Using the time

From mid-season on the fishing tends towards 'early and late'

Saying you've driven too far to go home and come back, how do YOU use the
dead time in between? I find that I end up fishing one or the other
because I just can't face the boredom of the middle and I'm even considering
buying a minimalist camper just to have a place to sit and read or take a
nap.

Ideas, suggestions?

Larry L wrote:
From mid-season on the fishing tends towards 'early and late'

Saying you've driven too far to go home and come back, how do YOU use the
dead time in between? I find that I end up fishing one or the other
because I just can't face the boredom of the middle and I'm even considering
buying a minimalist camper just to have a place to sit and read or take a
nap.

Ideas, suggestions?




Why do you need to be inside to read or nap?

Willi

"Willi" wrote


Why do you need to be inside to read or nap?



Well, except in bad weather ( not usually the case mid-season ), of course I
don't. I got this idea from one of the real every day of the season every
year for decades HFork regulars. He has a converted van and he opens the
big side door and sits inside, often where he can watch the water near the
log jam in Last Chance, or Wood Rd. If the fish start working he's out
there, if not he's damn comfortable. I can't afford a converted van ( not
sure I'd like driving one either, I hated the only van I've had ) and I tow
a travel trailer that serves my camping needs plus some, so I can't justify
a 'real camper' either ( using or driving with both it and a trailer).

An added 'problem' I face each summer is fishing places like Slough or the
Lamar .... too damn far to drive for the day ( IF you are thinking of many
days a season, sure a day on your week vacation in Jellowstone would be
fine ) and I'm not inclined to move the trailer over 80 miles of narrow
twisty tourist infested roads either, to Whatever City ( East entrance),
just for a couple days. I bought a tent, and accessories, but I find I'm
pretty damn spoiled by trailer living ( which I think is just fine, I've
lived long enough and worked hard enough to spoil myself guiltfree ;-).

Anyway, just daydreaming and trying to make my summers as pleasant as
possible. I don't want to catch a ton of fish, or 'fish hard' very often
.... I'll go back to work and use that kinda attitude to make money, if it
crops up in me again G ... but sometimes either the morning or the evening
isn't enough, by itself.

oh, good to see you posting some again .... yours is one of 4 or 5 names I
scan for before 'catching up' without reading the rest

Larry L wrote:

Well, except in bad weather ( not usually the case mid-season ), of course I
don't. I got this idea from one of the real every day of the season every
year for decades HFork regulars. He has a converted van and he opens the
big side door and sits inside, often where he can watch the water near the
log jam in Last Chance, or Wood Rd. If the fish start working he's out
there, if not he's damn comfortable. I can't afford a converted van ( not
sure I'd like driving one either, I hated the only van I've had ) and I tow
a travel trailer that serves my camping needs plus some, so I can't justify
a 'real camper' either ( using or driving with both it and a trailer).


My current minivan is dying (the transmission is slipping and with over
200,000 miles on it it's not worth repairing) so I'm in the market for
another vehicle.

I've been doing some research and haven't found anything that meets my
requirements any better than a minivan, so I'll probably buy a new
minivan for Susan and take her older one and make it into a
fishing/camping vehicle. I remove all the back seats and put in a raised
platform. This provides a place to sleep and lots of storage under the
platform. I've been doing this for quite a few years. A minivan so
equipped has lots of things going for it: inexpensive to buy, good
mileage, handles like a car on the road, adequate room for sleeping and
gear storage, etc. The one drawback for me is that it's limited to roads
that are at least somewhat maintained because of its mediocre clearance.

I am open to other suggestions but from what I've found, price and poor
mileage put most other vehicles out of consideration.

Willi

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 14:51:10 -0700, Willi wrote:



I am open to other suggestions but from what I've found, price and poor
mileage put most other vehicles out of consideration.

Don't know about the current the Colorado market, but a 98 or 99 1/2
ton, 2WD Suburban might be worth a look. In the DFW area around
Christmas, soccer moms were dumping them and a clean low-mileage vehicle
could be had for around 6000.00, and given routine maintenance, they'll
get 20ish MPG on the highway (not great, but better than most full-sized
PU trucks). The body style changed in 2000, so those tend to bring
disproportionately more for a single year newer.

Check eBay Motors for some ideas.

TC,
R

"Willi" wrote in message
...
Larry L wrote:

Well, except in bad weather ( not usually the case mid-season ), of
course I
don't. I got this idea from one of the real every day of the season
every
year for decades HFork regulars. He has a converted van and he opens
the
big side door and sits inside, often where he can watch the water near
the
log jam in Last Chance, or Wood Rd. If the fish start working he's out
there, if not he's damn comfortable. I can't afford a converted van (
not
sure I'd like driving one either, I hated the only van I've had ) and I
tow
a travel trailer that serves my camping needs plus some, so I can't
justify
a 'real camper' either ( using or driving with both it and a trailer).


My current minivan is dying (the transmission is slipping and with over
200,000 miles on it it's not worth repairing) so I'm in the market for
another vehicle.

I've been doing some research and haven't found anything that meets my
requirements any better than a minivan, so I'll probably buy a new
minivan for Susan and take her older one and make it into a
fishing/camping vehicle. I remove all the back seats and put in a raised
platform. This provides a place to sleep and lots of storage under the
platform. I've been doing this for quite a few years. A minivan so
equipped has lots of things going for it: inexpensive to buy, good
mileage, handles like a car on the road, adequate room for sleeping and
gear storage, etc. The one drawback for me is that it's limited to roads
that are at least somewhat maintained because of its mediocre clearance.

I am open to other suggestions but from what I've found, price and poor
mileage put most other vehicles out of consideration.

Willi


I also love my dodge van. Don't have Willi's kool platform but with seats
removed it works fine with a full-size blow up mattress. Also, because its
so big I don't have to go thru all kinds of thinking about what to bring or
not: if in doubt, I throw in in. Also, its long enuf so that you can put
your rod in and lock it in without breaking it down. I do love my van.

Dave
Some nutty **** up on the Canadian border today.

"David Snedeker" wrote


I also love my dodge van.

10 years ago I had a client that had a Ford Diesel 4WD van modified for his
sport .. retriever field trials ... that sport also has long dead periods in
the day. It had a couch/bed small frig, tv ( I could do without but he
liked to 'watch the game') and two burner stove and other simple yet
elegantly comfortable appointments. If I had the bucks, I'd have something
similar built with special storage for my WaterMasters instead of dog boxes
for mutts G.

Ah, daydreaming can be fun

.... but I just now this second realized that at my age and tendency to
totally wear things out before replacing them, my next vehicle is likely to
be my last ... :-(

I like to walk, so a walk in the woods or up/down the river (sans waders) is
good. But, a nap after lunch is almost always on the list.

Gene

"Larry L" wrote in message
...
From mid-season on the fishing tends towards 'early and late'

Saying you've driven too far to go home and come back, how do YOU use the
dead time in between? I find that I end up fishing one or the other
because I just can't face the boredom of the middle and I'm even
considering buying a minimalist camper just to have a place to sit and
read or take a nap.

Ideas, suggestions?