by Nick Barr, June 06, 2011

Being a 19 year old tournament bass angler and fishing guide, money is certainly tight. With gas prices reaching $4 a gallon and diesel around $4.50 it costs more and more a fishing trip with the age of 50 gallon gas tanks in our trucks and boats. Here are ten tips that will save you a lot of money on your next trip so you can afford to head out to beautiful Potholes Reservoir and MarDon Resort and catch some big fish.

1. Drive 55 mph on the freeway. Most trucks set-up for towing have a high geared ratio, and begin to take a nose dive in gas mileage at around 55 mph. After that speed, your tow vehicle starts to have to deal with large wind resistance, and more rolling resistance. Requiring more gas just to stay at a constant speed. Also, installing cruise control is great idea if you do not already have it, it keeps you from having to spike the gas pedal every mile to re-adjust your speed, and your vehicle’s computer optimizes the efficiency of the engine for your set speed.

400 miles round trip @ $4.00 a gallon @ 10 MPG= 40 Gals=$160 Total
400 Miles Round trip @ $4 a gallon @ 15 MPG= 26 Gals=$106 Total
400 Miles round trip @ $4 a gallon @ 20 MPG=20 Gals=$80 Total
SAVE $50-80 per weekend

2. Lifting your truck, or putting on wider tires will decrease your gas mileage right off the bat, but will also increase the effects of drag on your vehicle on the freeway. I know I love my big truck, but if possible go with thinner tires, and stock height trucks as they will provide you the best gas mileage.

3. The #1 killer of gas mileage is acceleration. So take the foot off the floor with the boat behind, it is ok to drive like a granny. Most of the time you are not getting there any faster because of stoplights.

4. Pack your own food. Too often do I see people stopping at a fast food joint and loading up with food for the weekend or going out to dinner over and over again. This is not only unhealthy, but will cost you more in the long run. Make things such as trail mix and sandwiches at home before you leave. It costs you less, and you do not have the urge to eat out, as you already have a healthy supply of food with you.
- 4 Dinners over 2 days (2 people) $15 per person= $60 total
- $10 in Burger/Sandwich Items, $10 in drinks and Sides=$20 Total SAVE $40

5. Record your boat gas receipts. In some states, there are gas tax refund programs. The gas you buy for your boat is not subject to state road taxes, because the engine burning the fuel is not connected to any road or concrete. So by keeping your fuel receipts, and getting involved in the gas tax refund program, you can end up receiving a nice refund check at the end of the year.
5-10% Tax off your Gas=$.40 a gallon OFF
SAVE $16 a Tank or More

6. Properly inflate your tires. Tires that are too low, both on vehicle and trailer wear unevenly and create more drag, bringing down your gas mileage. Overinflated tires can actually get your better gas mileage, but will not have as much grip and will wear unevenly.

7. With expensive braided line, after one section is getting worn down, take it off and reverse it on the spool. The end on the bottom of the spool will still be in prime condition to use, as it does not degrade or crinkle when on the spool.

8. Keep your tow vehicle batteries in great shape, and run with the least amount of accessories on as possible. The alternator in your vehicle can suck horsepower from your motor trying to put out amount of power needed for a vehicle full of accessories such as A/C, Stereo Systems, Trailer lights, and other components.

9. When in practice or fun fishing, keep the speed to a minimum. The most efficient rpm range is around 2500-3000 RPM’s; in which you are going at a medium speed on plane, at the lowest rpm’s. With my Mercury Optimax on my 2010 Alpha 199 Legend, I can achieve 7 mpg by driving constantly in that range

Typical Potholes Weekend Boat Gas Usage: 40 Gallons
3000 RPMS cruising Gas Mileage 6-7 MPG
5500 RPMS Top End Gas Mileage 2-3 MPG
40-60% in gas savings!
SAVE $80 in gas!
Your Weekend Savings: $80 in savings on boat gas + $60 on truck gas +$16 on Gas Tax + $40 on Dinner.
$176 Savings on a weekend trip to Potholes by just following a few easy tips.

So even with the extremely high gas prices, they are not an excuse to not be able to afford to take a trip out Mardon Resort and Potholes Reservoir for the weekend to dip a line in the water, hunt some waterfowl, or just go play around. You can even increase your savings by taking advantage of one of the many discounts and specials MarDon runs through the year.

Hopefully these tips can help you save some money on your next fishing trip; we all know you can find a great way to use it.
Looking forward to seeing you out on the lake this year!

Nick Barr is 19 years old and is a professional tournament angler & fishing guide in the Pacific Northwest. Nick is the new bass fishing guide this summer for MarDon Resort, book a summer outing with him today! For more information, please visit NickBarrFishing.com or call (360) 485-9462