Fishing is one of the most family friendly hobbies you can share during the summer months. The time as a family brings everyone closer together while the fish you catch makes great meals throughout the summer months. There’s a pretty big catch to fishing though. Although it might seem like a pretty cheap hobby to get into, it can actually run you quite a bit of money before you get home. Between docking costs and fishing supplies you may find your budget completely blown before you get home from your trip. There are many ways you can avoid pricey spending when it comes to creating memories by the fishing hole with your family. These ten tips will cut down on your expenses so you can worry about having a good time, rather than how much you’ll lose on the trip.
1. Go Used
If you plan on providing a fishing rod for everyone that’s going on the trip then you may want to consider looking for used gear. You can find a good selection of rods that are in excellent condition at a sporting goods store if you simply asked for the used section. You may also have a lot of luck finding fishing rods that have been preowned online, at yard sales or in thrift stores. If you’re a beginner a used rod should give you everything you need to be successful. When it comes to kids a used rod is a must. Kids grow really fast so there’s no reason spending a lot of money on a rod they’ll only be able to use for one or two fishing seasons. Try to find a used rod in your child’s size and then hold onto it for the younger kids to use. This will cut down on spending and will give the rod special meaning as it passes down between your kids and eventually down to your grandchildren. You should always make sure to do a simple inspection of the rod before buying it used though. It doesn’t take a close eye to notice when something is broken.
2. Go Motorless
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to rent or own, you should try to go motorless if you’re looking to save some cash on your fishing adventures. Boats that have a motor require a lot of expensive maintenance, not to mention the gasoline it takes to fuel them every time you go out on the water. You’re already looking at an extra bundle of water before you even cast out. Instead, you may want to consider a boat that requires you to do a little work. These boats are quieter which won’t scare the fish as much. It also allows you and the family to have a closer bond as you have to work together to paddle out into the water. You will love teaching the kids some real technical skills and may even get a better workout than you would at the gym.
3. DIY Bait
When it comes to fishing supplies, bait seems to be one of the most popular expensditure. This is usually because people feel the need to try out different kinds of baits. Of course, bait also has to be replaced often because it will be eaten by fish or simply lost in the water. There’s a lot of ways you can remedy the bait buying blues though. A simple way is to take a can of corn with you. Most fish will latch onto this so you won’t have to spend more than a few cents on a few days worth of bait. You might also try to catch your own minnows if you’re going after larger fish. This can usually be accomplished on the dock with a net and is a great task for younger kids. Growing your own food in a garden and using it as bait is an excellent wait to really get in touch with nature. You can also take the worms out of your garden to help catch some fish. If you don’t want to use real food as bait then there’s a lot of DIY videos online that can help you make incredible reusable bait without spending a lot of money.
4. Fishing License
The fishing license can be one of the most dreaded parts of the trip. For many, they’re uncertain about the law and choose to simple go without. This can be a huge mistake. If you’re caught in the wrong area fishing without a license you may end up with a pretty big fine. One way to know for sure is to contact your fishing and game office with any questions you have. If you’re still not sure then it might just be more convenient to buy one just in case. Fishing licenses are usually priced by age, but there is a whole lot of other discounts you can get on them. When you go to purchase yours make sure you ask about waivers and discounts so you know what you qualify. Generally, military veterans automatically qualify for a discount as do members of many clubs. The key is to know your information before you buy, so you can save big.
5. Bring Snacks
In an idea world, fishing trips would be filled with big catches that fill the tummies of everyone on the trip. Of course, this isn’t exactly the case so it’s important not to go in the trip unprepared for a fishless day. You should always carry lots of filling snacks like nuts, granola and fruits to keep the family feeling full while out on the water or on the fishing site. You may also want to bring simple things for dinner like beans or sandwich materials. These items will carry you over when your family doesn’t catch anything. Often, if you don’t have a backup plan you could end up spending a lot of money on fast food because the family will be too drained from the sun to go out shopping and cook when the day is over. This will save you a bundle on costs and the fish you do end up catching will taste even more delicious in comparison to the other foods.
6. Stay Close to Home
Saving money can be hard when you have to do a lot of traveling. With gas being such a huge expense its always best to stay as close to home as possible when you need to stay on a tight budget. Although it might be a let down for your family’s vacation it could also be a blessing in disguise. There’s usually at least one fishing hole in an area so you might have overlooked the spots in your area in order to go to a bigger body of water. Try looking online for places to go in the area and ask local fisherman where they go when they just want a relaxing day trip. You may be surprised by what you find and how much you save by knowing where the fishing hole is. This knowledge will also give you access to fishing holes more often, so you can escape for an afternoon and do some fishing without having to worry about getting home by dinner on a school night.
7. Bulk Supplies
If you like to go fishing a lot then bulk supplies are a definite answer to your expenditure problem. You can easily find these supplies online or in your local bait and tackle shop if you ask. Bait is one of the best things to buy in bulk if you choose not to use your own or if you need special lures. Another great investment in bulk is fishing line. If you can get it in a large spool you’ll end up saving a lot more money than buying whenever you decide to go fishing. These supplies will last you a lot longer than buying when you go fishing and you’ll always have what you need on hand.
8. Rent
A lot of people don’t get a chance to fish very often, which makes buying the gear to do it a little inefficient. Rather than purchasing nice gear and having it collect dust in your garage it might be wise just to rent when you get the chance to go out. Many stores will offer a wide selection of poles, reusable bait and other must haves for people that just want to fish for the day. You may also want to consider renting a boat. This is a huge expenditure that can really be cut down if you rent when the occasion calls for it. You can choose between motorized and manual boats as well as how long you need to rent this. This can also save a whole lot because you probably won’t have to pay a docking fee as the company usually has a place to dock when the boat is not in use.
9. Stay Landlocked
Although it might not sound like as much fun you may want to keep your family landlocked while you’re on a fishing trip. This will help eliminate the cost of renting, purchasing, transporting, fueling and/or docking a boat that you may face. There’s a lot of benefits to staying landlocked too. For instance, you can set up your area beneath the trees in order to avoid direct sunlight and to keep a bit cooler than you would out on the water. Staying on land also gives you easier access to safe swimming for kids when the lake allows you to. Also, if the fish aren’t biting where you’re located you can pack up and move without scaring the fish away. Without all of the hidden fees you trip would have if you decided to get on the water, you may be able to afford an extra trip this summer or perhaps a little extra spending money to explore the lake town.
10. Care for Your Equipment
If you have your own equipment then it’s very important to take good care of it as letting it rot away will only waste your money. Caring for fishing rods is really quite simple and doesn’t take a whole lot of time out of your busy schedule. There’s a lot of online tips that can be accessed about your fishing rod so make sure to look them up if you have any problems. You can also talk to most anyone at your fish and tackle or sportsman store to help you understand just what you need to do to care for your gear. You should also always leave you tackle out to dry before you lock it back up in the tackle box and store it away. This will prevent rusting which could render your supplies useless. Making sure your lure isn’t tangled is always a must and will make your life easier when you decide to fish again. Last but not least, make sure to thoroughly wash down your gear whenever you fish in salt water as this could really ruin your fishing gear no matter what quality it is.
Fishing is an amazing pass time that has been passed from generation to generation for decades. However, with the prices on equipment and travel expenses sky rocketing it may be harder to get your family out to the fishing hole as often as you’d like. With these ten tips you should find an easy way to save on money while creating some amazing memories with family and friends as you test your luck as anglers.
