Printable View
I guess it is time to go back John Boats and small outboards. 3 gallons of gas is all one needs for the day. Gas @ $ 4.05 gallon in my neck of the woods and is climbing, where will it end ?
To be really honest, we caught as many or more fish and had just as much fun anyway, when using small boats and motors.
I wonder if one of those 75 to 100 mile scooters can pull a john boat ?
hey pop, i did just that about a month ago, got a 14 ft with a 5hp, and parked my big boat since i fish by myself most of the time, plus now i do more fishing than thinking the other place might be better and moving
Amen to that... I fish entirely within about a mile from the launch now. Used to run around but cant seem to take the hit at the pumps. Heck I paid 4.35 at the marina and thought I was gonna die. I assure you I caught as many or more fish ten years ago with a 14 ft and a 5hp than I have in the last few years since stepping up the boat size. I am seriously thinking about getting the old five back out of storage and putting it on a flatbottom 14 ft.
Love my 50 hp. Great on gas and still has the power to pull my son on a tube. We had 4 people in the boat yesterday and still got it up to 27 mph. Sometimes I wish I had a bigger motor but other times I'm glad I have that 50 hp and only a 18 gallon tank:)
The gas thing is getting out of hand.Some of the fellows are paying more for gas(boat & truck) on one fishing trip than their monthly boat payment is.
I've got a 40 H.P. so mine is not to bad. Parked a 150 hp,
Years back(ain't telling age:p) I fished weiss & lived close, we had a 20H.P. so I had to learn the waters close to where we put in at. I believe we caught more fish then. I still don't fish but afew miles away from the lauch now.
I just live 20 miles from the third largest reservoir in Illlinois and fish it most of the time and it has been costing me 35 to 40 dollars a trip just for gas alone for my boat and truck. By the time I buy minnows, and lunch I figure I have $50 invested for the day.
I grew up fishing from small boats. A lot of the time the only propulsion was a sculling paddle. Had a lot of fun. I got rid of our big rig 3 years ago, bought 1436 Jon, fixed it up for crappie fishing with a 15 hp Merc. and 40lb.thrust 12 volt Minn Kota and can fish places where the big rigs can't go. Having a great time. Kids don't like it, but what the heck, they ain't buying the gas.
i have been fishing in the same 14 ft john boat for over 40 years now..................and i love that old flat boat it watched me grow up and is start to watch me grow old!
Same problem here in LA (lower Alabama), gas is now at $4.00 per gallon and with two bass boats, one with a 200 Merc and another with a 150, I had a choice of making a change or taking up golf. I changed, I sold both boats and down sized. I now have a 16 ft. GatorTrax with a 36 hp. surface drive mud motor on it. The longest ride to one of my best fishing spots is 20 miles one way and it takes about 4 and 1/2 gallons of gas for the round trip, which I love. Another advantage that I have is I can now fish spots that no one else can get to. With this rig, stumps and logs are no problem, grass and lilly pads are no problem and in shallow water (I'm talking 3 inches) it actually speeds up. So now I can go places that most can't and I'm not worried about the weekend crowd. It runs about 26 to 28 mph and after getting it I wouldn't have another outboard.
I just sold my jon boat with a 50 hp Merc and bought a Nitro189 with a 115 Optimax. The wife and kids wanted to wakeboard and ski as well as tube ride. Now, I have to teach a new boat to fish, and as it always works out for me, I'm on the short end of the financial stick!!! OH well, the wife and kids are worth the extra money!
I fish 6 days a week with a 14 foot boat and 5 hp engine. The farthest I go is 5 miles from the dock. It takes about 40 minutes to go that five miles but I use less than a gallon. I've got lots more time than money so no problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pop Rivers
I can fish all day on two or three gallons in my big boat, if I fish
and don't sightsee :)
Getting it to the lake though, now that's another story. I've been
sorta looking around at john boats too. They sure do want a lot for
them in the classifieds :eek:
I'm like you Jeff, I don't burn much gas fishing it's the getting there that takes it's toll on me.
I have thought about a similar rig~~~~~~~~a little smaller motor:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Beatlespin
I fish in a 14 foot jon boat with a trolling motor only. You can't catch fish going 40 mph.
Most of the best lakes don't require a outboard anyway.
I parked the big boat and went back to a 16ft Weldbilt and 25 hp Yamaha with 40lb thrust trolling motor to troll the big lakes in North Mississippi.....boat travels 30 mph on full trottle and handles rough water extremly well. The boat, trailer, motor, seats, and trolling motor was under $7,000 and I can see it will pay for itself in fuel over the long run. A good day of fishing barely burns up 2 gallons of gas (I troll with the electric motor). Seriously, this boat is as comfortable as the big boat and simple to maintain and fish from. I also think my catch rate has increased from last year and its sure alot easier to trailer.
my 225 efi mercury probably gets about a mile per gallon seriously. fishing the river in arkansas i use around 40.00 worth of gas every trip i should seriously downgrade. even though gas has gone down to 3.67 here it still ain't cheap.