On Wed, 5 Dec 2001 16:32:29 -0800 rderedfield <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Tim, before you buy that camper, let me check it out to see if it's >satisfactory and if I want to sleep in it or not. :-) > >Richard Embry > Well whatever I get it'll sure beat the motel in Sun Lakes :)
Tim <>< >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Tim Coleman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2001 11:08 PM >Subject: Re: Fishing vehicles? > > >> I've been in the car business for the past 22 years and I've had more >vehicles than I can remember. For years I drove mostly sport utilities due >to the fact that I had a young family and we always need the room, but now >my kids have grown and have cars and trucks of their own. So, now I'm free >to experiment, the last four years I've had a Ford Explorer, a GMC Yukon, a >Dodge Dakota ex-cab 4X4 and now a Ford Ranger ex-cab 4X4. >> >> The worst off road vehicle was the GMC, great suspension if you're going >to drive the highway all the time, but a little soft off road and so you >have to slow down. Somehow I just can't do that :) The Explorer wasn't >much better but at least I was able to get further down small pathways that >I tend to find. But as far as gas mileage goes between the two the GMC was >much better. I loved my Dakota for power and size and it handled the off >road like now other but it only got 13-14 MPG even with the new 4.7 ltr V8, >the draw back to the Dakota was that they don't make the ex-cab with the >rear opening doors and the rear seat takes up a lot of room either up or >down, so that made for a tight fit of my fishing gear. And now my Ranger, >it's okay, gets decent mileage, good room in the back seat area, fair off >road capabilities and new BF Goodrich TA's courtesy of Ford. It has a >canopy and this way I can keep my fishing gear in the back at all times in a >secure environment, it also! >> allows me to have a sleeping quarter when I need it and keeps me out of >the elements when I'm changing. >> >> I thought long and hard about which way I wanted to go either a full size >truck with a camper or a small truck with a canopy. I still haven't figured >that out yet. Maybe that could be another discussion canopy v. camper v. >trailer? :) After all next year will be here pretty soon and I need to >make my decision as to what I'll get next :) >> >> Tim <>< >> >> >> 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 >> >> >> >> >> > >> > >> >> Have you gotten your free email at fishing.com or flyfishing.com? I got >mine, come get yours! Visit www.fishing.com or www.flyfishing.com to sign >up! >> >> > > Have you gotten your free email at fishing.com or flyfishing.com? I got mine, come get yours! Visit www.fishing.com or www.flyfishing.com to sign up!
