Has fishing gotten way too expensive in Central CA? ‘It’s coming at us from all angles’
I believe there’s a new economic reality impacting most boat anglers these days. It’s putting them in a position where they are having to make some hard decisions about their fishing future and how they fish due to increasing costs.
I know that I’ve been coasting along for some time as the full spectrum of my hard expenses steadily increases. Then you hit the wall and have to acknowledge that it’s beginning to hurt. Yes, it’s way past time to get real, admitting that I’m pouring more money into my fishing than I intended. It’s always far easier to procrastinate than it is to make hard, necessary decisions.
What are anglers doing to survive in this environment?
First, let us just cover the top of the iceberg and get real about the impact that crazy gas prices are having on all of us. I have a diesel truck, and it’s outrageous how much a tank of it costs now! Of course, the boat gas has crept up, too. It’s a double-barreled hit on the wallet for a day on the water. I can’t imagine what the salmon anglers are doing right now, far beyond my paltry expenses for sure. It used to be I could do a whole trip for about $100 or so, as I recall fondly.
Rising costs have led many of us to consider some new directions in how we fish.
The top response to this trend: A lot of anglers are just plain downsizing their entire overall rigs to bring their total costs into line. Many are seriously considering going to smaller, shorter, lighter aluminum hulls, powered by efficient smaller 4-stroke outboards. Overall cheaper to run, easier storage—but they are still safe to fish in most waters. When you add in cheaper insurance, less costly maintenance, fewer trailer issues, and sometimes more versatility, it seems to solve some major problems that bigger units have baked into their economics. I think the trend for the last 20 years has been to get more powerful and faster boats—that dream is getting harder to finance.
Another trend I’ve seen developing is where two serious fishermen form a loose co-op where they agree to share the costs of the boat on some basis. It used to be that just splitting the gas cost was adequate—but when you look at the actual present costs of storage, repair, insurance, towing costs, and upkeep, with higher fuel costs, the commitment has to be greater than just gas-splitting for most budget-minded fishermen if they fish together a lot. This arrangement can work on a spectrum of levels, but both parties need to be sure that the boundaries are clear and meet each angler’s needs.
I think a lot of boat fishermen are being forced to consider this option. For long-term partners, this can be a way to go, especially if the boat owner is feeling the pinch and an honest conversation about the rising real costs of operating a watercraft needs to be renegotiated. A little help goes a long ways. I’ve found. Unfortunately, some fishermen are oblivious to their partner’s pain—it’s a new creeping reality that they aren’t paying for, and hence they don’t know it’s going on, or they ignore it. I’ve seen this play out badly too many times.
Next, decisions about where, when, and how many times you can afford to go fishing are now a bigger part of the equation than ever before. Can you afford to pull your boat 4–6 hours to your favorite water once a week? Or are you deliberately doing more fishing at closer lakes to save dollars? I’ve seen more anglers pulling their horns in and staying closer to home lately. It allows them to do it more often, and then they have enough money left over to take a bigger trip when the fishing improves. Random excursion trips are getting harder to justify. Less mileage on the tow vehicle and reduced wear and tear on everything are all factors good anglers are considering now more than ever.
It’s pretty evident that most all the costs associated with being a boat angler have risen dramatically—it’s coming at us from all angles now. Add in tackle, accessories, unexpected problems, trailer issues, and a bunch more things that can explode your budget, and you’ve got an increasingly expensive problem to cover.
Yeah, I know—a lot of people are going to kayaks and other creative solutions to get around the costs—but those options are not cheap either!
I think I have a solution to this quandary!
I believe that possibly turning back the clock to an “old school” solution might be the answer. You know—throwing your old 12’ Valco in the back of your truck, along with a small 9.9 hp 4-stroke, a 5-gal. gas tank, life preserver, oars, a small anchor, and a stringer! There you have it—a whole “new normal” for many fishermen.
Guess that’s life and fishing—a full circle back to our original roots! Never give up!
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