How about when a gallon of gas goes to $7 or $8? Unless we expand our domestic production of oil and gas, that’s what we’re looking at…it’s a given.
We’ve got to get leadership in DC that hasn’t grown up in Ivy League universities who have never produced a thing in their lives.
Z
There will be way fewer folks fishing in Montana. It will be a great time to go.
The gasoline prices in 2008 peaked at over $4/gal. During our July drive from Wisconsin to Montana and from Montana back to Wisconsin, we saw NO class C motorhomes. On the entire drive we saw only 2 class A motorhomes.
On several stretches of I-94, there were times when we saw no semis, trucks or autos in front or behind us. Zero vehicles other than us for 3 miles of interstate. It was eerie.
When we went to Slide Inn, the shop was empty of customers. When have you ever gone into the Slide Inn in July and the parking lot has been empty? We talked to Kelly Galloup, and he said that was the first year his campsites were not full in July. Bad new
Here are sequential photos of the parking lot a $3 Bridge in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
It is late morning and in 2008 there were are only 2 cars in the lower parking lot, the upper was empty except for us and the lot across the bridge had one car. We has the river to ourselves!!
The next year (2009), the lower parking lot is full as is the lot across the river and the upper lot is also full.
Spend the money and go this year. It will cost more but you will have better fishing.
2007
2008
2009
i really dont have any far off trips planned, mostly within an hour or so of my house, and im still planning to fish till my arms fall off!
Probably not, since last summer I lived 3.5 hours drive from the nearest fishery and now it’s 3.5 miles.
Mostly local. Gonna have to come down from my high horse, put the bait away, and try WarmWater fishing with flies instead…can’t get skunked any worse than not fishing
It’s not just the cost of gas but food, lodging, and many, many other things that all have seen horrible price increases due to the high cost of fuel. The overall increase has already nixed this past winters snow bird trip and all trips of any distance for the forseeable future.
Silver Creek,
Is that time-lapse photography, or a reeeal loooong shutter speed? LOL!!! Naw, the economic slide got me a few years ago, so the recent continued down-turn won’t affect my trips at all. No trips is still - no trips. Bad for me and bad for the folks who used to get a piece of the pie. Gas and electric companies getting it all - directly or indirectly - I guess they need it more than I do, and the folks that used to make a modest living off my purchases. Not sure what they’ll do once I have to park the car permanently! Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! Good luck wit dat!!!
Best regards, Dave S.
I was hoping to get over to Missouri and catch some fish this summer, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen. I’ll be going to the SE Kansas fish-in and staying local otherwise, most likely.
Its the cost of a motel room that is keeping me from traveling. Last year we stayed in an older but clean Motel for $69.00 per night. This year when checking their website that same room is $129.00 which is almost double. I checked around and most other motels had similar rate hikes. I am getting a little too old and creaky to sleep in the back of the truck anymore.
I’m desperately trying to justify a trip to the Central Washington Fish in at Ephrata this year. Its not the gas stopping me its the accommodations.
I sold my pickup truck for a small van that gets far better mileage but its too small to sleep in comfortably like the truck was.
Not to mention those scary Zee’s staring in your window late at night.
Do not know what you are all complaining about… Our annual lake trout trip is just about 1,000 miles RT at just over 10mpg… but the boat will also burn about 20 gallons over the course of a week. And that is just the little boat.
Will spend at least a month on the water in Kodiak and our boat there has twin turbo diesels kicking out some serious HP… Supposedly I can burn 35gpHOUR… PER ENGINE! Actually, about 60 gallons per day is standard… Fuel will make me pull the throttle back and enjoy the ride for a while longer… and make the trips fewer and shorter.
It sucks like my '85 4X4 Chevy van on a Hi-Test Bender…
art
Fuel costs make me glad I bank fish or wade fish. I hope to get or make a small one man boat to take fishing in small lakes and ponds, paddle only! I’m just glad I don’t fish on the BassMasters Tournament circuit, bet those high HP engines love their fuel, y’all take care, John.
Thanks for posting those photos Silver…
good times spent there over the years and many more to come…
Steve
I finally got back to work this past fall. Bottom of the board schoolbus driver-no big $ . Gas in the central N.Y hasn’t climbed as fast as elsewhere,
once it hit $4 a gallon its going up 2 to 4 cents every other day. This is killing an already bleak local economy. No 45min runs to W. Canada Creek
in my 04 Wrangler (4:11’s both axels) this year!
For me it has. My weekends away fly fishing has almost ceased to exisit due to costs or lack of being financially sound. Oh and the price of fuel well that has sky rocketed down here in Australia as well which doesnt help. I’ve only been able to fish once this season and its nearly over and its killing me.
Plan A is to visit the friends in UT, and hit the Rim mountains.
Plan B is to go up the road 20 min to the city parks
Plan C is take the bike along the canal trail and harass largemouths that live under submerged shopping carts.
Looks like this is a Plan C summer.
Well, I’m surely not going to be making the 300+ mile trip to the Ausable in the Adirondacks 7 or 8 times like I usually do. I get 16 mpg on the truck with a tail wind on the highway…in those mountains it probably dips to 9 or 10. I’ll be fishing the lower Catskills more (but the so will everybody else). The local scene here on Long Island will be much the same with gas prices already $4.20 a gallon and going nowhere but up…the rivers will be crowded. I’ll still make my fall trip to the Ausable, but I don’t know how many more trips will be made. I’m still re-habing my broken wrist, and i only have 10 more radiation treatments for my prostate cancer…maybe after things calm down I’ll break open the piggy bank and make a trip…just in time for the green drake hatch maybe…
Ken
Gas is really getting to be a problem. I’m having to stay close to the house, and in some cases, ride my bicycle to the water. I can’t afford to hit any of the big lakes like Chickamauga, and Nickajack, now.
It doesn’t help that, in addition to spending $128.00 a year for a Sportsman’s License, they are now charging $5.00 and up to park around the lakes and streams. I consider this a travesty and an abomination. These are public lands, and are supposed to be open to everyone to enjoy, not just people who have money. I can understand the hunting and fishing licenses (although they are way too expensive here), but anyone should be able to take a walk in the woods, a hike, camp, or just picnic at no charge. That was one thing a poor person could take solace in, that they still had the outdoors. Now, that has been taken away (if you haven’t guessed, I grew up poor).
I would think that with the economy as bad as it is, they would be trying to make it easier for people to take advantage of our National Heritages. I guess I figured wrong.
Gigmaster,
I feel your pain - it’s nuts!! Have not been on a major trip since 2002! Put 10,000 miles on the jeep that trip. Pa. to Utah, and back. That trip has had to last me 9 years so far. I retired very early - to see the country (fishing,camping and hiking). Then the economy happened! You know what they say about the best laid plans!! I know I’m not alone, but my plan was launched back in 1973 - right out of high school. I made that dream come true all on my own, unfortunately other people I met along the way have and are continuing to take a large portion of my efforts (with the blessing of the courts and federal government) from me. If this wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t have to complain about the price of gas! I won’t go into detail, because it’s just too depressing - sad really. I’ve worked my whole life and earned everything I have - 2.5 times as a matter of fact! Now I am just trying to make it on my own with what’s left of my retirement check each month without becoming a “ward” of the state! I don’t need much and I don’t ask for anything that I have not earned. This fuel situation is taking a serious bite out of my intended way of life. I hope others are fairing better! We’ve earned it - don’t you think!! Something’s not right in Paradise!! Sorry for the rant folks - this too shall pass.
Best regards, Dave S. Fishdog54
The unjust cost of gas is for sure taking a bite of of this spring/summer trips for me. Just today I put $40 in the tank and it got us a whopping 9.4 gal of gas, that’s absolutely absurd. Then they wonder why the economy is so bad and why business’s are closing the doors or why people are unable to pay their bills. Because when you put 1/4 of your paycheck into your gas tank each week just to go to work or get around town then the rest goes to bills…where is the money “left” for other things. Normally I have been on 3-4 fishing trips by this time of year and usually go on a week long trip Late May. So far…not one single trip this year and the late may trip will be maybe 3 days max.
There’s no reason gas prices should change 3 times in one day, shoot up 40 cents in 5 days, and just keep going up & up without a logical explanation when oil companies are posting record profits each and every quarter. We are all getting screwed.
Thankfully, I’m still ( at 68) working. AND, working for myself, I can adjust my charges to reflect my cost of doing business. I understand though that, at SOME point, increasing the price of my services WILL meet some resistance and I too will be cutting back on my discretionary spending . BUT, in answer to the question at hand, for now, with GREAT pain, I simply fill up and go ( never letting the needle get past 1/2 ) and do plan to fish my usual lean schedule . My usual schedule is: My back yard ( 30 foot hike) ponds full of gills and bass, a trip to the MIFI and our annual Wyoming trek in Sept- Oct.
Mark