How Is This Economy Affecting Your Fishing?

[troutgnat]

Not trying to stir the pot. Everyone has their opinions. Just trying to get more of an "economical" outlook here. What is this economic downslide going to,.....or should I say "how is this economic downslide going to affect our fishing? Let me ask all of us........How is the "current change of times" affecting your fishing? I'll start......With gas for boat and truck round trip, food/ice it's over a $100 bill for me to take a decent trip to the lake. That's a day's pay for me(not asking anybody to go into finances here, just stating for an example). So, my thinking has changed:

-I don't run to the lake everyday off now

-I choose my days wisely(weather channel)

-I take short runs from the ramp(try to plan my fishing around my put-in and stay relatively close)

-I fish ALL day to get the most out of money

-When the timing is right I target "food species" to load the freezer.....This is moreso the case now than previously, crappie and bluegill are my friends.

-I try to take a buddy to share in the gas bill(anybody having problems finding a friend that will stay out on the water all day?, not always an easy task!

-I make more of my own tackle than ever before

-I'm doing a full restore on my old Ranger 374 because I didn't want to take on another payment

How bout you?

[gitnby]

economic downslide? I thought things were great?

After all, we just re-elected the guy who has made things so much better for all of us.

And gosh, doesn't the future look bright?

[gotmuddy]

Maybe because I live in a rural area things are different here, but the economy has barely any effect on me. If anything it is a positive one because I can buy good tools cheap at pawn shops, lol.

I do not spend much fishing when I go, even in the jet boat. The furthest I drive for a day of fishing is to the narrows, which is about 50 miles from the house. I will spend about $20 on fuel for the car, $10 in the boat, and $5 on breakfast. I couldnt afford to run a big bass boat every weekend.

[bluebasser86]

A bad economy doesn't really effect my line of work very much except we don't get any raises. I fish out of a small, aluminum boat with a 60hp 4 stroke so my boat doesn't burn much gas. Fishing is what I do for fun and is about the only thing I do for pleasure besides hunting during the winter months. I'll be going regardless and if I'm going to spend the money I'd rather drive a little further to a good lake than the poor lakes close by. I don't like to eat fish but could if it was a survival situation. With that being said there are much more cost efficient ways of catching fish to eat than hooking up the boat to my 14mpg truck and driving 200 miles round trip to fish with 400 dollar casting combos tossing 25 dollar jerkbaits. I could spend less than $20 to drive to a local river and set a trotline with sunfish, crawdads, or nightcrawlers I caught myself and fill a freezer with catfish, but not looking at doing that any time soon.

Really overall the only way the bad economy is effecting my fishing is that lakes aren't as crowded as they normally are and I can deal with that

[Quillback]

I don't like paying $3/gallon for gas, but I keep fishing anyway. A guy has to do what he's gotta do...

[Greasy B]

Let's face it, most of our economic woe's have more to do with our personal habits than what detached bureaucrats in Washington do. My fishing buddies and I are trying to keep cost down by increasing vehicle occupancy and sharing gas cost for our long river commutes. A trip to Cotter Ak cost at least three tanks at about $75.00 a piece. Next week we'll divide that by 4 rather than 2.

[straw hat]

It really hasn't effected my wife's and my trips yet but.... It will in the future. In the last three years the amount of return that you will get from Social Security has been reduced 3 times by the federal government. These reductions ONLY effect those who will be retiring not those who have already retired. This means that those (including my wife) who will be retiring soon will get substantially less than they would have if they retired 4 years ago. Even though her pay has went up for the last 3 years her estimated amount she will get at retirement has went down 30%!!! In addition, 4 years ago they changed the law concerning retirement age for social security from 65 to 67 for her age group, so now she has to work 2 years longer AND there is a bill in congress to change the full retirement age to 72 istead of 67!!! All of that will make things tighter on the elderly.

[Greasy B]

Myself and most of my generation (mid-low 50's) have long given up on the idea of retirement. If you can retire in any shape or form consider yourself fortunate. I'm already gearing up for my future walmart greeter career.

[Guest]

Not trying to stir the pot. Everyone has their opinions. Just trying to get more of an "economical" outlook here. What is this economic downslide going to,.....or should I say "how is this economic downslide going to affect our fishing? Let me ask all of us........How is the "current change of times" affecting your fishing? I'll start......With gas for boat and truck round trip, food/ice it's over a $100 bill for me to take a decent trip to the lake. That's a day's pay for me(not asking anybody to go into finances here, just stating for an example). So, my thinking has changed:

-I don't run to the lake everyday off now

-I choose my days wisely(weather channel)

-I take short runs from the ramp(try to plan my fishing around my put-in and stay relatively close)

-I fish ALL day to get the most out of money

-When the timing is right I target "food species" to load the freezer.....This is moreso the case now than previously, crappie and bluegill are my friends.

-I try to take a buddy to share in the gas bill(anybody having problems finding a friend that will stay out on the water all day?, not always an easy task!

-I make more of my own tackle than ever before

-I'm doing a full restore on my old Ranger 374 because I didn't want to take on another payment

How bout you?

That sums it up for me, except Ive done the restore on a 375V and its still in progress $4k later.

So, Im going to sell it and buy a jackson coosa.

Sell the Tundra for a subaru and eat granola like the hippies!!!

[Ultralance12]

Between boat payment, taxes on the slip, gear, gas, and commutes I think each time out on the water costs me about $125. If I can make that happen I have every reason to be thankful. I have been one of the lucky ones.