I just thought I’d throw this out to the members…will the continuing escalation of gas prices cause you to change your fishing habits? I, for one, was actually planning more trips up into the Adirondacks in northern NY…that’s a 5 hr drive for me. Maybe I should concentrate more on the Catskills in southern NY?..but…give up fishing the Ausable…That will be real tough. Interested in everyones answers. Sorry if this was asked already…I couldn’t find a thread anywhere.
Ken
No, it won’t. But it’s sure on my mind and will soon start to effect what/how much I spend on other things.
at $3.75/gallon (thats todays price, its gonna go higher!) it certainly will affect how far i’m willing to travel.
I have a commuting car (34mpg) and a small pick-up with a cap (26mpg)
I prefer taking the truck when I go fishing… that’s one of the reasons I have it.
The cargo space, the canoe rack, the added ground clearance (the uncoolness of the commuting car 
) make the truck an easy choice.
The last two times out I took the car :sad:
Since most of my fishing excurison are under 10 miles one way, it probably will not make that much differrence.
I may not have as many people come down to fish.
Rick
I posed a similar question last year about this time. Most responses were that the increased price wouldn’t have much of an effect. This year however, I think there’ll be some fall-off from the number and distance of the trips most people would’ve made. I’m not saying this is indicative but I went to an annual program a week ago. There appeared to be a large fall-off in the number of tiers as well as visitors, compared to previous years, in spite of the beautiful weather that typically would’ve drawn people to the show. Maybe people will be forced to ‘car pool’ and partner up as they travel whereas they would’ve just gone by themselves to share the expense?
It’ll be interesting to learn, at the end of the year, how the tourist trade does at some of the fly fishing areas that typically depend on tourist traffic.
Deezel
It has already had some effect on where I fish. Normally, I would have spent more time in the mountains by now, but I have been staying closer to home. Hard to justify the cost to travel 150 to 250 miles in a day ( even at 25 mpg ) for 4-6 hours of fishing.
It hasn’t changed how much I fish, yet. But that will likely change fairly soon when the flows on the South Fork come up to the point it is not wadeable, and when the summer temps make the Henry’s Fork practically unfishable. I will either fish some places because they are closer to home than places I’d rather go, or go camping for two or three days and do some hiking and biking in addition to the fishing to justify the cost of travel.
It’s not a surprise. If anything, the surprise has been that it has taken this long for the prices to get where they are. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make the adjustment any more pleasant.
John
For me, gas prices won’t change anything. I’ve worked all my life to reach the present situation, where I can pretty much do what I want, when I want. However, I think gas prices are going to have a HUGE impact on spending for recreational purposes nationwide. Last month I stayed in a commercial RV park for a few days. The owner told me that his business for the year to date is down more than 40 per cent from last year. He still has the usual number of big rigs coming for extended stays, but the weekenders who came from 50 to 150 miles away aren’t showing up at all.
No changes in my fishing. I live where I live for the fishing the area provides. I do make one major fishing trip per year and gas prices will not affect this much. The major trips are either to Canada or a river like the Clearwater, Snake, Grande Ronde, Deschutes or some combo of rivers and none of them are far enough away to change the cost any more then a hundred bucks.
It will affect me, I’ll just spend a little more time on water closer to home. Won’t make me spend less time fishin, however. I kinda hope it affects some folks, though, and I see fewer people on the rivers. Especially salmon fishermen. I think this may have an impact on the salmon fisheries here in the Pac. NW The fish and game boys have curtailed salmon fishing this year to some extent, I’m not sure how much. Anyway, less fishing pressure will be good for the salmon and the steelhead…ModocDan
I was one who really didn’t seem that concerned last time this came up; however, now I am certainly changing my plans this summer. I spent a few trips fishing the only good 2 trout streams in Ohio last year and both are about an hour’s drive away. I doubt I’ll make a single trip this year. Guess I’ll have to stick with the local haunts, preferably those within walking distance…:mad:
what a joke this is now. I’m pretty fed up with it and, like JC said…I also won’t be spending the money I’d planned on spending this year. I was hoping to spring for a pontoon, waders and new boots this year. Hah! I think I’ll save my money and buy a car :mad: :mad: :mad:
To be honest, it will not impact my fishing habits. I work hard, I work a lot of hours cooped up in an office cubicle doing a very stressful middle-management corporate job for a Fortune 100 Company.
Fishing and playing guitar are my releases. If money becomes an issue, I’ll pack my lunch a few days a week or stop some other entertainment.
A wise man once told me “Jeff, if money can fix the problem, it really isn’t much of a problem”.
He was a cancer survivor and knew what he was talking about.
So, pay $5.00 per gallon and go fishing where ever and when ever I want, or sit around the house complaining about the price and getting all stressed out because I can’t go fishing? To me it’s not much of a debate.
Honestly, if the price of gas keeps a few people away from the streams and lakes, good, more elbow room for me. I’ll be there every chance I can get.
Jeff
I leave tomorrow for a nine day trip to PA. 4+ hours of driving, almost 300 miles one way. Yep, it hurts a little but I’m going anyway. I’ve been planning the trip since last year and I’m resigned to just sucking it up and dealing with it. I know I won’t think about it for even a moment when I’m on the creek. See ya’ll, have fun!
It will not. My job is stressful enough and ff is a way to counter that.
It will me. Two stations here at 3.69. And now in Oregon they require the stations to only sell gas that has at least 10 percent ethanol in it. They said the price would drop once they started using the ethanol blend. It has went up 15 cents a gallon. Not to mention gas mileage has went down the drain as well as performance. There are alot of things they don’t tell you about ethanol.
Rocky
Checkout gas prices around the world. Are some of you looking to move?
Forty+ years ago, in 1967, the median income was $7,743. Gas cost .34 cents per gallon.
Thirty years+ ago in 1977, the median income was $13,572 and gas cost .62 cents per gallon.
Twenty+ years ago in 1987, the median income was $26,061 and gas cost .95 cents per gallon.
Ten+ years ago in 1997, the median income was $37,005 and gas cost $1.23 per gallon.
In 2006, the median income was $48,201 and the gas cost averaged $2.55 for the whole year, with the highest being around $2.95 in July.
I think we will see gas prices easily reaching $4.50, so an average may be around $4.00 for this year. Our median income, based on the previous ten years of growth will only be $50,441.
If we drive 12,000 per year and if our cars averaged 15 miles per gallon, then that means that:
In 1967, the figures are $272 for our yearly gas bill or 3.5% of the median income.
In 1977, the figures are $496 for our yearly gas bill or 3.65% of the median income.
In 1987, the figures are $760 for our yearly gas bill or 2.9% of our median income.
In 1997, the figures are $984 for our yearly gas bill or 2.65% of our median income.
In 2006, the figures are $2,040 for our yearly gas bill or 4.2% of our median income.
That means that in 2008 we could easily spend $3,200 for our yearly gas bill or 6.3% of our median income.
No doubt we will have to budget a whole lot more to pay the piper. I find myself using my truck less and less for running around the area, but I will always use it for fishing trips.
There is a retired U.S Marine drill sergeant I know and he has a favorite expression that he used to use on his recruits: “Suck it up cupcake”. I guess we will have to start sucking it up.
Larry :roll: —sagefisher—
Tyronefly,
In many of those countries with really high gas prices, the average citizen does not use his vehicle very much, if he even owns one. Most of those countries have an extensive network of railroads, commuter lines and bus systems. That is what many of those people use so they have less of a need of a car.
I am afraid that here in North America, land of the free and open spaces, without our cars, we would really be hurting to move around on a daily basis.
Larry 
—sagefisher—
I refuse, I absolutely refuse, to let this crap ruin my happiness. I will not allow the governments nor the corporation to control my life to that degree. Nor will I sit around and whine about it.
The bikes will that we bought will be used around town and that will keep us healthy too. If we want to get in the car and go see our friends in Ohio or family in western Pa. we are gone. We may rob Peter to pay Paul so it can be done but it will be done.
Short of starting a revolution refusing to give in is the best thing I can think of to do. I already practice conservation. When the time comes I will execute my primary duty as a soldier and defend our constitution against it’s domestic enemies. Far as I am concerned we all took that oath for life. I took the same oath for my current job.
Vickie and I don’t plan to change things much. As usual we are going to the Central Washington Fish-In and the Idaho Regional Fish-In. Those are our two trips of the year. We are forunate to live within walking distance of a river that has resident cutthroat, a small fall run of sea run cutthroat, and two salmon runs, along with very few steelhead. We are also within 15 minutes driving time of a year round cutthroat trout stream. For obvious reasons we can stay close to home.
REE