When is enough, enough?

[rps]

I moved back to Tulsa in June of 2019. I put my boat in a slip on Skiatook Lake. It is a pretty lake with semi clear water. The slip rental was more than I paid at Holiday Island on TR, but it is a nice marina. Full of very large boats, especially the wake setter types.

I fished last summer and a couple of trips out this year. I caught a few, not many, fish.

So here is the dilemma. The lake is essentially a bowl by the dam where the marina sits. The big boats go out and run back and forth or in circles in that bowl. The wind, and there is always wind in Oklahoma, has free access to the bowl.

The nearest protected coves and arms are 7 to 10 river miles away - 15 to 20 minutes in my little boat. Even if I make that run in the morning, when I head in, I have the wind and the boat wakes to breach.

As a fishing lake I would rank it below most I have fished. Because I left Table Rock for here, I am major league disappointed. Compared to Grand or Tenkiller, I am disappointed.

I am considering moving the boat to Keystone, an older and less glamorous lake about the same driving time from where I live. Years ago, I fished it often and found it an agreeable lake.The available marina in the clearer arm of the lake is borderline. Less expensive, but nice people that run the kind of place you want to make sure your insurance covers theft.

The alternative of keeping and towing the boat there and back is complicated and not cheap. You know, storage at a location and drive and launch and recover and drive at the end.

So here is the question. Do I sell the boat and give up some independence to go when I want? If so, where do I spend the money to hire a guide to fish? Bear in mind a trip from here to TR to fish two days with a guide like Bill will cost nearly a grand. (BTW, he is worth it.)

Do I move the boat? Do I sell the boat? Do I rent a slip on Keystone or renew the expensive slip on the surf lake?

On top of this, I am no longer 30.I am older and fatter than Quillback and Champ.

I do not want an "answer."

What I want is your thoughts on factors I should consider.

I am listening.

 

[fishinwrench]

56 minutes ago, rps said:

 

So here is the question. Do I sell the boat and give up some independence to go when I want? If so, where do I spend the money to hire a guide to fish?

You are independently wealthy (I know this because of the things you eat), so don't sell the boat.  Keep it at home so that you can tow it wherever you want and use it whenever the urge suits you......And go out with friends and guides also...... whenever it suits you.     

That's the kind of freedom you worked your whole life for.  👍

[Dutch]

If it were me in your situation, if I weren’t ready to basically get out of fishing, I would be prone to giving Keystone a shot.

[Maverickpro201]

I would keep the boat and trailer it to where I wanted to fish. Much more freedom this way. Never like the thought of slipping my boat in 1 lake when there are always other lakes I want to fish. Plus I know my boat is much safer at home in the garage and Home Protection, along with the sign that says there is nothing here worth dyeing for.

[Quillback]

I believe there are some restrictions about boat parking in the community he lives in, otherwise I agree, keep it in the garage if possible.

But if you can't do that, then it is off-site storage or keep it in a slip.

Summer is approaching and the weather should start to stabilize especially early in the morning.  You might consider just fishing for a few hours in the early morning thus avoiding the ski crowd.  

Maybe reach out to the other people in your community and see if there are some other fishermen that you can split trips with?  Or if you go for off-site storage it would help to have a regular fishing buddy that can help you get the boat hooked up and launch also.  

[Devan S.]

9 hours ago, rps said:

So here is the question. Do I sell the boat and give up some independence to go when I want? If so, where do I spend the money to hire a guide to fish? Bear in mind a trip from here to TR to fish two days with a guide like Bill will cost nearly a grand. (BTW, he is worth it.)

 

If this is ultimately the route you go, consider options outside of just fishing TRL or Ozark lakes.

I have an entire bucket list of fishing trips I want to do and would enjoy but my #1 killer is time. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

16 hours ago, rps said:

The available marina in the clearer arm of the lake is borderline. Less expensive, but nice people that run the kind of place you want to make sure your insurance covers theft

Give this a try for a month or two, update your insurance and take your tackle with you as you come and go.  That leave all your other options open too.

[rps]

Excellent feedback gentlemen. I was really wanting input and not sympathy. You helped.

[fishinwrench]

6 minutes ago, rps said:

Excellent feedback gentlemen. I was really wanting input and not sympathy. You helped.

The only place you'll find sympathy is between $#!t and Syphilis in the dictionary.

[Flysmallie]

I like Keystone. Granted that was a lifetime ago but I liked it. I would try that before giving up.