Boat Owners! How Far Do You Usually Run? Let’s Talk About Your Trips!

[LuckyLittleFish]

Fellow anglers, how far do you usually run on a fishing trip? Are you a short-distance casual fisher or a long-haul explorer?
For me, some other day, I was launching at Lake Okeechobee just as the sun was coming up, feeling like a tournament pro (even though I was just out for fun &#128518. I had my spots marked, my rods rigged, and my cooler packed. But as I sat there idling out, I had that familiar thought: How far do I really want to run today? Should I chase the bite across the lake, or play it safe and fish closer to the ramp? Do I have enough gas if I go for that 'just one more spot' moment? And let's be honest... am I willing to make that long ride back if the wind kicks up? 🤣"

Everyone has different habits, so let's chat about it! 👇👇👇

💬 What does your typical fishing trip look like?
• Your bass boat + outboard setup (brand, horsepower?)
• How far do you usually run in a single trip? (what's your longest run?)
• Typical cruising speed & top speed
• Fuel consumption (how many miles per gallon? how much do you usually fill up?)
• Biggest factors affecting your trip distance (weather, gas prices, fishing spots, permission from home? &#128518


💡 Here's my setup & experience (for reference):
• Tracker Pro Team 175 + Mercury 75HP 4-stroke
• 21 gal tank
• Typical trip: 15-30 miles (Lake Okeechobee, running from Clewiston to Harney Pond)
• Longest run: 50 miles (exploring Kissimmee Chain from one end to the other)
• Cruising at 25-30 mph, top speed around 40+ mph
• Fuel economy: about 6-7 mpg, depends on load & water conditions
• Biggest struggle: navigating the vegetation and wind chop—sometimes feels like I'm in an airboat! 😂

Let's hear your experience! Drop your setup, trip distances, and best fuel-saving or fishing spot strategies! 🎣⚡

[LuckyLittleFish]

In fact, I am an active explorer. Since there is no sign of catching fish at a spot, I will run a little further, and experience the cool wind. Before I know it, I have run a long way.😂😂

[Donald Garner]

When I was fishing on a regular basis my trips usually ranged 10-30 miles.  Depending on the weather I would launch near the area that I was planning on fishing that day.  Of course this also depends on which lake I was fishing.  My home lakes Belton, Stillhouse lakes here in Central Texas aren't big massive reservoirs to start with.  Now when I fished over on Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend in East Texas the runs were longer depending on where we stayed at.

My typical fishing trip usually started at day break unless it was a tournament event.  Tournament events started at  O' Dark Thirty before the sun even thinks about coming up 
I have a 2004 Stratos 285 Pro XL Dual console; Yamaha VMax 150; Minnkota Foretrex 80lb foot control trolling motor; Lowrance Hook 7 Down Scanning Electronics on the bow and drivers console.


My longest run on a single trip was 32 miles.  Depending on the weather my cruising speed is 45 - 50 mphs.  Wide open throttle get there quick be damn the gas mileage is 63.5mphs.  The Stratos has a 32gallon fuel tank and a 1 gal on board oil tank.  Making the long runs at cruising speed I'll burn 16gals of gas and 1/8 gal of oil.  Wide open throttle I'll burn 3/4 tank of gas and 1/2 gal of oil.

The Biggest factor affecting my trips was ALWAYS the weather > Storms / Rain / Wind etc.  Gas and fishing spots never factor in where I'm fishing really.  For me I do the "Home Work" I get to the area I'm fishing and I drop the trolling motor and start casting.  Some of the places I fish like on Toledo Bend or Sam Rayburn there's areas that go back off the main lake for miles. 

My home lakes there's miles of coves and of course running up the river channel.  Once I get to a spot I just drop the trolling motor and fish my way back to the ramp. I've done this a lot in the Spring.  On Still House lake I launch and make the 12mile run up the Lampasas River drop the trolling motor and fish my way back to the parking lot.

My wife's only comment on me fishing was to have FUN & BE SAFE.  She knew I'd be home shortly after dark.    If I fished over on Toledo Bend or Sam Rayburn my trips would be week long.  I'd call home every night just to check in.

There have been trips were the fish weren't cooperating.  On those days if the weather was hot and no wind I'll pack everything up off the deck and let that Yamaha Scream.  Of course when I got to the gas station I started having second thoughts about it seeing the price of fuel 

Your setup sound nice and comfortable.  Your trips are similar to mine for the most part except the fuel and run distance.  This is a good topic I look forward to seeing how the other guys share their information.