I’m looking at Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday as potential offshore (blue-water) fish days this week, depending on how the weather turns out and how many crew hands I can work up. Anyone want to fish? If so, respond here and follow up with a call to 509-2526 (or email cyber-removethispart-midget@hotmail.com–remove the dashes and what’s in between them). Those who helped me get ready and my customers obviosly have first dibs, so y’all just call me. I can take up to about 6 people other than myself. Inshorefisher may have already spoken to a few of you about upcoming trips.
Vessel: 38 Fountain Sportfish Cruiser Outboard with triple 275 Verados. This is not a charter–just friends fishing and sharing the cost of fuel, bait, and ice.
Thanks.
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
Since Lee hasnt replied depending on the number of people we get together I would say its usally between 125.00-150.00 thats just my guess and again depends on the number of ppl we get could be 100.00. Expenses cover bait,ice,and gasoline.
Thanks for the response guys. Excellent. I was waiting to reply until more people responded, so I could cover as many questions at once as possible. Also, I’ve been keeping an eye on the weather. It looks like Thursday is a bust unless something changes quickly. The forecast is 4-6 to 20 mi. and 3-7 beyond. We’ll have to keep an eye on Sunday. Otherwise, one day next week will have to do. I generally don’t go if the forecast exceeds 3-5 or 15kt winds. I used to, but I’m past that. I’ve done my due time with bad-weather trips.
As for the questions about cost splitting: basically, the cost depends on how many people I get to go who are willing to split the cost. It works out like this. Gas is currently $3.63 at Ripley Light Marina. Bait and ice costs rougly $100 (I usually take 15 bags of ice when it’s hot like it is, but 10 when it’s cooler, and 5 bags of ballyhoo whether we use them or not, and I don’t refreeze them). The last trip to the Edisto Banks totalled 174 miles and burned 195 gallons of gas. Using that as an average, I figure a burn rate of 0.89 miles per gallon, or 1.21 gallons per mile. So, if we go deep (380 hole, 226 hole, etc.), then it will cost about $150-175 each (probably around $160), PROVIDED THAT I have myself and 5 others (note: I do not include my father in the cost pool if he goes). If gas goes up or down siginigicantly in price, then obviously the cost split for the trip will follow accordingly. I usually gas up just before the trip, so we split based on what the gas that is actually used for a trip costs (at the time it is pumped). I have a flow meter, so I know how much we burn.
If we decide to run all over calamazoo, hitting 226, 380, bbr, gth, etc, then it could/would cost more. I don’t plan on that, though, although we used to do it in the 34 hunting tuna. If we did it, it would be because the group, as a whole, wanted to. I normally ask the group as a whole what they want to do with regard to distance and such, since it affects everyone’s wallet, and
Cool. Thanks Patrick, and everyone. Sunday’s looking good now. I think it will be the day right now, but it’s five days away. We’ll have to watch the forecast. What about Friday? SCMedic said he could do Friday. Can anyone else get Friday off if that ends up being the best day this week?
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
P.S. Would anyone be interested in splitting the cost of a Roff’s report? I’ve never used one before, but I’ve always heard they are worth their salt. I think they’re $50 (that’s what they used to be). We don’t have to if y’all don’t want to. Just a thought since things seem to be slowing down lately. We’ll probably do fine either way. We usually do well without one, but it might make a difference. I’ll leave it up to the crew.
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
ROFFS is a company that analyzes ocean data and suggests a list of the most likely spots/areas to find fish offshore on a given day with coordinates and a sea surface temperature map of the larger area. See their website at http://www.roffs.com/.
I’ll have to tally it up and see who all we have as definites for Sunday.
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
Sunday’s looking good. So far, Billy, Patrick, and Jim have called me this week and said they were definitely in. Please call me to tomorrow (Friday) to confirm, guys, and whoever else is a definite, please also call me at 509-2526, alternates 559-3427, 795-1000. It’s a lot easier if you call me, because I get confused over matching people’s names and their web handles. I need to speak to everyone in person, on the phone, to confirm that you are a sure thing for Sunday.
Also, if any of you are off tomorrow (Fri), I need to put the boat in (off of the lift) and drive it to the fuel dock and gas up. I could use a hand if anyone is free tomorrow and wants to come over to Ripley light for about an hour and check out the boat. I already have the bait and we pick up the ice on the dock the morning of the trip.
Thanks.
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
Fire me an email if you decide to go!