up the jeep trail, and they keep it maintained well..but what a dust-fest.  the boats get so dirty.   none of my kayak buddies are willing to subject their new trucks to the dust.  losers! 

 

down side, if i flip over..the chances of a help is remote. i better be able to save my own butt.