What price will keep you at the dock

[DCroller]

I never thought I would have to put a limit on my sanity. The boat is were I go like all of us to let it all go. I do not care if I catch fish or not it 's just being out there the fish are a bonus.

All of us got bit by the insanity bug of boating and it's in are blood. If I have to take a row boat out I will be out there. As for the price of fuel I will just have to work more overtime or get more hours at my part time job to take the family out. It just sucks that when I finally get a offshore boat i cannot afford to go off-shore. As for the saying you got to pay to play I do not subscribe to that. we pay enough as it is. If I had all that tax they take out of my checks I could afford to play all over the place. I am just ranting now so I hope to see you guys on the water. As for the question as how much is to much I guess when I have to decide whether to fish or pay bills.

[rarhomes]

Originally Posted by pal156

fortunatly i can troll for stripers all day and only use about 8 gallons,my little 18 footer w/115 merc,gets me most places and can handle some rough water 4-6'. so that being said it probably wont slow me down unless it gets to be about 6 bucks a gallon.maybe the prices will keep some of the idiots on the docks.

Or maybe just the idiots will fish.

[RobB]

It wont stop me from fishing but the friends coming over to do the booze cruises will be at a minimum this year.

[hotshot1]

I don't think my serious trips will be cut down but the fun trips will likely stay a little closer in. The 10 or so long trips will stay the same , I might ask for gas help this year though, So if my buddies are reading here is a little hint. Or I can pass on the ballyhoos and just pull plastic. just kidding pull the meat and put the meat in the box, rock on Box

[capemaychef]

The regulations at least here in NJ will be the one thing that really makes people stay at the dock...they just took Tog away because our state is dumb...

I don't have an ego at all...but no price will keep me at the dock at least at the moment...I don't have a family(wife or kids)...(I do have a damn mastiff that eats nonstop)...I have a morgtage....etc etc...but I will limit other area's...

I love fishing, I grew up doing it with my dad, my brother and my grandfather...my grandfather and dad are both gone now and fishing is a way to remember the memories of them.

Plus we just downsized into a 4stroke...so my gas bill will be much less this year...I will run the mako in the back bays (115 e-tec) nad run the new boat to the rips and outfront etc etc...

"what goes up must come down"....

[trojan32]

It's already hurt my budget, with slip fee's and all of the other things that
go along with boat ownership.

Selling the boat and getting a smaller one is
what I would like to do but boats of any size are not selling.

[trojan32]

Current Virginia Fuel cost

[joeksr]

Originally Posted by Scooper

tough question... my time on the boat fishing is about me getting away, doing something I love and recharging my internal batteries and not so much about overall costs..

In the past when I have taken people out fishing I haven't asked for them to pay for gas. Not that I am made of money, I just figured I was going out anyway and it was nice to have someone to hang out with. This is especially true if it was their first trip out on my boat. In addition, I have been fortunate to be in a marina that charges a reasonable price for gas. I'm sure I'll start seeing $4+ / gallon this summer so the free rides are going to have to stop. Not sure what will keep me at the dock. I guess it would be the price at the gas station that would keep me home, more so than the marina.... once I committed to driving and the gas to get there, the boat gas is an after thought.... If I had to put a # on it... $4/ gal for the car & $5/Gal for the boat.... if you read the headlines, it would appear that my boat isn't going to see a lot of action this year...

Wish I would have said that .

I would only add that if the gas prices are $1.00 more on the water my 30 gal gas caddy is going to see a lot of use. At a $100.00 a tank saving I'll be hauling gas.
Also be bay fishing a lot more. Getting out of site of land is where I prefer to be but any day on the water is a good day.

[hubris 1]

i have a summer home on the canal in cape may. i can honestly say boat traffic has died off tremendously in the last two years. before that it was non stop boats. now, on a saturday morning its pretty quiet. today i talked to a guy in cape may that told me diesel hit $4.03 a gallon at the marina. and he is the cheapest in cape may all the time. after a while its not just the cost its the idea of the expense. it will cost me two thousand dollars just to run my boat to pirates cove and back to cape may this year. the annual fishing trip for a week is starting to cost more. im still going, but its not funny! i only run a 29 blackfin. a boat many think is tiny, but still burns fuel. glad i dont run a bigger boat. burning money isnt fun. i'm willing to make a bet...........the MA500 tournament doesnt happen this year. or i should say, if prices continue to rise, it doesnt happen. without at least 125 boats, the prize money drop's. with 80 boat's willing to fish, it wont be worth it and more guy's will drop out. boating, fishing, tackle shops, etc all face difficult times if this continues. its beginning to catch up in all segments of the economy. its not so much what will keep me at the dock, its what will happen when everyone is on the dock. jmo!

[flatbottom]

a nice lunch, she is in a nice bikini, with a nice cabin boat. I will stay at the dock every time


oh you meant keep me from fishing. I can fish in 24 inches of water and be happy !!!!!

running 100 miles is fun...but hearing 4 grown men complain of the cost for 12 hours is what will keep me on the dock