How far’s your average drive?

binka · Feb 12, 2017

I don’t recall seeing this question come up before and thought I would ask.

I know there are specimen hunters who will think nothing of taking on several hours driving to reach an in form water but it’s not for me.

I used to regularly do a three hour round trip, arriving before dawn, to reach some of Lincolnshire’s most eastern drains for some in form pike fishing but I wouldn’t want to do that now either.

River fishing is generally an hour round trip and I’m just about to take on an old club water again for the sake of it being five minutes down the road.

I’m happy enough to go further for one offs but these days I tend to draw the line at an hour round trip for reasons of desire, practicality and cost.

What do you do?

maggot_dangler · Feb 12, 2017

I try to put a limit of 25 miles each way now as most times .

I Travel solo now almost exclusively so fuel costs come into play but also i am not good at getting up too early now so dont want to travel too far else fishing time gets a pruning .

PG ..

sam vimes · Feb 12, 2017

Though I accept that it limits my angling horizons, I actively try to avoid long drives to fish. I've not got enough cash to be wasting too much of it on travel. If I did wish to travel further afield, I'd have to fish that bit less. I prefer to fish very regularly, even if it's only for a few hours. It's difficult to justify traveling miles for just a few hours fishing.

I have the odd special trip per year, but that is likely to be little further than one hundred miles. The furthest water I'm a member of is just over twenty miles away. I doubt that I've ever fished that more than five times per season. My regular waters are all inside ten miles. Syndicate lake and regular river haunt at about three miles and slightly less regular bits of river at about five miles.

I'd put my average travel distance at no more than ten miles, even with the odd long trip thrown into the equation.

seth49 · Feb 12, 2017

Nowadays I can reach all of the fishing I have access to in half an hour, either river or Stillwater,and that's far enough for me now,have traveled all over the country in the past,especially sea fishing, have fished from Torquay in Devon to loch long in Scotland in the past.

But I'm a member of a Stillwater fishery, which has six lakes, with a good variety of species, this will be my third season here, me and my mate really like this place, we are also members of RADAC on the lower ribble, which has a good selection of waters too,must get on here this season haven't fished it for two years,but we have left another club on the ribble and hodder so we will again now,

One the other hand a friends son is leaving Clitheroe tonight to fish a twenty four hour session on linear lakes in Oxfordshire, and then travel back to work
The day after, good luck to him on that one, I couldn't do it now.

Keith M · Feb 13, 2017

I have a beautiful remote private estate lake less than ten minutes away from my house, I also belong to another club which has around 20 waters both moving and stillwater, 6 of which are within a 15 or 20 minutes drive from my house and the furthest is around an hours drive away.

Around 90% of my fishing is done on my local waters with the very occasional trip further away so I suppose 15 minutes is probably my average journey time when I go fishing these days.

When I was younger I used to roam much further afield but when I was younger the grass always seemed greener on the other side which wasn't actually true Lol.

Keith

sagalout · Feb 13, 2017

10 miles each way to the club still waters, 3 miles each way to the river.

laguna · Feb 13, 2017

I don't travel too well these days so I tend to stick to local venues, maybe an hour or so in the summer.

Average drive being 30 minutes away.... as long as I don't leave Yorkshire me mam said I'll be safe!

---------- Post added at 07:52 ---------- Previous post was at 07:50 ----------

Keith M said:
When I was younger I used to roam much further afield but when I was younger the grass always seemed greener on the other side Lol.

Keith

and the fish are definitely bigger the further you cast lol

Tee-Cee · Feb 13, 2017

I'm with most of the above posters......

At one time (as we all did in our youth!) I travelled as far as it took to fish good waters. These days I limit myself to an absolute max of about an hour each way for most of my fishing, with most being within a 30 minute reasonable drive. It's time on the bank that is more important now!
Of course, if I am offered a days fishing on a private water that offers the chance of several 2lb roach or 4lb crucians I will always push the boat out...........

No, money spent on quality bait for some decent fishing in peaceful surroundings close to home is the order of the day - not stuck in a traffic queue!!

Some HAVE to do it, though...

carpinbob · Feb 13, 2017

25 miles each way to syndicate lake, and 12 miles each way to club lake.

I've got a limit of 50 miles each way, getting to old for all this travelling long distances now.

steve2 · Feb 13, 2017

Within half an hours drive although with the M25 that could take half a day.
In the past a 200 mile or more round trip was normal.

tigger · Feb 13, 2017

seth49 said:
we are also members of RADAC

Me too

I think it takes me about half an hour to get to my favorite places but I do have some waters very close by, five or ten minute walk.
It's strange really as traveling to my favorite waters of about 20 miles away can be ten or more minutes quicker than traveling to waters half the distance away.
It's surprising how much time you loose on small winding roads in comparison to a clear motorway....note I said "clear", the sinking feeling I get when I drive down the slip road (without looking first) only to be faced with gridlock isn't a nice one!

Alan Tyler · Feb 13, 2017

About twenty miles each way. A few more if my petrol-splitter is coming along, but he hasn't been well lately.

thecrow · Feb 13, 2017

If its for a full day on a river I don't mind driving 70 to 90 miles one way, I have rivers within 25 miles of me but unfortunately access is a problem, rivers where access is not a problem for me are around 40/50 miles away, still waters no problem with loads of decent commercials and some club waters near there is even that rarest of beasts a council water that is clear of both anglers and rubbish.

S-Kippy · Feb 13, 2017

Typically an hour...often a bit more. If I restricted my travelling to local waters I'd be spending all my time scratching for bits or waiting for one bite which may or may not turn up and I've no desire to do either. I've no problem at all driving miles for a bit of half decent fishing because I only do it occasionally. I wouldn't want to do it every week....nor would I.

My fishing is in the doldrums at the moment. Not being a carper and having no desire to fish muddy holes any decent local fishing is very hard to find. So hard in fact that I've not found it yet.

skov · Feb 13, 2017

My fishing time is very limited, so I don't like to waste it traveling to the venue and back.
I tend to limit it to a maximum of about 10 miles, and usually fish much closer than that.

barbelboi · Feb 13, 2017

I often just walk across a couple of fields to fish local river stretches and backwaters. Within a maximum of 6 miles I have other stretches of rivers and back waters, farm/woodland ponds and Sywell reservoir. Within 12 miles many more stretches of river, ponds and gravel pits/estate lakes. The longest car journey I make is 13 miles south to the Great Ouse.

robertroach · Feb 13, 2017

Most waters I fish are within 20 miles, as the cormorant flies, but longer than that when I am driving on the roads.

They usually beat me to it.

rayner · Feb 13, 2017

I fish the same venue as often as I can, it's 1.4 miles from my home if I go for bread it's 2.1 a long way I know but what can you do

The only other pond I fish now is 5 miles.
I have two rivers close by one just down the hill about 1/2 a mile away the other within 4 miles. Unfortunately I can't manage them now. The one 1/2 a mile away has a couple of decent swims that hold barble that I would sell my arse to fish again.

terry m · Feb 13, 2017

I am lucky, Hants Avon 5 minutes, Dorset Stour 20 minutes and half a dozen gravel pits of note within 15 minutes. I am happy to travel, but do not see the need.

mikench · Feb 13, 2017

As I travel and fish alone

I do not venture too far, say 20 miles max each way. My current favourite water is about 3 miles away. When i am let loose on my new waters ( after induction this saturday) i will have at least an additional 20 waters all within a 15 mile radius and one about 1 mile away which I am itching to try.

I fully accept my considerable failings as an inteprid angler and explorer and boringly stick to those waters I know rather than venturing miles away. Usually if there are loads of anglers already there or I am not struck by the venue on arrival I can move on to another not that far away. I am what I am and unlikely to change!

How far’s your average drive?

binka

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