Long runs to find fish …

[bilgerat]

This is nothing I know of as I fish from a motorized canoe on bodies of water that are literally puddles. The biggest water body in the southern part of the state where I live is just under 1000 acres. So it’s interesting to me when I watch tournament coverage on TV to see guys saying they went 10, 15, 18, etc miles up river to their spots … LOL they drive further in their boat than I do in my truck going to the lake. Part of me wonders how many quality fish they passed on the way but that’s irrelevant.

My question is what’s the CLOSEST to the ramp you ever either A: caught a limit or B: caught your kicker (or know of someone else doing it)

[haftafish22]

I don’t fish release areas. Just don’t care for it and typically find the dirties shallow water I can and it’s upriver about as far as you can go. It’s just my thing

[basscat21]

Bilge, there have been tournys won, out of Frankfort ranp, on Delaware by running the canal to the chesapeake.
There have been many many won by never leaving Lees cove on Hopatcong. One was two guys in a 12 ft jon, a cooler for a livewell, and a 12v e-motor, 60 boats, and tore them up. Lots of sad faces from the glitter rocket pilots.

[C_hoss]

I’ve caught fish off the ramp before. Usually you have to leave and come back later.

I fished an open tourney on a small lake that always drew big crowds. Jacob Wheeler was signed up for the tourney but at launch time he wasn’t there yet and everybody was wondering where he was. This was probably around when he won the All American. Well we all get back in and he is there with his partner. He said they were just running late. But he said by the time his partner got back to the ramp after parking the truck all the way at the end of the lot he had already caught a limit off the ramp with a shakeyhead. I think they culled most of them and they didn’t win but they placed in the money.

[Bassin08]

I usually don’t let my bobber get out of sight.

[WStorey]

I hate making long runs. I swear every time I make one my motor won't crank when it's time to head back.

[ECobb91]

I’ve caught a limit while waiting for my cousin to park the truck and I’m in the boat letting it warm up. This was on a really small lake with that doesn’t see tournaments too.

farthest I’ve ever gone was from Sandy pond to Mexico Bay, which is a 20 mile round trip. Took about 30 min each way just due to the waves on Ontario. But I rarely drive more than 10min. I prefer to fish a lot of small lakes and let the out of staters or down staters deal with the big named lakes up here

[KRC18D]

We have a good ledge within about 100 yards of our tournament ramp. Lots of tournaments have been won off of it. Granted this is a lake. If your talking about fishing a river I have never really found a winning bag a fish near a ramp on a river system for some reason. I guess it’s just the location of the ramp. I’ll usually end up running 10-20 miles to get to the good area.

[Lil’erRed]

Years ago my uncle and i were fishing a team trail and 3 tours in the season after not having much luck at blast off we decided to just start at the ramp won our first money that day

[Fishin Polock]

I fish GT bay on Lake Michigan alot. Long runs happen every time. 20+ miles sometimes to find what ya need out of the water.

[Dixie-Raven]

If you fish rivers that's part of the game, especially tidal ones.

[getfished]

I'm fishing one Sunday and I plan to run about 15 miles. Once I get there I will fish the entire day in that area.

[Lil’erRed]

On another note I’ve made a 90 mile run before and also made a 1 hour and 45 minute run in a jon boat lol

[jlwatts94]

Living down here in south Louisiana a 15mile run is nothing. 25-30 miles one way is common.

[JBIGUNS]

I won an ABA and a BASS Nation event off spots 100 yards from the ramps but those were small lakes with 20-25 boats. Big water, I’m usually running as far away from everyone as I can get

[ou1dadgumit]

Big water normally means lots of competition. Your ponds don't see what a decent size lake sees as far as tournaments. I really try to find my type of fishing conditions near the ramp however multiple times there have 5 plus boats in the 1st 3 coves i try when i get there. I really need to find the confidence to run 20 miles either way.

[nmaxwell0003]

15 mile run lol. That’s a good day if I only have to run that. On Kentucky you can easily run 100 miles to get to the section of the lake you want depending on takeoff. And if you want to jump over and run Barkley to Dover area you definitely have to stop and fill up on the water.

[suck my wake]

There was a tournament at Lake Powell a few years ago. The winner ran to Bullfrog Basin. Ninety miles from the launch ramp. Don Iovino took second fishing around the launch area points and docks.

[billnorman1]

It's not about the cost it's about winning. Many times in local tournaments someone will run to the Chesapeake Bay or Tangier Sound to get to a river they feel will provide bigger fish.

I frequently run 20 miles or more round trip.

[HOGIE]

On Guntersville last year, made a run of 1 hour 15 minutes at speed. Do the math...