What will economy due to our KY lake fishing companies??

[Tyme2fish]

I will still be going on my annual trip to Barkley. With the lodging split between 8 guys, the price is ridiculously low. All costs:fuel,gas,lodging,food,etc is less than $200.00 a piece for all of us to stay 7 days.
It's not that far away from there that gas prices will affect my decision.
I'm also still planning on a Minnesota trip in June.

When I quitired I planned on going on more fishing trips and my finances have not taken too bad of a hit. What the heck, I can't take it with me to my grave. Just as long as I leave some to Mrs. Tyme for her old age.

[zx150]

I agree you Geo if gas stays down I will fish a whole lot more than I did this past year.

[apextrail]

I just booked a cabin at Goose Pond Colony at Guntersville Lake for our annual trip and had to rearrange my travel dates to find something. They were booked SOLID for March and April. Things must be doing just fine down there !

[Col Forbin]

I don't have that far to travel to get to the lake, but the cost of gas running the boat was always on my mind. I now have a smaller boat/engine and gas is cheaper, I will be all over this lake from the dam to Paris every chance I get. In terms of business, I hope everyone does well with it. Tournament fisherman really draw the money in, in terms of tackle stores, of course the recreational fisherman help a great deal too. Someone else mentioned the in state, or local vacationers bypassing that trip to the beach for a little closer vacation - I know several that do this. I know several people that have a house here, and will drive ten minutes to the campground to stay for a few days, a week or all summer.

I think this economic situation is going to cause a few to watch their money a little closer, and may effect some businesses, but around the Ky lake area, it seems that the reputable business that have built word of mouth reputaions as providing quality services or tackle seem to be doing well. Jetta Marine, Fisherman's Headquarters, and The Cabin bait and tackle are great places, and when the lake heats up, they will stay busy - strictly on reputation.

I also keep in it in my head that most fisherman are like me. They will skip a meal or two if it meant that was the only way they were going to get to hit the lake.

[wishniwasfishn]

I can tell you I just went back to work, after being layed off for about 3 weeks, and it just about killed me, so fishing will be on the backburner for me. I have a boat for sale, thats just been sitting in the garage since May, and I am trying to sale it for just payoff, and if I dont sell it soon, I dont know what I will do with it. So personally BPS, and other local tackle dealers will be getting a whole lot less of my money this year. I am planning on fishing a tournament trail, just because I am lucky enough to have gotten some sponsorship dollars, or I wouldnt even be doing that. I know there are alot of people in my shoes, so I think there will be alot of fishing suppliers hurting this year, because all of my extra fun money is going in the bank, not the lake.

[slowride]

I know the 4 weeks I spent fishing Ky and Barkley last spring when gas was pushing 3.50 to 4, there were no spots in the parking lots, less spots on the lake and this was DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. Saw plenty of $50,000 rides pulling $50,000 rides. I was really glad my little 90 was on the back of my old boat much less feeding a 225 or 250.

That's the truth, i remember watching the bluegrass brawl weigh in's on the web last year and gerald swindle said, "I'm moving here to Kentucky Lake because everybody is driving $50,000 trucks pulling $50,000 boats at $4 a gallon"