# How fast can you be out of the house and on the water?



## wasilvers (Jan 19, 2010)

Provided your batteries are charged and the wife is out of town - how soon can you be on the water from the time you decide to go fishing? 

I just got my boat this year and my daughter decided she wanted to go fishing with me. It took us about 60 minutes to be underway on the lake (10 miles away) which gave us 1.5 hours of fishing time. A lot of that time is driving and walking the 500 yards to and from the launch though. I thought it was fast, but I'm a newby. 

Any tips you have to keep your boat ready to go? I'd like to get more trips in during the week this year so I'm planning ahead right now.

Will


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## bassboy1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Depends. Back when I kept my tackle in the boat (boat is for sale, so it is empty right now), I could be on the water in 30 minutes max. All that was needed would be to hook to the truck, toss my two batteries in, then drive 15 minutes to the lake. From the time I walk out the door until the boat is floating and the truck parked was usually around 30 minutes, provided I went to Allatoona. Other lakes differed, but only in driving time. I often fuel up on my way home, or since I have portable tanks, on a different day, when I am getting gas for the truck, so that isn't an issue.


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## Bugpac (Jan 19, 2010)

about 14 minutes to be under power on the water. My boat is usually always ready to go..


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## crazymanme2 (Jan 19, 2010)

I'm right there with Bugpac.I'm only 2 miles away from the river .Some days I go fishin before I start work.My boats always ready to go.


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## Nussy (Jan 19, 2010)

I can be on the water in less than 5 minutes but I live on a lake and have my pontoon in the water so that doesn't really count. 

For trailering fishing.....in my opinion the best thing you can do is have your loading and unloading procedure at the ramp down pat. My buddy and I know our responsibilities when we hit the landing and who's in charge of what. It gets us in and out of the water quicker than anyone else around. When I know I'm pressed for time, I'll also make sure the boat is loaded the night before with everything I need so when I get home is connect the boat to the truck and go.


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## Bugpac (Jan 19, 2010)

Now, the real question is, How fast can you have a fish on the hook when you decide to go fishing...


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## dyeguy1212 (Jan 19, 2010)

Decent lake 2.5 miles from the driveway... so 15 mins max.


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## wasilvers (Jan 19, 2010)

Wow! I see I have been leaving fishing time on the table here. I think I'm going to move the boat in the garage and keep it loaded up and ready to go. Rignt now it's outside so I keep my tackle, poles, life vests, etc in the garage. Funny, I only have a 3 car garage and park 0 cars in there. Time for a cleaning!

As to launching, compared to other's I've seen, I can launch very quickly all by myself. Somehow I learned how to back a trailer decent enough. I just have to unstrap, attach a rope, double check plug and make sure the key is in. It helps having another person, but since I fish with different people a lot, I just let them hold the rope after launch and pull the boat out of the way. If they help, I end up double checking everything anyway. Almost forgot the plug with my father in law because was helping him with a strap. The only lauches I've seen faster are the tournament guys who get it in and out in about 10 seconds.


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## KMixson (Jan 19, 2010)

When I go fishing I do not go for short trips. I will be out on the water at 4am and stay until 10pm if I do not spend the night on the water. I will pack my stuff the afternoon/night before and leave the house at 3am. When I return home I will unpack the next day. I have even done this while fishing from my canoe.


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## FishingCop (Jan 19, 2010)

Well, during the summer when our boat is at Legbrkrs house, I can be there in 30 minutes, then hook up the boat, and drive another 15 minutes to the closest lake (Shabonna, about 50 miles west of Chicago, but only 10 minutes from Legbrkr's where we store the boat) ------ so, about an hour and a half to launch  

Now, if Popeye ever asks me again to go with him in the Chain of Lakes (northern Illinois), I get up at 3:00 am, drive about 2 hours, meet him at the launch and we're out by 6:00 am. - but, alas, I haven't heard from Popeye since he accused me of cutting the line when he had that 5 pound bass up to the boat and I tried to land it for him    ------ I swear Popeye, I didn't cut the line - you just didn't have it hooked good enough to boat it.... :?


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## Captain Ahab (Jan 19, 2010)

Faster then i can type my response here :mrgreen: 

If I use the boat it takes about 15 minutes to load it up and hook it up, unless Jake helps - then it takes a little longer


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jan 19, 2010)

I can be on the fox river in 15 min.


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## njTom (Jan 19, 2010)

I can be on my local lake in 15mins. I usually have the boat loaded up the night before so in the morning I am can just hook up and go.


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## Doug (Jan 19, 2010)

I am in the same time frame as bassboy1. Try to keep boat loaded and ready except for batteries.

Doug


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## cyberflexx (Jan 19, 2010)

If i take the ranger out i can be to the bigger lakes in about an hour and when i take the little boat out depending on what lake. Anywhere between 20 to 40 minutes


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## Andy (Jan 19, 2010)

I can be here in about 15 minutes. N 37 20.361' W 80 45.444' 
And here in about 1 hour. N 37 1.679' W 80 39.089'

https://mapper.acme.com/ and copy/paste coords above to check it out.


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## bassboy1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Doug said:


> I am in the same time frame as bassboy1. Try to keep boat loaded and ready except for batteries.
> 
> Doug


I'd love to have an onboard charger, and not have to worry about carrying batteries (PITA to load/unload), but the parking situation here doesn't allow me to put the boat within a reasonable distance of any power to run extension cords. I was planning on running conduit to an outdoor plug right near where we park the boats, but that has never happened.


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## Truckmechanic (Jan 20, 2010)

If I go to the closest place I am right around the 45 minute mark from deciding to go to actually getting in the boat. If I go to the lake I am looking at 1 - 1.5 hours for the closest one.

I leave everything in my boat except my fishing tackle..sometimes if I plan on going ahead of time I will put it in the truck the night before to help out.


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## Jim (Jan 20, 2010)

At least an hour and the lakes are all 5-20 minutes away.


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## Captain Ahab (Jan 20, 2010)

Jim said:


> At least an hour and the lakes are all 5-20 minutes away.




Hmmmmmmmmmmm :mrgreen:


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## S&amp;MFISH (Jan 20, 2010)

If I go to the Big river it takes 10-15 mins.,from hooking up the trailer to launching the boat.


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## bAcKpAiN (Jan 20, 2010)

I live smack dab in the urban jungle. Having said that, I can be on the closest body of water utilizing the closest ramp to said river in about 30-45 minutes. If I want to hit a lake (which I do most) It takes at minimum 1-1/2 to 2 hours. That is with the only prep being loading rods n tackle and unplugging the battery charger. Normally Murphy steps in with his dumb law and I have to change a trailer light, give the car used to block the drive where the boat is stored so it isn't stolen a jump (assuming the hood on the piece of junk opens) makes the whole thing longer. :lol: 

Aahhh city life! :LOL2:


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## Quackrstackr (Jan 20, 2010)

It all depends on whether it is a planned trip of a spur of the moment thing.

Depending on the time of year, the preferred tackle is already in the boat and I have an onboard charger. All I have to do is take off the cover, unplug the charger and hook to the truck.

If it is a preplanned trip, all of that is done the night before so all I have to do is hop in the truck and drive to the general area where I want to fish (closest launch is approx. 12 miles away).


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## danmyersmn (Jan 20, 2010)

wasilvers said:


> Wow! I see I have been leaving fishing time on the table here. I think I'm going to move the boat in the garage and keep it loaded up and ready to go. Rignt now it's outside so I keep my tackle, poles, life vests, etc in the garage. Funny, I only have a 3 car garage and park 0 cars in there. Time for a cleaning!



A garage is not for cars! I was looking at houses in Charleston and I noticed that they either have 0, 1, or 2 car garage. I told the wife that we need a 2 car garage minimum. She said "so my car and your boat will park in it?" I replied "no so my current boat and my new boat can park in it"


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## lcdr frank (Jan 21, 2010)

Ten min to load tackle, 15 min drive, 5 min from the dock I will have a fish on(most of the time).


Frank


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## Hydrilla (Jan 22, 2010)

When I map a route on Google Maps from my house to my "home lake", it gives me the option of choosing walking directions, if that tells you anything 8) It's a small 1000+ acre lake but convenient as heck.

Boat stays ready, but it still takes me about 20 minutes from the time I walk out the front door.


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## Captain Ahab (Jan 22, 2010)

danmyersmn said:


> wasilvers said:
> 
> 
> > Wow! I see I have been leaving fishing time on the table here. I think I'm going to move the boat in the garage and keep it loaded up and ready to go. Rignt now it's outside so I keep my tackle, poles, life vests, etc in the garage. Funny, I only have a 3 car garage and park 0 cars in there. Time for a cleaning!
> ...




=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>


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## Hydrilla (Jan 22, 2010)

Priceless!! :LOL2: I've never used a garage for cars. Used to have one big enough for a Skeeter ZX225 with a swingaway tongue; my current garage has enough room for my tools, workbench and 2 motorcycles :mrgreen: 



Captain Ahab said:


> danmyersmn said:
> 
> 
> > wasilvers said:
> ...


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## moreheadsaebass (Jan 22, 2010)

In morehead about 30-40mins The lake is 20min plus away though)

Back home about 15min. 

Both numbers are if i was waking up.


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## JDE (Jan 23, 2010)

Not fast enough, but I keep practiceing.lol


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## fish devil (Jan 23, 2010)

:twisted: I have a good amount of productive water near me so I would say about 20-30 minutes max from hooking up the boat, loading and getting in the water.


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## jigster60 (Jan 23, 2010)

If I have everything ready the night before and straight out door in truck and no stops to lakes:

45 mins to fav ramp on Barkley:
55 mins to fav ramp on Ky Lake;
32 mins to Lake Beshears only has 1 ramp:
34 mins to State ramp on Lake Malone:
1 hr to Nolin Res. state ramp:
1 hr to Rough River Lake state ramp:
15 mins to ramp on Green River:
8 mins to closest Strip Pit with Ramp:
25 mins to 3 huge Strip Pits ( I ain't telling where they're at I catch to many good fish outta them [-X ):
And if I want to just fish a Strip pit and not take boat I can walk out the door and be at one in 3 mins caught a bunch of good fish outta this lil pit from the bank when I only got maybe a lil bit of time to fish before i retired i use to leave 30 to 45 mins early and wet a line in this lil pit before work.... Caught lots of 3 to 5 before i got to work best way to start a day in my opinion............................JIGGY


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