How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

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RMorrison
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#21

Post by RMorrison »

I can be on decent water in about 10 mins. My limit for one day is about an hour and a half. Beyond that I’ll be camping or in a hotel to make it a multi day and worth the drive.

Bamboo River
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#22

Post by Bamboo River »

In less than 15 minutes I can be on 2 different rivers that have great fishing. Add another 15 minutes and I have 2 more rivers. I'm in a beautiful area and have decent fishing here in the U.P.

5wtaddict
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#23

Post by 5wtaddict »

Most replys start with "back in the day" , "well, when I was younger" Hell I can't remember that far back. But I would drive 2 1/2 hrs to fish the Bow if it wasn't for Mr. Covid. The browns in the Bow make it worth while, and that's a huge consideration when planning to drive that far.

AlexP
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#24

Post by AlexP »

My main spot at home is around 40 miles from my house.

When visiting my in laws in Calgary, a couple of times the Bow was too high and I have driven to the Crowsnest for a 3 hour outing, that is about 2.5 hour drive for me. I can do 5 hour drive for 3 hour fishing. But that is just special circumstances.

Many years ago while camping and fishing the Bighorn in Fort Smith, I drove very early all the way to Yellowstone national Park, fished the Madison, Gallatin (on 191) and Yellowstone also outside the park, just a couple hours each, drove back and fished about an hour the Bighorn before it got dark. I did not catch a fish, which probably tells you two things about me, I love fishing and I am terrible at it!

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ted patlen
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#25

Post by ted patlen »

Gnome wrote:
07/27/19 07:07
windshield time must be 50% or less of fishing time. 1 days drive must equal 2 days fishing
My time on the water has to equal or be greater than the drive time. It's kind of interesting the math one does when calculating this. Route, traffic, time of day, time of year, weather, etc. Now on the Cape one needs bring tides into the equation...

Good question

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Eric Peper
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#26

Post by Eric Peper »

When I was younger (much younger), two hours each way to fish the Beaverkill, Willowemoc or Delaware was a just-about-every-weekend routine. Later, when we lived in the Twin Cities area, I wouldn't hesitate to drive 3.5 hours to fish the Namekagon (or hunt grouse) with my buddy, WiFlyfisher, altho that evolved into whole weekend events after a year or so.

Eric
A mountain is a fact -- a trout is a moment of beauty known only to men who seek them
Al McClane in his Introduction to The Practical Fly Fisherman . . . often erroneously attributed to Arnold Gingrich

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flyfishingpastor
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#27

Post by flyfishingpastor »

I'll drive a couple hours to fish - if I can fish for 4-6 hours. One stream I regularly travel to fish is a "break even" event every time I go - but it's exceptional water. It's about a 6 hour, round-trip drive; and I usually get about 6 hours to fish. I've taken the RV a couple of times - but the closest you can get is still a longish drive. Half of the drive is on gravel roads - tiny gravel roads.

My wife only goes with me to this stream if I promise to buy her dinner at a wonderful pub about half-way home that has a great, eclectic menu. :)

Pat

just_jon
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#28

Post by just_jon »

No more than an hour each way these days. I’ve got miles of wild brook, rainbow and brown trout water within 15 minutes of the house, so I rarely travel far without at least staying the night.

Sandan
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#29

Post by Sandan »

Play time must be greater than total drive time. That being said 2,5->2.75 hrs is max drive time. If it's 3 hrs. I'll usually stay overnight. I can be on Gold Medal water in an hour, but it tends to get a "tad "crowded.

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Brooks
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#30

Post by Brooks »

I’d drive the 1,089 miles from my home in Idaho to Bella Coola to be able to swing dries for steelhead (again) on the Dean (even for just a day.)

cgreene
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#31

Post by cgreene »

About a year ago, I spend around 6 hours driving. My friend has a house near a lake. He invited our group of friends over for an entire week of fishing and celebrating. Im not going to do it again though.

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wineslob
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#32

Post by wineslob »

If it's a days fishing and good, 2 hours. Most of the streams I hit are 30 min to 1 hour away. Alot of that time is on winding roads.

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McHull
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#33

Post by McHull »

Up to 3 hours one way. That will put me into some of my favorite fishing spots in NCPA, western MD, VA and WVA.
This reminds me, I need to explore more in the VA mountains.
In the night I dreamed of trout-fishing - The Maine Woods - Henry David Thoreau

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huntschool
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#34

Post by huntschool »

Really, a 3 minute walk out the door for blue gill and small LM bass. Its a 2.5 hour minimum drive to get to decent trout water over in MO although some pretty good small mouth water is about 1.5 hours. For our really good trout stuff its from 3 to 5 hours for MO and AR and then we stay overnight. As a kid back East I would also drive like crazy (mid 60's) to get to the Catskills from very NE Jersey and just sleep in the car. To old for that any more.
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Bee
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#35

Post by Bee »

In the last eight days I have driven three hours EACH way three different days to fish a tailwater river . By myself. I usually fish for about 6-7 hours on each trip. Each trip has produced some memorable fishing. I might do it again this week, but likely not three times.

I remember fishing in Montana-Idaho fifty years ago with friends who would think nothing of driving three hours each way to fish this or that stream for a day. Sort of adopted their attitude right there that a long drive is part of the game to be in the right place at the right time.
As I say, "whats time to a hog?"

bassman
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#36

Post by bassman »

I have never liked to drive a long way just to fish and turn around. Even in my teens when an 8 hour drive was nothing I'd still plan trips to stay with it for awhile. Slept in the car a lot back then and had an old wagon with mattress in back so not so bad. I'm still that way. If I'm going to drive a day to get to decent fishing from western OK to AR or MO then I'm in for a stay. Wife and I prefer to find a decent cabin on river or lake and set up for a spell. Very seldom do less than a week anymore. For the ponds around me with the bass it's mostly less than a half hour to the furthest of the three so these are fine for a few hour outing but a drive of a couple of hours deserves a full day and half of fishing before heading back. Using guides and their boats now mostly so don't go as often as I'd like but enjoy what time I do get out.

Southfork
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#37

Post by Southfork »

Currently 220 miles roundtrip done midweek to avoid the crowds.

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Hellmtflies
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#38

Post by Hellmtflies »

We do 2 to 3 hours for a day trip. Start early and grab dinner on the way home late. :)

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blackdog
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#39

Post by blackdog »

I’ve driven 2 1/2 hours each way for a days fishing. But I generally drive less than that. If I drive further it’s normally a multi-day trip.

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jhuskey
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Re: How far are you willing to drive, for a days fishing.

#40

Post by jhuskey »

I have driven about 4 hours, maybe a little more to fish the wonderful Driftless streams in the Viroqua, WI area. Sometimes a days fishing, sometimes a week-ish. I am very jealous of folks who live close to trout fishing, regardless of quality.

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