Have you had to choose a life in the woods or on the saltwater?

[akhunter3]

PNW and Alaska have both; NC too (sort of) if your not opposed to a few hours of driving to get to one or the other.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Both. And when I retire, it will be somewhere eI can chase bonefish or tarpon with my fly rod whenever I want.

That’s exactly what I’m thinking and it’s less than three years away! May through October or maybe a little into November in Alaska, and the rest of the year through April in South Florida… or maybe even somewhere in Central America.


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[thinhorn_AK]

That’s exactly what I’m thinking and it’s less than three years away! May through October or maybe a little into November in Alaska, and the rest of the year through April in South Florida… or maybe even somewhere in Central America.


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That would be great. Keep residency in AK and just fish Florida as a non resident.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Woods for sure,I enjoy some time on the water, but give me the woods.

 

[roosiebull]

First post by the way. Surprised it took me this long.

Basically, I'm torn. I grew up in AZ. All my exploring, hunting, off-roading started in the desert. I then moved to the Idaho Panhandle. Continued everything i loved. Spent every moment i had deep in the woods. Rough terrain nonetheless. But then life set in,

For a job that I no longer have got me to move to New England. CT to be exact. I lost everything i enjoyed back west. But I have become an exteme saltwater fisherman. In 5 years I have had a few boats, go out 3+ times a week and even became a part-time/fill-in mate on a charter. Often 40 miles off shore.

But that lifestyle is taking a toll on me. Mentally and financially. It just seems unsustainable. Everything about a 25' boat at a marina is big bucks and we're not talking deer.

But my love for the outdoors is too strong. If I dont have that here, I'll have nothing here. I am debating if moving back west is in my cards.

Of course if anyone is familiar with the Panhandle, there are 3 massive lakes for fishing. Some of those fish can be bigger than the fish I'll get out here. But I never got to involved in fishing there, I had enough going between hunting, hiking, shooting, exploring in the sxs, ect.


Has anyone else had to make similar decisions/sacrifices? Thanks.

Easy for me, I have worked on the ocean my whole life, and by choice, I will pick the woods every single time. I feel like just recreation based, the woods is a better environment for the soul

Fishing the ocean is fun, but I would never consider trading it for the woods.

 

[Mike Islander]

50,000 acres of public hunting land, in real woods, in CT. Less than hour drive from the coast. What's the problem?

 

[Burnsie]

I enjoy walleye and ice fishing in the Midwest, but I've never been an ocean/beach guy. Pretty much everyone I know, when you talk about vacations, their mind immediately goes to what beach they are going to next. I've done a few Cancun and Florida trips, but after a couple days I'm like meh? I can only sit around at the beach for so long. I've been out ocean fishing a couple times, all I do is get sick. Maybe I would get use to it over time, but I'm not interested in putting in the time to get there. Big woods are my jam. It doesn't necessarily even need to be in the mountains, although I love the mountains. Put me in big tracks of land where roads are few and terrain is interesting, that's where I want to be. Northwoods of Wisconsin or Minnesota or Maine work for me - the ocean doesn't do anything for me. Probably why I've never had any interest in going on a cruise.

 

[yfarm]

Knees shot? From what?

I think I'd choose salt. I've had enough mountains and the salt is new and exciting, for me.

From standing at the helm of a 31 Contender traveling 100-150 miles a day in 3-6ft seas. While my knees arent shot my body is fatigued after 35 years of it.

 

[Idaboy]

Woods, you can find different tribes

Water....that's a long time on a boat with someone

 

[Shinebox]

Born in Southwest FL, spent a good chunk of the last decade spending all my money chasing Tarpon with a fly rod (profile picture). My wife finally gave me the green light to buy a place in NW Montana (I have family up here) so I was fortunate enough to find a little house in the mountains. I love it up here, and I miss the Tarpon, but If I had to choose one or the other It would probably be the woods. End game is to sell the current house in FL and pick up a condo in Everglades City, because getting lost down there is a blast.

 

[svivian]

Places Like New Zealand give you alot of both in a short distance.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Born in Southwest FL, spent a good chunk of the last decade spending all my money chasing Tarpon with a fly rod (profile picture). My wife finally gave me the green light to buy a place in NW Montana (I have family up here) so I was fortunate enough to find a little house in the mountains. I love it up here, and I miss the Tarpon, but If I had to choose one or the other It would probably be the woods. End game is to sell the current house in FL and pick up a condo in Everglades City, because getting lost down there is a blast.

Everglades City/Chokoloskee, and Naples are the places/areas I’ve been looking at as well, but I don’t think I could do a condo. I’ve spent quite a bit of time chasing snook and baby tarpon with a fly rod in the Everglades City area, and I could definitely see myself doing that every year for 5 months or so.


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[DangerRanger]

Probably saltwater/coastal fishing for me honestly

 

[bozeman]

I grew up on 40 acres in west AL, live on 10 acres now. I do enjoy the woods and especially when the gobblers start in the spring, but, we now have a place down on the coast as well and I just can't wait to visit each time I get a chance. Something about being on the water, the waves, the motion, the salty air. Blessed to have both at the moment, but if I had to choose.....probably would be on the water.

 

[Dackdack]

I live on an island on the ocean in an area with great fishing and world class cruising. Hunting has a lot less variables and lately I’ve been preferring it to fishing. The costs and hassle of keeping a boat ready to go, dealing with issues, weather etc gets old. I feel like with hunting I can pack a quick bag and throw the atv in the truck and go. .

 

[Cannonball]

I grew up in FL now in AZ for 27 years. I would never move to cold water. I could make tropical water work with diving, spearfishing, surfing, etc. but I would struggle with the lack of public land

 

[Oregon]

50,000 acres of public hunting land, in real woods, in CT. Less than hour drive from the coast. What's the problem?

You’re in Connecticut

 

[CMF]

That's a tough decision, and I hope to one day have a place in both. My wife has plenty family and we have a lot friends on the MS coast, so that is where base will be for now. I hope to own a place and move residence one day to somewhere in the mountains.

You mention the boat and marina being financially unsustainable. I don't know what costs are like in CT, but I'd be willing to bet you could do twice the fishing on the Gulf Coast for your cost in the Northeast, especially out of smaller, less populated areas in MS, AL, LA or TX. And we can fish year-round. We don't keep boats in the water, so there is no marina fuel cost, slip cost, etc. Fuel up at a regular gas station, and use the public boat lunch. Some guys pay for storing their trailered boat in a covered lot. We can do an overnight trip for YF tuna, red snapper, and swords with 6 guys and spend $100-200 a head.

We can head a couple of hours north and have a 100k-acre national forest to hunt whitetail and turkey.

 

[CMF]

You're going to get a lot of recommendations for specific places. However, I think if you're unsure of what you want, maybe you should spend some time traveling? Focus on places that are new to you. Maybe you'll find a place where you can scratch both the woods and fishing itch? Seems like Maine would be a good place for that, or the Great Lakes.

This is a good point.
we've done a good bit of traveling the last five years, but I still haven't narrowed down where I'd like a place in the Mountains.

Knees shot? From what?

From standing at the helm of a 31 Contender traveling 100-150 miles a day in 3-6ft seas. While my knees arent shot my body is fatigued after 35 years of it.

That was before they were all running 40' Freeeman cats...

 

[Jfrye98]

I go way off shore maybe 5 times on ny boat but frequently on others boats or the charter I help on. Otherwise I'm 1-10 miles catching striped bass, flounder or just enjoying a boat ride.

I recently made a reddit post explaining what all 3 places have in common (AZ desert, deep ID terrain, and the ocean), its the inherent danger and the isolation each one had on its own in a unique way. I think the fishing comes as a bonus - plus, there is an undeniable decline in the quality of fishing this year - including tuna. It closed after just a few weeks. Ruined some charter guys.

I love the maintaining of a boat, the HP, the preparation, but similar to an engine on a ATV or my SXS - any SXS guys know how that can be. Its possible hunting comes as a bonus too and its what leads up to that is what I love and miss.

Let's not kid ourselves..CT is nothing like the west. Although not politically killed like I'd imagine some states. Private land is everywhere -heck, they owned it since the 1600! My shooting nearly got completely shut down! Most of my firearms have been in the safe for two years now except my trusty "house warming gift" as I call it.

I would choose to live wherever you enjoy most; which community you feel at home in. You can always make arrangements to travel for hunting and fishing and it sounds like you have enough knowledge about different areas to do so efficiently