Boat, MotorS, Gear = Total Investment

[Stotch]

Food for thought to pass the winter months away. Just for the sake of it add up the total amount of $$$ that you have invested in your hobby.

Include the boat, paint jobs, trailer, all motors, autopilots, GPS, Electronics, VHF radio, downriggers components, canvas, all covers, rod holder systems, seat suspensions, planer boards components, all off the tackle boxes, lures, rods, reels, rain gear, license & tourny fees, boat fuel, truck fuel, motel expenses and anything else you can think of.

Now keep that list and total expenditures available for the next time some anal politician tries to limit or curtail your fishing rights. And use it as defense when the government asks . How much do you spend on fishing trips. How does your hobby help with the local economy. Just think of the total BILLIONS spent in this industry.

Now DO NOT let your "significant other"
find out - for obvious reasons.

Have Fun......Stotch

[hgmeyer]

Dear Stotch...

Despite your warning...There I was adding it all up..two fishing boats...one duck hunting rig and a pontoon boat...all that gear...just like you said...And all of a sudden...SHE appears...Says, what's that...I say Nothing...she then says..."Unh-Uh"..."That's either what you have 'invested' in hunting and fishing...or it's the total we spent on National Defense in the last five years..."

When admitted she was right...well...Stotch...do I get to add Medicval expenses in that total?

Now, really, it is who I am...I know and it is something we all should remember; that with the (I believe the spelling is correct) Pittman - Robertson Act Tax and license and boat registration and other stamp and user fees...WE...the Sportsmen...pay the biggest share of conservation and wildlife preservation costs...as well as contributing big dollars to the economy...

Amen Brother

[Zamboni]

Now that you have that number calculated, divided it by the number of pounds of fish you have put on your table or have released. Ya see it is really about the fishing and not the fish.

Zamboni

[Bob G2]

Have Fun???? Nope, nope, nope, don't even want to think about it.
Remember the boat industry motto,..."That will be another thousand"

Again, and again and again.:P

[Jim Ordway]

Only a fool with a marital death wish would commit this to cyberspace.

[Hawgeye]

As I started to add this up I started with my new boat last year. Then I added the 3 depth finders, the 3 trolling motors, the 2 GPS's, the marine radio and antennas. I then remembered my new rod wrangler, and wavewacker splash guards, the trailer guide ons, the bow buddy, my numerous rods and reels, the down rigging equipment that I have been accumulating over the years to install that I have yet to install, the drift anchors, boat anchors, rain gear, life jackets, insurance and licenses. That reminded me of my new line spooling station and electric filet knives. I thought some more and remembered my Beckman net and my other 2 junk nets not to mention the hundreds of crank baits and tackle, tackle boxes.....

I got exhausted. I quickly tore the sheet up into little itty bitty pieces. My wife and I are looking into buying a new home and guess why? Because I only have a 2 stall garage and my tow rig sits outside because the boat MUST be kept inside. So I suppose I must add the added value of the house onto my hobby price,..right?

I think it is best left unknown!!!!!!

[RANGER]

A whole bunch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the other hand - What's it worth to me - EVERY PENNY!

That's the bottom line! ;-)

[brushpile]

My neighbor (Vera) a 76 year young lady was a benificary of a particularly good fishing trip I had last summer. She likes fish, and Idon't freeze fish. When Mama gets hungry for fish it makes it easier for me to get out. Lo and behold they had walleye on sale at a local grocery that week and Vera saw the ad. $11 a Pound. She felt guilty and wanted to reimburse me. With a chuckle I told her she got the best fillets money could buy, but she couldn't afford them at my $200 a pound.

Folks it is a never ending expense. Don't forget food, lodging, bait,beer and gas.

[firebird]

When I got married 28 years ago, my mother-in-law never kept a running total of the expenses. She just paid each bill as it came along. Now we didn't have a huge wedding by any means, but it was very nice. To this day we don't know what it cost and I think this topic falls under the same umbrella. If is enjoyable, pay the bills and don't add them up. I don't want to know what I spend each year. It would probably scare me and my wife. Have fun and bring on the warmer weather!

[bassandmuskienut]

I agree with Ranger above. I remember when I graduated college and had no kids, no house and owned a boat and a truck. I fished alot of bass tournaments back then. I calculated all my expenses back in 1990 and my total expenditures for fishing were 40% of my gross salary. Was it worth it "absolutely" I dont spend near as much as I use too since I now have a family and a house. I will be buying a new boat soon that the whole family can enjoy. I dont care what fishing costs the joy of fishing with my dad, son,daughter and best fishing buddy are priceless. As a youth fishing kept me out of running with the wrong crowd and always provided a new challenge. Fishing will always be my passion in life and I'll be fishing till the day I die. I saw a bumper sticker awhile back that said, "I've spent half my life fishing the other the half was just wasted not going fishing." Fisherman and hunters and other outdoors types see the real beauty of the United States that the big city slickers never see. We have seen the sunrises, the sunsets, bald eagles flying high in the sky not in a zoo. We are the lucky ones who really enjoy the benefits of living in the best country in the world. I thank all of those before me who have given up their lives and bodies for this country. I'm proud to be an American.