padrebino Loc: BROWNSVILLE, TX / SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX

I've never given a second thought on what a day of fishing costs, but with prices going up on everything I decided to do a cost breakdown. I surf fish in the Gulf and don't have a boat. So, if you use a boat, factor in gas/oil, launching fees and related expenses.

Gas for round trip to the beach - $ 14.00
Live shrimp , fish bites, - $ 8.00 ( avg cost, including fresh dead shrimp)
Admittance fee to county beach - $ 5.00 ($ 10.00 for non Vets.)
Hardware - $ 5.00 (avg cost for that lost sinker, lure, leaders, hooks etc.)
Snacks/ beverage - $ 6.00 (water sandwich and trail mix, No beer)
TOTAL $ 38.00
I still don't give cost a second thought! When it's time to fish, I just go!

So, what's your average cost for a day on the water?

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

Depends on where I go and how far I have to drive. Gas now is right around $5 a gallon and my truck gets about 20 mpg, so a trip to the Bear River just up the road and back is right around 5 bucks. I don't have to have a beer, but it's nice, so add 10 bucks or so and I'm right around that same area.

ilovesinclair

Wow, I would go every day if I was that close.
Cost to drive to beach 137.00
Hotel 300.00 can't just stay one night if driving that far
Bait 8.00
Food for 2, I ain't going alone, for supper first night, b-l-d next full day and b and lunch on way home 350
Various junkfood and drinks and ice to buy 50
Tackle, always like new stuff 30.00
BALLPARK 900.00, I catch and release so I can't even quantify how much per pound the fish cost me.
Anyway, I fell drawn every month to the salty air, so it is therapy for me, so subtract 150 a week for pro therapy and it only costs around 300 after that. Subtract eating here in my home town at about 200 for same number of meals, and 35 for gas around town and 15 for snacks and drinks. Then it only costs about $50. I like to justify going once a month since it only really costs about $50 to have such a wonderful time and feel the ocean breeze. Big cheesy smile.

Catfish hunter Loc: Riggins idaho (Paradise)

My average would consist of about 20 days on my boat and another 30 days from the bank. From the bank it used to be around $20.00/day. Now it’s 4 times that much. From a boat it used to be around $50.00 day and now it’s 4 times that amount so prior, average cost, per day, was $42.00/day for the year and I never gave it a second thought. Now my average cost, per day, for the season is $152.00 so I definitely give a lot of second thoughts now. I’ve fished 9 days so far this year. Typically, by now, I’ve fished 4 times that many days. I’ve got three more fishing trips planned and will probably go about 5 or 6 more times beyond that. Mostly from the bank now. I’ve had the boat out once and have one more boat trip planned this summer and then she’s going back under the cover winterized. Probably gonna have a nice, 18’ Lund for sale pretty soon if anybody is interested. Lol

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

A dozen crawlers and a dozen leeches about $5
Minnows are species dependent and can range from $3-15
Gas is subjective, whether I travel from home (just to fish), or I am Up North on vacation and hit the lakes within 15 minutes of the cottage. I may use 1/2 gallon/day in the boat, so $3 there. I may lose a lure or some minor tackle, so $10 there.
If I fish the lake I am on, maybe $10 a day (worst case). If I venture out, maybe double that. If my Grandson beats me in fishing, tack on an ice cream cone, so there goes another $8 or so 😂
I bought a County launch pass for the year for $25, so if I fish 10 different lakes it is about $2.50/trip.
Well worth it…no matter how I look at it! When I can share the time with the Wife, kids, Grandkids or good friends…priceless!
Cheaper than golf, for sure!
Rarely do I bring home dinner from a golf course 😂

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I've got the same need for the salt air so I drive to the coast at least 6 times a year. We (wife and I)usually stay at Super 8 or Motel 6 to save money. Clean room and bed and a place to shower is all we need, nothing fancy. That or a bed and breakfast.

Seegundo Loc: Lake s minole Georgia

Too much to codutate on. I've I think about the cost I'd probably sell my boat tackle truck and camper and cargo haulers for my hunting and fishing equipment. Lord knows $5.49 for non ethanol gas per gallon as well as almost $5.50 a gallon for diesel. Sunblock ,food, motel, tackle as well as upkeep on the equipment has my undevided attention. Three fly rods, twenty light rod and reel combos, three salt water rods,three crappie outfits ,one alligator rod and abouta100 bass rods are hard to maintain. Plus the tackle. Maintenance is a big cost every reel that goes to the shop is $10-20 plus parts. Every rod is $10-20. To fix plus parts. That's not counting reloading equipment and components. Bow maintenance is costly. Plus $20.00/hor practice range without the cost of targets. Maintenance costs of vehicles,boat, motor ant trailer RV, cargo trailers all this ads up to a second and third job. Try not thinking about it it will stop you from enjoying fishing hunting or the outdoors.

El Rod Loc: Port A

Padre, when I fish here I’m driving an average 4.5 miles to and from where I bank fish or launch the kayak so I figure 5.00 at the most for fuel. A pint of shrimp here is 10.00 if I decide to fish with them and I can thrown a cast net for other baits. When I’m kayak fishing it’s usually with artificial baits and they are getting more expensive so I’ll figure 15.00 a day for lures. When some friends come down we pay for a guide usually 100 to 150 for that. The Tuna trips offshore can go up to 1000.00. I save the money for the offshore trips and going with a guide. Guided trips are no more than one time a year. But fishing is what I love and do most. I’m fortunate I live on this island and am close to my favorite spots.
So when fishing close by I think 30.00 a day is what I spend.😎👍

Seegundo Loc: Lake s minole Georgia

Lake Seminole is my closest lake it's three hours to Destin FL,four hours to lake Hernando and Crystal River, Eufalla,or Sinclair, eight to Okachobee or Clark's Hill almost ten to Santee Cooper or lake Guntersville or Wheeler. I try to fish away from Seminole three to four times a year. But with these high prices from now on it'll be once a year. A kayak is the way for you and others too many alligators here to be comfortable with that for me. All so to many storms with high winds on these lakes.

Huntm22 Loc: Northern Utah. - West Haven

Great way to look at it. I do the same justification. My big game hunts usually come to about $40-$50 per pound that goes in the freezer but we’ll worth it - haha!! You have to pay to play!

Seegundo Loc: Lake s minole Georgia

They laughed at me when I set up a camper on lake Seminole. They laughed again when I set up shotgun reloaders and two pistol presses and two rifle presses and a 50 BMG single stage press. Now I may have a little trouble finding pistol powders but I've a good supply of primers and rifle powders. Most people can't afford to go to the range. I knew that the anti gunners and anti fishing people peta when they got there people elected would make shooting and fishing as expensive as they could. Proper prior preparation prevents poor performance. I hear Def fluid will be next in short supply. I know women who travel a 100 miles to find baby formula. They have a hard time paying for it and gas. It'll take a long time to get better. I whis I wasn't so pessimist but our government doesn't care.

Huntm22 Loc: Northern Utah. - West Haven

Being retired now I don’t get to play like I used too. Nearly $6 a gallon for diesel- I don’t drive even half of what I used too. We have a granddaughter that had premature twins 6 months ago and are on special formula. We have bought her 50-60 cans in the past six months and have driven up to 120 miles one way just to get her next 4 cans. She was told they needed to be on it for 12-14 months. A can now lasts her 2 days and are $20 a can. They are eating more every day and that will continue. She has been fortunate to have us available to chase (and buy) formula for her. Gotta love em!!!🥰😍

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

[quote=ilovesinclair]Wow, I would go every day if I was that close.
Cost to drive to beach 137.00
Hotel 300.00 can't just stay one night if driving that far
Bait 8.00
Food for 2, I ain't going alone, for supper first night, b-l-d next full day and b and lunch on way home 350
Various junkfood and drinks and ice to buy 50
Tackle, always like new stuff 30.00
BALLPARK 900.00, I catch and release so I can't even quantify how much per pound the fish cost me.
Anyway, I fell drawn every month to the salty air, so it is therapy for me, so subtract 150 a week for pro therapy and it only costs around 300 after that. Subtract eating here in my home town at about 200 for same number of meals, and 35 for gas around town and 15 for snacks and drinks. Then it only costs about $50. I like to justify going once a month since it only really costs about $50 to have such a wonderful time and feel the ocean breeze. Big cheesy smile.[/quote

Nice job of justifying your fishing, I like the way you approach this. I can't boat fish, for physical reasons any longer, and the only thing I have changed is I now drive my Subaru to the ponds and lakes I fish, my other car, a 70 Cutlass with a built up V-8 gets about 7 mpg. Miss using it though, it's a convertible, and the rods don't need to be taken down to transport , just stuck in the rear seat on the floor and sticking out.
Oh, poor me !

DC Loc: Washington state

my last trip. price of gas $65 laonch fee $10. gear and bait used $8 ice $5 food and snacks $25 spending the day with grandkids priceless

Passingbye Loc: Reidsville NC

Moose lodge park Pass $20 a year and it's 6 miles from my house. Camping $10 to $30 a night.
I have a boat but the way I fish my thang in NC. My boat is a 1984 16ft Glass Sylvania with a 50 Mercy outboard. The $40 in the 4x4 truck take a gallon to reach my honey hole and launch and I cast net for bait shad, small bluegill for free. Boat tank 8 gallon $40 and have you seen the prices of frozen fish at Walmart? $45 for less than 5lbs and a fourth of that is water. I can camp out in my trailer and fish until I've caught several fish fries and what I get is far more fantastic tasting fish! Channel catfish fillets, a nice mess of crappie fillets, we make homemade hush puppies, coleslaw, potato salad and eat like freaking king's! You go to Mayflower and spend $100 for just you and wife? It's worth it to go catch my own and it's a thrill to me and I always share some of my catches with people who don't have my mojo know how on catfish.