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winter break trip on el cheapo

Started by flynhokies, December 09, 2009, 01:32:30 AM

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flynhokies

alright, the semester is about to end and i will be off until the 19th of january. great time off to relax and see some friends from home...but i would like to get over my head in a badass fishing adventure and try to spend the least amount of money possible. i have been thinking about bones (no homo), did some research and really liked the idea of a diy backpacking trip somewhere in the bahamas (acklins and eleuthera being at the top of the list), but the logistics of getting there may be a little too tough and costly, although i think i can get to acklins for somewhere around $450 but would have to spend a night in nassau (anyone know if i could sleep in the airport there?) that would then leave me with figuring out how to actually camp on the beaches in acklins and figure out food, water, unlimited supplies of kalik, etc. this is getting long and boring huh?
incentive to keep reading
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so, i guess other options would be freezing my ass off up north sans spey rod trying for steelhead, but i could probably do that for a lot cheaper. anyway, any advice, suggestions, stories, or whatever would be appreciated. just looking for something exciting over break. thanks
"The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration."
-Claude Monet

Woolly Bugger

no info on sleeping in the airport -- times have changed...

but you might save a few bucks kayaking across to the islands :)
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ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

flatlander

#2
I'm not sure Acklins in January is any good.  February maybe.  Acklins is 3rd world...the logistics of doing it DIY are tough.  I know a guy who lives in Nassau who rents a house there and a car, but you've got to know how the tides work and moving around the island and where to access the flats is not easy.  You'd be better off trying to go through a lodge down there.

As for sleeping in the airport...I dunno.  You could take a cab to one of the casinos and spend most of the night farting around there...who knows-you might win enough money to pay for you trip (my buddy did the last time we were there).  As for sleeping on the beach...they've got bugs down there...lots of bugs 0--0

flynhokies

good idea wb, think i should chum? ;D

thanks for the info flatlander...sounds like i should come up with a new plan. just thought the warm weather and water would be nice and the fact that i don't mind about sleeping on the ground. back to the drawing board
"The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration."
-Claude Monet

flatlander

#4
I'm not saying don't do it...hell if I was your age I might be dumb enough to try it too ;D 0--0.  I just want you to understand that DIY in the 3rd world is not as easy as it sounds. I basically have done DIY with a guy who who had it dialed in.  He had a car and a flats boat ferried in on the mail boat there and we had a good house to rent.  It was about as cheap as you could do it.

There are some boards on the web that have promoted Acklins as this great DIY bonefish spot--make it sound like it's a piece of cake.  I have seen some of the DIY guys show up on Acklins and find they are totally fu**ed. There is nothing there.

You've got options for doing it, but at the bare minimum you should secure lodging and a car.  Most of the folks down there are as nice as can be and are happy to have Americans around (which is not the case in Nassau), but I still don't know if I would be comfortable camping out on the beach. You will need a car too to get around.  Probably ought to think about taking some freeze dried food--markets are sort of hit and miss with what they have.

Acklins is a great bonefish spot...super for wade fishing.  You might not see another soul down there for the entire week.  I never saw another fisherman the two times I have been there. 

The sad part of this is that you should be able to go down to the Keys and do exactly what your talking about.  30 years ago, you could have.  Today you've got to go the the Bahamas.  It's going to be that way with Permit too one day...but some folks think protecting those fish is just chipping away at their rights. >:D

flynhokies

i hear ya on the deal with the keys nowadays. i will probably just go backpacking and fishing closer to home this break, save some money and better plan something out for spring break. that sounds more reasonable, i guess.
"The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration."
-Claude Monet

fishhead

if you want warm weather, how about peacock bass in Florida ???
fishfreak

red-haired-boy

If you can get a boat, smallish with a motor would be best, you could do a backcountry trip in the Everglades National Park pretty cheap- travel down there, food, fuel, water, and I think $10 a day for the camping permit.
It may not be bone fishing but will be a helluva lot warmer than steelhead.

Get Bent

I don't know what you budget is, or there are other areas you want to go, but if you are want an adventure, find your way to Miami cheapest route possible, book a flight to Santiago, Chile catch the train in Santiago to the furthest point South, Coyhaique is your ultimate destination. I am not sure if the train goes all the way to Coyhaique, but if it does great.

There are endless camping options and streams around there, you could spend seasons exploring them. Hitchhiking is safe and people are really friendly. Coyhaique has a pop. of +60k, so there will be plenty options for supplies. All you need is a 6 and 7 wt, tent, sleeping bag, cookwear, etc and you are set.

Airfare is the killer, but other than that, you can roam for cheap! It is springtime down there. Argentina is another option!

Ryan
Konichiwa Bitches!

flynhokies

bent, chile or argentina would be sick but the airfare is out of my price range right now and when i do go down that way i would like to spend a lot of time there. im just looking for 3-5ish days during this break.

florida definately could be doable...im going to start looking into that. although i may just backpack around the commonwealth and fish some new waters. thinking about snp for a couple days and then maybe check out mossy creek, any of yall fish mossy during the cold months. may do a a tour of the tailwaters...who knows (kinda like to play it as i go if i stay in va)
"The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration."
-Claude Monet

rjs123

#10
I dont want to hijack this thread but I see Florida was mentioned.

Ill be staying with a friend in Safety Harbor near Clearwater on Old Tampa Bay the entire month of January and possibly part of February.

What kind of fly fishing opportunities will I have that time of year. From what I have been reading its not a great time of the year for fishing there in Florida. However the weather should be a whole lot better than here in Fieldale :)

leakywaders

Quote from: flynhokies on December 09, 2009, 17:51:16 PM
thinking about snp for a couple days and then maybe check out mossy creek, any of yall fish mossy during the cold months. may do a a tour of the tailwaters...who knows (kinda like to play it as i go if i stay in va)

snp fishes well year round when you can find water.  shouldnt be a problem with the rain and snow weve had so far.  mossy if tough fishing any time.  more people get skunked there than anywhere i know.  but the reward for your patience in fishing that stream can be huge.  big browns up to 18, 22, 26 inches and up.  the weather for each day depends on where you really wanna fish.  but once you get arounds the harrisonburg area theres probably a dozen or so streams you can fish within an hour or two drive, so you can even hit a couple of them in a day.  good luck deciding on where to spend your break

flynhokies

leakywaders- thanks for the info. that looks like something i will do.
"The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration."
-Claude Monet

9ft4wt

if you are planning to do it as inexpensive as possible, staying in Va is not a bad idea.

Mossy is certainly worth fishing. You need to get a permit from the Verona office of VDGIF. it is free and if you mail them a short letter requesting the permit and include a SASE they will get it back to you pretty quick. Or if you are int he area you can stop by the office on route 11 in Verona.

Think big and ugly for Mossy this time of year. Size 2 or 4 black buggers and such. Some of the stuff i throw is four-five inches long. Best days are cloudy, rainey or snowy.

SNP will be tough this time of year. Not saying you won't catch fish, get a couple of warm days and it can be good. If it is cold and has been cold, they will get tight lipped.

you ought to try Beaver Creek. It is a spring creek not far from Mossy that is managed by TU in cooperation with local landowners. Cost a $5 donation to fish. You pick up the permit at the ottobine country store which is on 257 (Ottobine road) out of Dayton which is on 42. Store opens at 6 a.m. (better check in case winter hours are different) and permits are first come first served. Only 4 given out each day. Stream is stocked with some good sized bows and also has smaller wild rainbows.

South river in Waynesboro is a delayed harvest stream. Pretty water ugly surroundings.  but the fishing can be pretty good.

Bull Pasture River out 250 west of Staunton toward McDowell then hang a left. it is stocked but if you hike down into the gorge you can find nice water and fish that have moved or held over.

Don't know if you have fished it but Jackson river tailwater can be fun this time of year. you still need a permit to fish right belwo the dam. You can pick them up at the ranger office at the campground near the dam. Downstream at the access points you don't the permit. Once in the water you can wade up or downstream so long as you stay in the water. it is wadeable at 300 cfs or lower.

Back creek delayed harvest section in Bath county is fun to fish. Tends to get poached but even so you usually can find a few trout. Have some 22 or 24 griffiths gnats with you. Sometimes you get midge hatches up there this time of year.

9ft4wt

leakywaders

and if youre in harrisonburg and cant get to beaver or mossy is a bust, you can try Dry River out 33 west.  everyone i talked to had good luck through the fall and winter fishing is decent when the weather is anything above nasty.