I just had the pleasure of dropping a Benjamin, in fact a Benjamin right on the nose, filling up my trusty truck at the cheapest gas station in town.
Ouch.
While gasoline and diesel prices have stopped their exponential progression, I for one don’t believe for a second that we’ve seen the highest prices of the year just yet.
Despite being newly settled in a locale with more water to fish within a two-hour drive than you could learn to fish in a life time (or three), I found myself pondering how to save a fuel-dedicated Benjamin or two and still fish at least three days per week. Here’s the short list from my drive home…
Live and / or work right on the damn river. The first place that pops into mind is Jerry and his gang at The Trout Shop or Mark, John, Sarah et al at Headhunters, both a stones throw from the banks of the Missouri in Craig. It’s a choice and far from perfect, though this time of year it sounds pretty damn nice.
Take your buddy’s truck. No explanation needed; bring a six-pack and Slim Jims for everyone.
Live very, very close to great water. You all know lucky, smart or otherwise blessed anglers who end up living in what many would call ‘promised land’ locations. Like our friends in West Yellowstone and Jake now happily settled back in Bozeman. (I still haven’t learned to control my fits of jealous rage when they text or email pics of their browns caught on lunch break.)
Take your buddy’s truck. It’s worth repeating.
The fly fisher’s equivalent to the old saying ‘dance with who brung ya’ – embrace your local / neighborhood waters, be they pond, ditch, canal, crick, creek, slough or perhaps even your neighbor’s koi pond. Koi might just be the next bonefish of the north.
The list no doubt could and should be much longer and more innovative….
