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Posts: 1184
Location: Iowa Great Lakes | On my 7 day trip to Spring Bay my grochery bill is around $50 in Cook and I bring 1/3 of that home with me... |
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Location: 31 | Spending the extra money to perform proper maintenance doesn't cost, it saves. |
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Posts: 582
| i have a feeling there are alot more people NOT driving 4+ hours up north and staying closer to their home water for fishing. |
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| Another tip for the cooking aspect is to pre-cook everything a few days before the trip and freeze it. We do that with chili, bbq, spaghetti, et cetera. Then it just takes a few minutes in a microwave to reheat. It saves a ton of time cooking and cleaning. The only potential problem is having a fridge/freezer to store it and a microwave/stove to cook it. Most places I've stayed at least had one or the other, but there have been a few times when a microwave had to come along for the trip. If you're at a campsite or sleeping in the back of the truck it's not so easy. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | as has been said, take your own food....eating out costs a lot more than bringing/making your own....i make my own deli sandwiches on the boat etc....costco/super walmart has great prices .... |
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Location: Minocqua, WI | Wow, excellent topic and posts! I would have to say the choice of boat is a huge factor... 50 or 60 hp fourstrokes are incredible on fuel and a lighter boat saves vehicle wear/tear and improves fuel economy. Also, stciking with the producer baits is key, you dont need every color known to man, stick with the producers. A big money saver for the rubber chuckers is oviously repairing baits. I keep all of my destroyed bulldawgs and use them to "frankenstein" the ones that are still usable. Use the rubber from a destroyed one as solder for the others. Light it on fire and let it burn for few seconds, then use the goo to repair you bait. works great! |
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Posts: 605
Location: Marshfield, WI | Here is a good place to get a deal on trolling motors. They are factory reconditioned and come with warranty. http://www.trollnmotors.com/
Krishna |
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Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | I just injure myself so I can't go fishing - or not so much. I'm very injury-prone too. My kids say I can't walk to the end of the driveway without hurting myself.  |
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Posts: 477
Location: Iowa | jonnysled - 7/17/2012 12:09 PM
consider learning how to target and catch larger fish??
apparently you suck as much at fishing as n. wisco people suck at making you happy??
.Hahahaha. Good advice. Don't you just love "guest"? |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | Awww, did somebody get the skunky-poo on their trip North? Maybe a ticket from those mean old wardens? |
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Posts: 8831
| Guest - 7/17/2012 12:06 PM
I pretty much quit fishing this year with the heat and everything and I'll never go up to northern Wisconsin again and support those backwards people. I'll just stay close to home this fall and count all my money, fish with suckers, and putt around the lake with the trolling motor.
I use to go up north all the time but it's not worth it for 30 inchers when southern Wisconsin has more and bigger muskies.
Thank you. It gets a little nicer up there every year because of attitudes like yours. Please encourage your friends to do the same.
The fish might not be great, but nothing beats sharing the lake with 2 other boats instead of 200. |
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Posts: 8831
| jonnysled - 7/17/2012 12:09 PM
consider learning how to target and catch larger fish??
apparently you suck as much at fishing as n. wisco people suck at making you happy??
Sled must own a fudge shop. |
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Posts: 1220
| I've been wanting a place up North my whole life, just never could afford it. Now, I'm finally going to do it...even started working with a Realtor. Obviously, I still think the water, the people, and the place is just great!!
And, let's face it...Illinois is out of the question, Minnesota and Michigan both have good musky water, but neither has an NFL team, and winter is too long for that kind of misery  |
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Posts: 32930
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I'm 'backwards' and somewhat of a redneck from the Northwoods. Just had a frigging bear knock the crap out our bird feeders in the middle of the day.Livin' in the woods...
I think folks who insult us good folk in N WI deserve a good solid 'virtual' right hook, especially when they lead with their chin. Sled already took care of that, though. |
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Posts: 667
Location: Roscoe IL | I leave a boat and truck up North and drive my VW Passat, then switch up. This saves me $100 Each trip just on gas. I bring all my food, snacks and drinks up with me. Staying out of the bars goes a long way as well. If I plan right, I can do a 4 day trip for just over $100 driving 4 hours each way. Food and drinks included. Helps when you have kids, house, cars and everything else on your plate. Still need to fish just to keep my head strait. |
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Posts: 1220
| Now that I think of it....moving up there would make Steve and Sled (well) NEIGHBORS...YIPES  |
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Posts: 32930
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Marty,
That's a good thing. Allows you to upgrade by hanging out with a couple well known reprobates. Or is that repobaits? |
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Posts: 833
| Easy way to save money: From December 1st until Musky Opener the next year I don't do any Musky Fishing.
My advice is take your time slowly accumulating the stuff you want, focus more on spending time on the water, especially with other people who are more experienced than you are. This is the best way to decrease the learning curve and become a more informed buyer. In theory it should help make the inevitable "wall of shame" smaller. In theory...
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Posts: 553
Location: 15 miles east of Lake Kinkaid | Lots of great info so far. A few other $$ savers is making your own leaders and reversing your line in the offseason. That saves me lots of $$$ and I "only" have 7 musky reels. For anglers with 10-20 reels it could save $300+ a year. |
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Posts: 682
Location: Sycamore, IL | If possible I catch my own live bait on the lake I am fishing instead of buying the $6+ suckers. Bullheads and rock bass catch a lot of fish for me!
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Posts: 8831
| Another thing to think about - slow down a bit on the highway. If I slow down to 60 or 65 and get 2 MPG more, it saves almost $100 in gas going to Canada and back. Even 1 MPG going up North for the weekend is almost $20. I'm always in a hurry to get there, going like a bat out of hell, but when you start adding up gas? WOW. |
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Posts: 1749
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | I commented above but I thought of some other things that I do to save on costs. I make my own leaders for about a buck a piece instead of $10, I service all of my equipment. This includes changing all fluids and required parts on the truck, trailer, outboard, reels, rods (guides if they need it), and even re-epoxying baits myself instead of throwing them away or letting them soak up water and not run right. I bring a lunch most days and drink water instead of other drinks. |
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Posts: 667
Location: Roscoe IL | esoxaddict - 7/20/2012 10:26 AM
Another thing to think about - slow down a bit on the highway. If I slow down to 60 or 65 and get 2 MPG more, it saves almost $100 in gas going to Canada and back. Even 1 MPG going up North for the weekend is almost $20. I'm always in a hurry to get there, going like a bat out of hell, but when you start adding up gas? WOW.
Just stay in the right lane then!!!!!!!!! |
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Posts: 20248
Location: oswego, il | One other thing i forgot to mention. I dont take weekend trips anymore when i know my shot at catching a fish is not as good. I used to dive bomb head first places at ice out but experience has taught me to fish where they are biting and if i do not feel my chances are good i fish for something else closer to home.
Edited by ToddM 7/20/2012 11:08 AM
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | Allot of guys with big glass rigs have two speeds stopped and wide open. If you take that powerhouse and put the boat up on plane, dial back to 40 mph or so you won't believe how much you save in a year. I always try and drive slow on smaller lakes anyway to respect the quiet. That and buy used baits carry and use less. You do not need 400 baits in the boat or at home. Trust me I know. I have baits that I have not been on a boat ride for years. Nothing wrong with them I just forget them when their time is right. |
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Posts: 8831
| You could take the hooks off your lures, and save yourself the costs of a net, pliers, knipex, and jaw spreaders... |
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| esoxaddict - 7/20/2012 10:26 AM
Another thing to think about - slow down a bit on the highway. If I slow down to 60 or 65 and get 2 MPG more, it saves almost $100 in gas going to Canada and back. Even 1 MPG going up North for the weekend is almost $20. I'm always in a hurry to get there, going like a bat out of hell, but when you start adding up gas? WOW.
Don't want to call you out EA but you best check your math on that one, you kinda doubled the savings. Round trip from Kenora to Chicago (I think that's where you're from) is 1,526 miles. Difference between 14mpg and 16mpg @ $4/gal is only $55. Split that between 2 fellers and you really aren't saving much at all. 1 mpg difference to minoqua and back is a whopping $11 in savings..... |
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| Propster - 7/14/2012 9:54 PM We sleep in the truck, eat peanut butter sandwhiches, don't buy much for new baits, and spend the rest on gas for the truck and boat. YES. Simple is always best. The guy with the most tackle doesn't catch the most fish. Keep your line wet. |
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Posts: 8831
| guest - 7/20/2012 5:09 PM
esoxaddict - 7/20/2012 10:26 AM
Another thing to think about - slow down a bit on the highway. If I slow down to 60 or 65 and get 2 MPG more, it saves almost $100 in gas going to Canada and back. Even 1 MPG going up North for the weekend is almost $20. I'm always in a hurry to get there, going like a bat out of hell, but when you start adding up gas? WOW.
Don't want to call you out EA but you best check your math on that one, you kinda doubled the savings. Round trip from Kenora to Chicago (I think that's where you're from ) is 1,526 miles. Difference between 14mpg and 16mpg @ $4/gal is only $55. Split that between 2 fellers and you really aren't saving much at all. 1 mpg difference to minoqua and back is a whopping $11 in savings.....
I checked it, Guest. Slowed down on the way to Presque Isle this year, got almost 13 MPG instead of 11. 800 miles round trip. 61 gallons of gas compared to 71 last trip up. $10 gallons of gas @3.69? That's $36.90 if math still works.
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Posts: 795
Location: North Central IL USA | ToothyCritter - 7/20/2012 11:04 AM
esoxaddict - 7/20/2012 10:26 AM
Another thing to think about - slow down a bit on the highway. If I slow down to 60 or 65 and get 2 MPG more, it saves almost $100 in gas going to Canada and back. Even 1 MPG going up North for the weekend is almost $20. I'm always in a hurry to get there, going like a bat out of hell, but when you start adding up gas? WOW.
Just stay in the right lane then!!!!!!!!! : )
LOL! For sure!
I read that gas mileage really starts taking a nose dive when you go over 2000 RPMs. That gives me a nice cruising speed of about 72 MPH.
Edited by gregk9 7/26/2012 10:55 AM
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