[mavsled]

my latest tab from this previous Columbia springer trip. Tab just covers the basic costs (expenses) from the actual trip itself.
Not including depreciation dollars on the main equipment, or my new boat top purchases at Superior in Longview.
I will email these expense spreadsheets to the WDFW and various chambers of commerce in the Columbia springer zones when the season is over. Hope the powers that be care.

2009 Columbia Springer Fishing Expenses/Costs
DATE Cost Documentation $dollars spent$

3/17/2009 Seattle, Market shrimp bait $22.00
18-Mar Seattle, Safeway Gas-trip $51.00
3/17/2009 Seattle, Outdoor Emorium-tackle $18.00
First stop, fish Cowlitz-Fri evening 03/20, two hours.
3/20/2009 Ethel, Spiffy's Rest-dinner $19.00 incl waitress tip
3/20/2009 Kelso, Safeway-trip groceries $29.00
3/20/2009 Kelso, Safeway Gas-boat
fish springers Saturday, 03/21 $65.00
3/21/2009 Longview, Bob's Spt Gds $6.00 dz herring
3/21/2009 Longview, Bob's Spt Gds-whim tackle selection, $15.00
3/21/2009 Kelso, Izzy's Restaurant-dinnr $17.00 incl waitress tip
3/21/2009 Kelso, Safeway Gas-trip home $35.00

TRIP SUMMARY 03/19-20
3 takedowns,1 springer released, zero fish kept Total Trip Expense $277.00

 

[oldguy]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

Not bad. I'm scared to add up my recent expenses.

I'm taking my Surburban and boat, motorhome, 4 days worth of chow and drinks, lotsa herring and stuff to fish with. All gas tanks are full and I'm now broke and hope to at least catch a fish or two! Then come home and if I catch a fish I'll smoke it up and give it away.

But, it's better than sitting home on the couch watching Springer.

And then next week I'll be back at it again for the next 4 days of openings.

oldguy

 

[gljjr]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

That's far better than my trip out to Neah last year to get Halibut with Jambo's! We were well over $1200 by the time we got done and only took about 60lbs of fish home for the 2 of us. Most expensive trip I've ever had! Of course a lot of that expense was for a hotel stay and guide services.

 

[seadna]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

The very first fish I caught in my boat 6 years ago (when it was new and amortizing all costs across that one fish) cost about $30,000/lb. Now after many years of boat ownership and many, many more fishes, I think I'm down to an average cost of about $125/lb (tackle, food, boat, insurance, gas, hotel/motel/moorage, maintenance, modifications to the driveway to store the boat etc). I don't think I can get my cost/lb much cheaper - especially if I fish much for blackmouth or fish early for springers. The only trips that have penciled out in a reasonable range (compared to the grocery store) are my annual meat runs to Neah Bay. On those trips, I probably bring back 60-80lbs of fish at $10/lb total expense. However, I'm saving all kinds of money on psychiatry I don't need as a result of the good times and stress relief from fishing.

It's useful for out legislators to know that the $/lb economic impact from us highly inefficient at harvest sportsmen (and sportswomen) is WAY higher/lb than what the commercials generate. Someday, perhaps that will get taken into account in the management of the fish.

 

[mavsled]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

It's useful for out legislators to know that the $/lb economic impact from us highly inefficient at harvest sportsmen (and sportswomen) is WAY higher/lb than what the commercials generate. Someday, perhaps that will get taken into account in the management of the fish.

and the powers that be whom set fishing seasons too. Tup:

Precisely why I posted this. I will be sending my season expense totals throughout to various levels of WA State government.

 

[srchn4salmon]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

This is what this argument is all about, money. It always has been and always will be. There is plenty of season left and I can only hope others will follow in Mav's lead and keep detailed trip expenses. Just keep your receipts and send the totals to the people that make the decisions.

 

[mavsled]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

I got a funny feeling that the next 3 remaining 3-day openers (x fingers they don't close it early) & associated costs will be dent the credit card...but hopefully priceless! wink:

 

[Toutleman]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

Fishing is a expensive hobby! :mrgreen:

 

[captkirk]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

I think your cost is less. You shouldnt count the food as i assume you would eat if you stayed at home.

 

[DBAppraiser]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

The reason for counting the food is to show that money was spent in the "local economy" and that fishermen contribute to said economy. Because of the springer season, that restaurant made about $40 from Mav that they would not have gotten had there not been a season.

 

[eggster]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

i was reading an article in the seattle times yesterday about revamping columbia river hatcheries. any one else read it?. your'e all off base here, they said, that "surplus hatchery fish have no economic benefit to the economy, or the state". any one else read this? conf: . i got to that part of the story and threw it in the garbage can. didn't mean to hi-jack your thread mavsled, but i had to add this in.

 

[20miler]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

That raises an interesting point: You forgot a line. You are trying to catch fish that the government put there right? Guess whose $$$$ THAT was...

 

[mavsled]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

The reason for counting the food is to show that money was spent in the "local economy" and that fishermen contribute to said economy. Because of the springer season, that restaurant made about $40 from Mav that they would not have gotten had there not been a season

correcto mundo! Precisely one of my economic points. all the information I have read mentions estimates of what the sportsfishermen do for local economies. so I thought this year, all $$$ details would be documented and supplied to the powers that be (and I don't mean tribes or commies, although they are THE power in this State of WA).
With 3 open fishing periods left, plus two trips to Drano-Wind planned in May, I should have some REAL $$ FIGURES aside from some so called guesstimations. And that's just one of us sportsfishermen,,and I'm kind of frugal (e.g.: heck, sleep in the truck canopy if not at my sisters place in Vancouver) at that by saving costs where I can to drive all the way from the Seattle area.

$$$ in the local economy, from a traveling sportsfishermen: tips to waiters/waitresses, tax revenue to those local municipals, supporting those local businesses in traditionally tough economic regions.

 

[Elkfins]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

Mavsled, this is a fantastic Idea. If we all were to document the $$ we spend fishing and routinely email it to our elected officials it would help drive home the economic impact we have as a group.

I'm in.
2 trips springer fishin in April planned.
Sequim trip for Halibut April 25th planned.
Wesport trip for Halibut May 3rd planned.
Neah Bay trip for Halibut and Bottom fish May 21 - 24 planned.
salmon fishing out of Westport this summer... whatever the weather allows.
Fall Salmon fishing at Willipa Bay and Bouy 10.
Not to mention the numerous days in Puget Sound.

Should add up to some siginificant $$''s

Steve

 

[KB08]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

While getting my new license online, I came across this report of the commercial and recreational fisheries and their contribution to the economy.

http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/commission/econ_analysis

It pretty much spells out what we thought, that recreational fishing contributes exponentially more money to the economy than non-tribal commercial. It was a good read, wish more politicians would take a look at it.

 

[mavsled]

Re: The Columbia springers numbers $$$ game

hyped up on coffee/caffeine for long trip back late Sat night so might as well log on and post....

3rd trip down for springers, expense report:

fished Kalama area Thur-Fri-Sat.
gas4driving: $72.00 round trip
gas4fishing: $30.00
Kelso Safeway: $12.00 misc
Bob's Spt goods misc (great store and decent prices!!): $12.00
Thur dinner: 3 rivers mall Izzy's (2 of us): $29.00
Fri am Kalama ChevRon: $8.00
Subway lunches: $20.00 (4 foot longs, great slow economy deal)
Friday dinner at Fireside Cafe>Camp Kalama: $33.00 (2 of us)
SAt am Kalama ChevRon: $11.00
Sat pm Burger King, north of Kelso on way home: $13.00 (2 of us)

expense cost total for 3rd trip: $240.00
running total for 3 trips in 2009 (thus far): $627.00
(and this doesn't include new boat top from Superior Tops in Longview!)

results of 3rd trip: 23 fishing hours, 4 takedowns, 1 hatchery springer brought home. Relied on fishing partner for bait-herring needs, nuff said. Gotta have excellent bait to have success on springers. Should have brought my own cured, dyed, brined herrings. Oh well, lesson learned the expensive way.
good amount (20+ or so) springers landed each day, mostly trolling in Kalama areas, some on anchor. a couple guides cleaned up: right, left, in-front of and behind us each morning.
God, I hate not having good bait..Kicking myself at 1:00am. Frustrated beyond belief with the catching on this trip as fish were caught all around us it seemed....but fishing better than not fishing.

 

[fishslave]

results of 3rd trip: 23 fishing hours, 4 takedowns, 1 hatchery springer brought home. Relied on fishing partner for bait-herring needs, nuff said.

For the year studied (2006) If you take the net recreational value ($129,419,300 (2,574,000 angler days).) and divide it by how many salmon were caught in the recreational fishery, (172,806 in freshwater and 108,450 in the salt), your one fish has a "value" of $460.

Thanks Smalma, for doing the math!

running total for 3 trips in 2009 (thus far): $627.00

If you spend your normal average on your next trip, I'm guessing you will come home with another fish and be right in the ballpark of the study figures!

 

[MarkColeman]

VERY, very awesome post Mav! The sport-fishing industry thanks you very much. Looking forward to hearing what kind of response you get...

 

[Live2Fish]

Spent roughfully $299.00 in the Kalama area.
Thursday - 1 in the box trolling & 1 crackered while anchored
Friday - started trolling at 7 had our limits by 9:30
Saturday - 1 jack - fish caught all around us but we couldn't catch a thing all day
Will do it again in a heart beat - love the thrill of catching Springers

 

[oldguy]

Spent alot of $$$ but came home with alittle gold to show for it.