The best all around fishing transport has to be a 4-WD pick-up and a cap for the back. No more leaking tents, no more bad sleeping nights with rocks in my back, and plenty of space protected from the winds of eastern Washington.
I have A 2001 Toyota Tundra with a Leer canopy that has an excellent turning radius, good gas mileage, and much much more power than my old Nissan P/U. This set-up is the apex transport of my fishing career. Small enough to go anywhere, large enough to sleep two adults(under 6'6")in the back comfortably, fast enough so I can drive like a crazed maniac to the destination of choice, powerfull enough to tow just about any small to medium size boat over the pass, and drives like a Lexus. It sure beats the Mazda RX-7 that I started out with that would bottom out over a speed bump. > [Original Message] > From: Charlie Mastro <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 12/4/2001 8:02:24 AM > Subject: Re: Fishing vehicles? > > Oh I have to get in on this one.... > > I've been a pick-up guy for 20 years or more. Only started fishing 7-8 > years ago so I've now had two fishing vehicles. > > The first one was an '87 Mazda long bed, 4 cylinder, 2 WD with a custom made > canopy and rack. I slept in the back, put bikes, kayaks, pontoon boots, surf > boards and such on the racks and put 260,000 miles on it in 14 years. I > built some boxes in the back so I had a flat area to sleep on and my camping > gear and rods were stored under. It was a great truck and was near death > when I traded in (overheated on the way down to Pullayup to pick up the new > one). > > Well I think I have just about reached truck nirvana. I got a Red '91 > Toyota 4 WD, V-6, extended cab with AC. I now have enough power to actually > pull something (a trailer with a two-man pontoon boat and extra gear, fire > wood, whatever). It handles great on and off road. The old Mazda didn't > have much ground clearance and I was always worried about getting stuck. Now > I fear no road... > > I just got back from Bend over Thanksgiving and ran into 6 to 8 inches of > snow and two mountain passes and was I glad I had the 4WD. The AC made the > trips to Montana and the Methow a lot more pleasant this summer. First > vehicle I ever owned with AC. I used to avoid going east in the summer > because of the heat. I hate hot... Now I don't mind the heat so much if I > can get out it when I get off the river. Just like a good heater after a > little winter steelheading. > > I would never own a vehicle I couldn't sleep in, or carry toys. After that > it's all just gravy. > > Tight lines my friends, > Charlie > > > From: "Kent Lufkin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2001 13:52:38 -0800 > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Fishing vehicles? > > Resent-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Resent-Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2001 13:52:43 -0800 > > > > Over the years, we've discussed just about every kind of fishing gear > > or strategy imaginable. But it struck me the other day that there's > > still one indispensable piece of gear that every one of us uses: the > > vehicle that gets us where we fish. > > > > I assume that for most of us, our fishing vehicle is also our daily > > driver that spends most of its time making trips to the store or > > commuting. For some of us in a multi-car household, a second vehicle > > may be much more appropriate for fishing. A very few of us may > > actually have a rig dedicated just for fishing, refined over years of > > use. > > > > To get the ball rolling, here's my own 2� on the subject: > > > > I've always owned a pickup. In fact I can only remember a couple > > years when I didn't have one. My current ride is a 1998 Ford Ranger > > XLT extra cab 4x4 with a 4.0 liter V-6 and an automatic. Wish I'd got > > it with the small, half-sized doors to get behind the front seats. > > However, a retractable cover keeps things out of sight back there. > > > > The bed will hold a couple float tubes fully inflated or my 9 foot > > pontoon boat (I haven't tried stacking two pontoon boats back there > > yet.) There's plenty of room left over for gear bags, coolers, oars > > or rod tubes. Plus, the bed doubles as a place to sit and wader up > > without rocks that can tear up my neoprene wader feet. > > > > But having a pickup does pose some limitations. Leaving stuff in the > > back is an open invitation to theft if you leave it there even > > briefly. And relatively light weight stuff needs to be tied down to > > keep it from becoming airborne at highway speeds. > > > > My truck's bed isn't long enough that I can stretch out in it to > > sleep, and I'd need some sort of canopy to stay dry in the rain. The > > space behind the seats doesn't hold very much gear (long rod tubes > > are an especially tight fit) and it's a real pain to get to. Finally, > > if I owned a boat and trailer, my rig is probably much too puny for > > serious towing. > > > > But for the most part, it works well for the kind of fishing I do. > > The 4wd and high ground clearance are a real plus on marginal roads. > > > > I'd sure like to hear how other subscribers have adapted their > > vehicles for their own fishing style. > > > > Kent Lufkin > > > > --- PATRICK PETERSEN --- [EMAIL PROTECTED]
