NOYB wrote:
I went to the Florida Keys by boat this past weekend for 3 days. We slept on
the boat, and managed to fish only one and half days due to rough sea
conditions.

Fuel burn was 270 gallons...100 gallons each way, and 70 gallons heading to
and from the fishing grounds, and trolling for 8 hours.


Fuel costs were $960 ($3.57/gallon), the slip was $170 for two nights, and
drinks, food, and provisions were under $200. Total=around $1400.

If I had gotten a hotel on Memorial Day weekend for two nights, it would
have cost me $500, and a fishing charter would have been $900 for one day
and $500 for the second day. We would have had to go out to breakfast,
lunch, and dinner rather than bring our own food, which would have added
another $300 to the tab for 3 days. Gas for the car ride would have run
another $100. Total=$2300.

Boating and fishing on a liveaboard is still cheaper than a hotel, dining
out, and hiring a fishing guide. I'm surprised that so many boaters who own
large expensive live-aboards would cite "higher fuel costs" as the reason
for cancelling a planned trip that involved travelling only 120 miles
round-trip. An extra $1/gallon at the pump would have added less than $150
to their trip.



In February, I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale. Cost me $250 round trip.
I went charter fishing one day with three other guys, cost me $275.
One night of the hotel was around $300.
Ate maybe $50 of food that day, probably half that.

I think your numbers are a bit off.

"HK" wrote in message
...

In February, I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale. Cost me $250 round trip.
I went charter fishing one day with three other guys, cost me $275.

Cost *you* personally $275...or $275 each? There were 4 of us.



One night of the hotel was around $300.

Which is more than the $250/night that I cited.

Ate maybe $50 of food that day, probably half that.

Once again, you're talking about just *you*. Multiply by the four of us.


I think your numbers are a bit off.

Yes, if you're only thinking about yourself.

By my calculations, your trip cost you $875 for two days and one
night...with a day of fishing.

My trip cost around $1400 but was divided by four people (actually 3 adults
and my son).

NOYB wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

In February, I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale. Cost me $250 round trip.
I went charter fishing one day with three other guys, cost me $275.

Cost *you* personally $275...or $275 each? There were 4 of us.


Just me.






One night of the hotel was around $300.

Which is more than the $250/night that I cited.


Yeah, and I got a "rate." It was a $500 a night room. Don't ask.





Ate maybe $50 of food that day, probably half that.

Once again, you're talking about just *you*. Multiply by the four of us.

I think your numbers are a bit off.

Yes, if you're only thinking about yourself.

By my calculations, your trip cost you $875 for two days and one
night...with a day of fishing.

My trip cost around $1400 but was divided by four people (actually 3 adults
and my son).


Actually, I have just as much fun on the the "head boat" charters out of
Haulover Inlet, since they only have to head a mile or so offshore for
some terrific fishing. Those run about $30 for a half day.

"HK" wrote in message
. ..
NOYB wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

In February, I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale. Cost me $250 round trip.
I went charter fishing one day with three other guys, cost me $275.

Cost *you* personally $275...or $275 each? There were 4 of us.


Just me.


Then the rate that I cited was spot on. $275*3 plus tip is over $900.






One night of the hotel was around $300.

Which is more than the $250/night that I cited.


Yeah, and I got a "rate." It was a $500 a night room. Don't ask.


Feb. in South Florida. That's the going rate for the 4 and 5 star places.
The $250/night in the Keys on Memorial Day weekend is for a pretty spartan
place.





Ate maybe $50 of food that day, probably half that.

Once again, you're talking about just *you*. Multiply by the four of us.

I think your numbers are a bit off.

Yes, if you're only thinking about yourself.

By my calculations, your trip cost you $875 for two days and one
night...with a day of fishing.

My trip cost around $1400 but was divided by four people (actually 3
adults and my son).


Actually, I have just as much fun on the the "head boat" charters out of
Haulover Inlet, since they only have to head a mile or so offshore for
some terrific fishing. Those run about $30 for a half day.


Headboats don't troll for dolphin, wahoo, and tuna. I know that "anything
can happen" on a bottom trip, but you have a lot better chance trolling for
those fish until you find them, and then chunking 'em up once you do find
them.

I love trailering over to the east coast to fish, because quality fish are
caught just a few miles from shore. But I'm not targeting bottom species if
I make that trek. I'm after pelagics.

NOYB wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..
NOYB wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

In February, I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale. Cost me $250 round trip.
I went charter fishing one day with three other guys, cost me $275.
Cost *you* personally $275...or $275 each? There were 4 of us.

Just me.


Then the rate that I cited was spot on. $275*3 plus tip is over $900.




One night of the hotel was around $300.
Which is more than the $250/night that I cited.

Yeah, and I got a "rate." It was a $500 a night room. Don't ask.


Feb. in South Florida. That's the going rate for the 4 and 5 star places.
The $250/night in the Keys on Memorial Day weekend is for a pretty spartan
place.



Ate maybe $50 of food that day, probably half that.
Once again, you're talking about just *you*. Multiply by the four of us.

I think your numbers are a bit off.
Yes, if you're only thinking about yourself.

By my calculations, your trip cost you $875 for two days and one
night...with a day of fishing.

My trip cost around $1400 but was divided by four people (actually 3
adults and my son).

Actually, I have just as much fun on the the "head boat" charters out of
Haulover Inlet, since they only have to head a mile or so offshore for
some terrific fishing. Those run about $30 for a half day.


Headboats don't troll for dolphin, wahoo, and tuna. I know that "anything
can happen" on a bottom trip, but you have a lot better chance trolling for
those fish until you find them, and then chunking 'em up once you do find
them.

I love trailering over to the east coast to fish, because quality fish are
caught just a few miles from shore. But I'm not targeting bottom species if
I make that trek. I'm after pelagics.



I'm not. I like the reef fishing. You never know what you are going to
find, though typically I catch kingfish and sometimes yellowtail. I
don't believe in C&R for pelagics, and I have no need of that amount of
fish for the table or freezer. When I catch a kingfish, I bring it back
to the hotel, have the chef cook up something nice for my party, and let
him decide what to do with the rest of the steaks.

Actually, when I go out on the head boats, I find a spot on deck that is
not too crowded and then driftfish my own bait, rather than bottom fish.
I usually get away with it.

"HK" wrote in message
. ..
NOYB wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..
NOYB wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

In February, I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale. Cost me $250 round trip.
I went charter fishing one day with three other guys, cost me $275.
Cost *you* personally $275...or $275 each? There were 4 of us.

Just me.


Then the rate that I cited was spot on. $275*3 plus tip is over $900.




One night of the hotel was around $300.
Which is more than the $250/night that I cited.

Yeah, and I got a "rate." It was a $500 a night room. Don't ask.


Feb. in South Florida. That's the going rate for the 4 and 5 star
places. The $250/night in the Keys on Memorial Day weekend is for a
pretty spartan place.



Ate maybe $50 of food that day, probably half that.
Once again, you're talking about just *you*. Multiply by the four of
us.

I think your numbers are a bit off.
Yes, if you're only thinking about yourself.

By my calculations, your trip cost you $875 for two days and one
night...with a day of fishing.

My trip cost around $1400 but was divided by four people (actually 3
adults and my son).

Actually, I have just as much fun on the the "head boat" charters out of
Haulover Inlet, since they only have to head a mile or so offshore for
some terrific fishing. Those run about $30 for a half day.


Headboats don't troll for dolphin, wahoo, and tuna. I know that
"anything can happen" on a bottom trip, but you have a lot better chance
trolling for those fish until you find them, and then chunking 'em up
once you do find them.

I love trailering over to the east coast to fish, because quality fish
are caught just a few miles from shore. But I'm not targeting bottom
species if I make that trek. I'm after pelagics.



I'm not. I like the reef fishing. You never know what you are going to
find, though typically I catch kingfish and sometimes yellowtail. I don't
believe in C&R for pelagics, and I have no need of that amount of fish for
the table or freezer. When I catch a kingfish, I bring it back to the
hotel, have the chef cook up something nice for my party, and let him
decide what to do with the rest of the steaks.


I'm not a big fan of kingfish. The flesh is too grey for me. It's good on
the smoker though.

Yellowtail are excellent.

If I make the trip to the east coast or the Keys, I'm hoping to get a large
dolphin, wahoo, or tuna to bring enough back for the freezer.

"NOYB" wrote in message
link.net...

"HK" wrote in message
. ..
NOYB wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..
NOYB wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

In February, I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale. Cost me $250 round trip.
I went charter fishing one day with three other guys, cost me $275.
Cost *you* personally $275...or $275 each? There were 4 of us.

Just me.


Then the rate that I cited was spot on. $275*3 plus tip is over $900.




One night of the hotel was around $300.
Which is more than the $250/night that I cited.

Yeah, and I got a "rate." It was a $500 a night room. Don't ask.


Feb. in South Florida. That's the going rate for the 4 and 5 star
places. The $250/night in the Keys on Memorial Day weekend is for a
pretty spartan place.



Ate maybe $50 of food that day, probably half that.
Once again, you're talking about just *you*. Multiply by the four of
us.

I think your numbers are a bit off.
Yes, if you're only thinking about yourself.

By my calculations, your trip cost you $875 for two days and one
night...with a day of fishing.

My trip cost around $1400 but was divided by four people (actually 3
adults and my son).

Actually, I have just as much fun on the the "head boat" charters out
of Haulover Inlet, since they only have to head a mile or so offshore
for some terrific fishing. Those run about $30 for a half day.


Headboats don't troll for dolphin, wahoo, and tuna. I know that
"anything can happen" on a bottom trip, but you have a lot better chance
trolling for those fish until you find them, and then chunking 'em up
once you do find them.

I love trailering over to the east coast to fish, because quality fish
are caught just a few miles from shore. But I'm not targeting bottom
species if I make that trek. I'm after pelagics.



I'm not. I like the reef fishing. You never know what you are going to
find, though typically I catch kingfish and sometimes yellowtail. I don't
believe in C&R for pelagics, and I have no need of that amount of fish
for the table or freezer. When I catch a kingfish, I bring it back to the
hotel, have the chef cook up something nice for my party, and let him
decide what to do with the rest of the steaks.


I'm not a big fan of kingfish. The flesh is too grey for me. It's good
on the smoker though.

Yellowtail are excellent.

If I make the trip to the east coast or the Keys, I'm hoping to get a
large dolphin, wahoo, or tuna to bring enough back for the freezer.


Leave the dolphins alone!