The life of a nomad, tips for on the road fishin

[DarkSkies]

Today, I'm sitting there at this new launchin spot I found, end of the woods.

I see I have company, a homeless dude who enterprisingly takes bags of garbage from neighbors' houses, brings them into his crib in the woods, and picks through them for what he wants, throws the rest away in the woods.

When I first found that spot, I wondered how all those shoes and clothes got to be along the shore, now I know.

As I'm thinking how shabby this dude looks, I take a look at myself in the rear view mirror

No shave for 2 days, bunker blood on my shirt, I looked like I just got locked up for killing my family, or accused of keeping bodies in he basement, Jeffy Dahmer style.

So change your clothes, dude, and move on!

Thought I would put up some of this stream on consciousness stuff for the nomads out there.

[DarkSkies]

So what do some of you guys do when on the road for more than a day?



- Find a grocery store to buy stuff if you will be out for 2 days or more. I got it down to a science, I can buy 2 days worth of semi-healthy food for $20 or less. Beats the hot dogs at the 7-11.


- Find decent places to go to the bathroom. I can always use the woods, but it's nice to clean the stink from under your arms once in a while with some soap.

[VSdreams]

This thread got me thinking. I have one friend who goes out 2 days at a time. Like Dark says he always knows where the bathrooms are and brings plenty in his cooler for food. This is not my style. After a day I need a shower and a bed. How many of you go out fishing for 2 or more days without going hom?

[paumanok]

I've got a week long trip coming up; ponds, breachways and outer beaches in Rhode Island. Will be staying in a cozy cottage in Charlestown.

Years back, I made frequent 3 to 5 day fishing excursions. Had an E-150 Ford Econoline with just two seats up front. In the back were my carpentry tools, camping gear (bed roll, stove, couple of gallons of fresh water), and all my fishing gear. Throughout the year.

Used whatever pull off was available if I needed to sleep. Easy enough to find a truck stop if I needed food, to wash up, to use the toilet. Thought nothing of running up at a moment's notice to fish the Niagara--salmon, steelhead. Or driving (usually non-stop) down to Okeechobee and out along the Keys.

More locally, it wasn't unusual for me to get a sudden notion to leave straight from work Friday afternoon and drive up along the Delaware River. I'd put in a canoe as far up as Hancock or Deposit and over several days fish down sometimes as far as Port Jervis. I ate what I caught: shad, trout, perch, rock bass. . . Sometimes bartered my catch with home owners on the river, either for permission to camp overnight, or for a few tomatoes and onions. A couple of hours before sun up, I'd drive straight back to work.

I think back to those days and I wonder that I was so nonchalant about the whole thing. Had no money to speak of. Damn, how many times did I putter back across the Verrazano or the Tappan Zee with my gas gauge on F... for fumes!

But they were happy times.

Fishing has always been, for me, synonymous with happy times.

Only, these days, I need the comfort of a cozy cottage. At least, most of the time.

[paumanok]

DarkSkies--in this urban setting we fish in, most of our needs can be easily met at pretty much any time of the day or night: all-night diners, all-night convenience stores, all-night gas stations.

Two essentials that come to my mind for such "nomad fishing" --

A change of clothes. Fishing in wet clothes early in the season and in the Fall, while wading in water that's hardly 50 degrees, is not only uncomfortable, it's dangerous. Hypothermia is not something to be triffled with. Especially, if you're out fishing alone.

Extra gear. I always have a second fly rod rigged and ready in the car. One night I was starting to cast after a 3/4 mile walk along the beach; I discovered the tip of my fly rod was broken. I didn't particularly enjoy the 3/4mile walk back to the car to change rods (the 3/4 mile walk back out wasn't much of a thrill either), but I didn't have to stop fishing for the night. I also keep a one-piece 7' medium-heavy spinning rod rigged up, in case the wind gets too fierce to fly fish, or if I come across a must fish spot where there's simply no room to cast a fly.

A bottle of mouth-wash in the car door might not be a bad idea. This way you don't melt the face off the convenience store clerk when you're paying for your cofffee at 3 am.

[williehookem]

Extra gear. I always have a second fly rod rigged and ready in the car. One night I was starting to cast after a 3/4 mile walk along the beach; I discovered the tip of my fly rod was broken. I didn't particularly enjoy the 3/4mile walk back to the car to change rods (the 3/4 mile walk back out wasn't much of a thrill either), but I didn't have to stop fishing for the night. I also keep a one-piece 7' medium-heavy spinning rod rigged up, in case the wind gets too fierce to fly fish, or if I come across a must fish spot where there's simply no room to cast a fly.

A bottle of mouth-wash in the car door might not be a bad idea. This way you don't melt the face off the convenience store clerk when you're paying for your cofffee at 3 am.

Extra gear
Mouthwash...priceless:

[finchaser]

DS mottos=

everynight all night keeps my numbers up

nothing sleeps like a car seat

wind and rain is a soapless shower

oh thank heaven for 7/11
home cooking gotta have my WAWA

[DarkSkies]

I know some will laugh at this, but I mark the location of every one of these that I will be passing by on the way to fishing.

As a veteran camper, I know all about crapping in the woods.
Finding a clean porta-potty is like an oasis in a desert....
there's something to be said for cleaning up well after all your toilet needs are met.

Finchaser will tell ya that fishing 2 days at a time as I do, I smell bad enough. Don't need any down-below smells coming from me.

Here is a shining example of what I mean.
I found this on the side of the road, which would mean high-use.
However, the inside was sparkling clean, almost spotless!
And....they had a hand-sanitizer cannister that was full....it doesn't take much to make my day, on the road...

The way you smell the port O john probably did smell good,wouldn't surprise me if you took a nap in it.

Jeesh Dark, I usually take a quick nap on the beach if need be. A dune, rock.

Mick, get with the program!

Some points for review...
1. It is ok to take a nap in a port a potty, assuming it has been freshly serviced and you are one of the first 3 people to use it...

2. The lather up and shaving may not be done in the port a pottys, any true fishing nomad would know that....

3. For the bathing and washing of the stinking areas (armpits, orifices, etc), the best places for that are the large WaWas, bathrooms are usually clean first thing in the morning..... or the local CVS...their bathrooms are barely used by the public and are a pleasure to clean up in...if you're washing your head in the sink there, make sure you clean up after yourself and get er done in a hurry....

4. Small grocery stores are ok as well, but watch youself in the ghetto grocery stores around Jamaica bay, as has been discussed earlier in the thread.
Wal-marts are ok if in a pinch, but IMO most Wal-Mart bathrooms have very high traffic, and are pretty disgusting, even for me....

So...low traffic = low germs...
Hope that helped, bro....


For those who need further clarification, I may be putting together a seminar series this winter....

DS mottos=

everynight all night keeps my numbers up

nothing sleeps like a car seat

wind and rain is a soapless shower

oh thank heaven for 7/11
home cooking gotta have my WAWA

I was looking over this thread. Thanks for the laughs, people, you made my day....
The OGB felt sorry for me sleeping in my car all the time....found me a slightly used mattress to sleep on...just sent me this pic on the phone.....Thanks, Pal.....



figured I would post it before he did....

[bababooey]

F the mattress ds! I found you a bathroom that some guy converted into the house. think of the possibilities!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/...vate-home.html

[albiealert]

lol

[bababooey]

dark I found you another porto jon for the road trips. The homeowner even decorated it. Merry Christmas.

[DarkSkies]

DS mottos=

everynight all night keeps my numbers up

nothing sleeps like a car seat

wind and rain is a soapless shower

oh thank heaven for 7/11
home cooking gotta have my WAWA

Just wanted to thank you for that, ya grouch!
You're a poet, and don't even know it....