The Good Old Days
By Neil M. Travis, Montana/Arizona
With gas prices pushing the four dollar a gallon
mark, and no end in sight I am certain we will
hear more and more people wishing for the good
old days. Not the least of these will be those
of us who love to spend our free time in the
outdoors.
For most folks it is an unfortunate reality that
they live far away from where they can hope to
find quality outdoor recreation. Now I am not
talking about jogging, throwing a Frisbee, golf
[as if that's recreation], bike riding, or any
of the other various outdoor activities that one
can entertain oneself with at a local city park.
If you're an angler, especially a fly-fishing
angler that desires to fish for wild trout or
a hunter, it is likely that you have to travel
some distance to find a place to participate
in your sport. Guess what, the game just got
a lot more expensive.
Filling up your four-wheeled drive SUV for a
weekend jaunt may set you back a C-note or more,
and that's just enough gas to get you there, if
you're not going too far. Gas in most recreational
areas will be higher priced than at the corner gas
station so be prepared to dig a bit deeper when you
pull into the gas station at Out-Back Corners.
If gas was the only issue it might be somewhat
palatable, but a trip to the gas station is
only the beginning of the pain. Groceries to
keep you fed while pursuing the wily trout
will make another substantial dent in your
wallet, propane for your barbeque grill or
camp stove, ice for your cooler, in short
anything and everything even remotely
connected to the necessities of life has
increased greatly, except of course your
discretionary income.
Since this situation is unlikely to change
anytime soon if your recreation centers
around hunting and fishing and you live
in Los Angeles, or some other place
equally remote from anything that might
resemble a bit of wild country, you have
two alternatives; take up organized Frisbee
tossing as your recreation, or consider the
following suggestions.
Spend more time planning your trip. Fortunately
today we have many resources available to help
the traveling sports person find quality
recreational opportunities. The Internet is a
tremendous source of information about stream
and weather conditions, hatches, and all sorts
of other information that may determine the
success or failure of your trip. U.S. Forest
Service websites, websites hosted by state
agencies, and national weather data bases can
provide you with information about stream
closures, fire restrictions and other pertinent
data that could adversely affect your trip. If
possible, consult with friends or acquaintances
who live in or near the area where you are going
getting the latest on the spot report of current
conditions. Information from friends or
acquaintances who live in the area probably
will provide you the most unbiased information.
Try to take fewer trips but plan to stay longer.
You should have been here yesterday, or the
fishing got really good right after you left
are comments we all have heard. In recent years
the trend has been to take shorter but more
frequent trips, but in the present economy
this may not be the best option. For the
trout angler this may mean skipping the
Mother's Day caddis hatch that may last
only a day or so before the rivers are
blown out by spring runoff, and planning
a trip later in the summer when there will
be multiple angling opportunities. Longer
trips will allow you the luxury of being
able to wait out less than desirable
conditions that might result from an
unexpected weather system. By making
fewer trips but staying longer you
maximize the benefits in relation
to the cost.
Try to select a location where there are
several recreational opportunities in close
proximity. Even the most carefully planned
trip can be ruined by unexpected weather
conditions. Rivers and streams can be blown
out by an unexpected downpour, but most
lakes, especially larger ones, are rarely
adversely affect by those conditions. An
early or late season trip into the high
country may be ruined by a snow storm, so
it pays to be in an area that has other
opportunities nearby.
Get some friends to join you. Years ago JC,
Ole Olson, and I pooled our resources and
took a dream trip to Montana, Wyoming and
Idaho. At that time we all lived in Michigan
and none of us had been to those places.
With three drivers available we did not have
to stop to sleep which enabled us to arrive
sooner, we divided the cost among us, and we
had someone else to share in the fun. We spent
ten great days fishing waters that we had only
previously dreamed about, we caught some great
fish, and we did not break the bank. A similar
arrangement might make your summer fishing trip
a reality rather than just a dream.
If you're one of the fortunate ones that live
near prime fishing and hunting places you
don't get off with a free ride. The Yellowstone
River is within walking distance of my summer
home, and several top quality spring creeks
are just a short drive away, but several of
the other venues where I like to fish require
a road trip. My old 1994 Suburban fishing car
gets 12 miles per gallon on a good day with a
tailwind, and if I drop the trailer on the hitch
the mileage drops below 10 mpg! That 40 gallon
tank can swallow my entire retirement check in
a couple trips, so you can bet that I will not
be taking many trips very far from home base
this summer unless I can stay for a considerable
length of time. If gas is four dollars a gallon
in most places I don't want to think what it
will be in West Yellowstone!
It is very unlikely that the current situation
will improve anytime in the near future, and
while this economic situation may not spell
the end of life as we know it it is unlikely that
we will ever return to the 'good old days.' Prices
are unlikely to decrease substantially, and those
of us that love the outdoor experience will need
to become increasingly creative if we hope to
continue to enjoy our recreation. ~ Neil M. Travis, Montana/Arizona
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