Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Pay to bass fish

Their is an interesting article in todays FortWorth Star Telegram sports section. The headlines of the article read " Local lakes hooking families on fishing." The article by Bob Hood is about Supreme Bass Fishing's lakes. The three private lakes are south of FortWorth and managed by Harrell Arms.The following are quotes from the article:-----"The lakes were stocked with Flordia-strain largemouth bass Arms raised on high-protein commercial pellet food. Electronic feeders set around the lakes dispence the food daily. Bradley said the bass average about 2 pounds ---it is not uncommon to catch native bass weighing 5 to 8 pounds. Anglers can look forward to battling rainbow trout and hybrid striped bass. As soon as the water temperature drops down to about 65 degrees we will stock about 100 rainbow trout averaging 4 to 5 pounds and another 100 trout weighing 1 to 2 pounds each. We will put them in the upper lake because the water is about 15 feet deep there and the water will be colder for them.------- Stripers were stocked only three months ago.-------We are trying to build a place where a family or individual can come out and and catch bass and have a good time.---The bass fishing is total catch-and-release, and only lures with closed barbs are allowed.----For two people, four hours of fishing cost $169 (including golf cart, attendant, cold drinks and snacks).---Fishing is by reservation only and no one is else will be allowed to fish the lake that day. An attendant is on hand at all times to provide transportation around the lakes and to provide cold drinks."

Thought others might enjoy this article.

Sounds like a good idea. I would think the rainbows should not be catch and release closer to spring as they probably won't make it through late spring at that lattitude. If the lakes are big enough to make up for bass that get conditioned to avoid artificals then it could work.

With what I have learned about growing larger gamefish of several species on feed, if I had the property and the water I could make something like this work too.

This kind of thing is done in Great Britian and other parts of Europe and sure has a lot more class and gets more money than pay lakes.

Thanks for sharing that article. Very interesting, to say the least.

Sounds a little bit over priced to me.

Maybe so Dave, but when you make a comment like that are you really aware of all the expenses and investment that may have gone into something like this? Land prices, excavation, fish prices, fish feed, employee wages, health insurance for those employees, accountant, taxes, etc, etc. And we must not also forget that with every business venture Uncle Sam gets his cut for doing absolutely nothing.

What should be your goal in something like this? Bring the cost down so it accessible to everyone while you slave to stay in the black? Or get rewarded for you ideas and hardwork and not worry about those that can't afford it?

Had a very sucessful salesman tell me once if you don't get anyone complaing about your prices you aren't charging enough.

I can assure you an operation like this in a remote setting with trophy fish of different species in every pond would go overlike crack cocaine with a drug addict regardless of the price. I don't know about your area but the quality of the fish and the experience in my area on public lakes gets worse every year. Last time I was out I felt in my boat I was sitting in the middle of a carnival, and with boats and jet skis whizzing by feared for my safety.

As a business I wouldn't even consider a side of the highway Pay Fish operation that pays less and involves more labor and headache. But this idea yes, yes, yes.

Yep Cecil, I am well aware of the expenses of running a business; been doing it for 25 years and it's tough. I have also learned an awful lot about the cost of rural water holes. The point is, I can hire a good bass guide for a whole day on Lake Fork or any other local lake for only a little more than that. Most fishermen can't afford to even do that.

The article, as posted, doesn't tell about the size of the "lakes". Harrel Arms usually works the area around Proctor or Dublin' about one hour SSW of Fort Worth. However, I know various ranchers who do an annual exclusive lease on their 25 acre or so lakes for $1,000 or so with guest priveleges thrown in. I also have several friends who pay $10 to $15 per acre for exclusive hunting rights with fishing thrown in. Just about all hunting in Texas is by leasing of private land. Take 5 guys leasing 1,000 acres for annual usage rights (within reason and common sense). That generally includes deer, turkey, fishing, quail and dove, hog and duck hunting. It sometimes makes me wonder why I own land. Guys on a good lease with a couple of good water holes would shake their heads about $169 for 4 hours.

Another consideration is that Texas hasn't recovered from the recession like a lot of places have. Off shoring has taken a lot of money out of the economy, especially in Dallas/Fort Worth.

On the pro side, it is a lot cheaper than owning a bass boat. Also, not everybody hunts or wants to go to the trouble to have a yearly lease. For them, it might work.

BTW, I don't lease my land for hunting or anything else. $169 after expenses just isn't worth it. I expect they will figure that out after awhile.

A specialist like Cecil might be able to charge quite a bit more than $169 because of the exceptionally large fish that he raises. There are some who value quality over quantity (in time, that is) and would leap at the chance to catch a monster brook trout. These are similar situations to people who will pay thousands for a chance at a genetic freak mulie on a farm that specializes in such things. I'd talk to the largest local bank and see if they have clients that periodically come from out of town who they could "entertain" with a special fishing trip to catch a two-pound perch or a six-pound brookie. This could provide some excellent supplemental income possibilities, but only if the fish availabile are of exceptional quality.

...I'd also suspect that Dave acquaintances in Texas would pay more to lease said land if the pheasants were all four pound albinos.

DD:

$169/4 hours is more than I would pay to fish on one of these exclusive pay lakes.

I have not done the math (scared to, especially if the wife were to see it) but I bet $169/4 hours is less than I have payed (overall, adding it all up) to fish on my own pond (for smaller fish, probably).

Dave,

I too have run a business for about the same amount of time you have. I also respect your opinion and hope you didn't take offense to my post. Reading back through my post I wouldn't blame you if you took it as somewhat condenscending. However it was definitely not meant that way.

I still contend there are people out there that have money to burn and if the experience they want is there they will pay for it. I have a few for customers in my taxidermy business and wish I had more. I gave up charging lower prices in my business with more pieces to charging higher prices with less pieces. I don't have to work as hard and have more free time. I've also gotten rid of the deadbeats and slow payers too (well there are exceptions).

It's all about reaching the market you want to reach. The people that will pay are there if you have what they want. They just have to know about you.

Cecil, no offense taken. I didn't read it that way.

I'm sure they will get some customers but believe they will get tired of the hassle. Of course, I don't know their whole situation.

I think Lakes of Danbury in Texas has pay fishing and I understand that it is really exciting; loaded with big bass and very expensive. Lots of times when you are watching ESPN or OLN you will hear the comment that they are fishing there. This is usually when they are touting some can't miss, sure fire new lure. Most fish that the "pros" catch there average over 2 lbs. with an eight pounder almost every show.

There was a little more to the article. Someone could also buy a yearly membership for $995, that includes all the fishing for you and you can bring one person on four occasions after that it would cost $50 per person.

The way the article is written implies that the "goal" of the project is to give families the oppurtunity to go fishing without the disapointments of not catching anything.

I think it sounds like a good way for the landowner to recouperate some of the costs that are associated with creating a fishery. It is kinda like a small bass club that is less exclusive. I'm not however saying that the pricing is right or wrong. Honestly, being a somewhat avid fisherman myself, I would have a hard time dishing out that kind of cash to go fishing for four hours.

Theo makes a good point that needs revisiting.

If I had to boil down my cost per hour of fishing at my pond, I may shed a tear or two and have just a brief moment of regret (a very brief moment mind you).

But we have to realize that we are all experts at self-rationalization when it comes to justifying expenditures for our ponds.

Baby needs a new pair of shoes? But I need more forage fish??????

Dave, You are correct about Danbury on both counts...very expensive and excellent fishing. I believe they make it not so much from individuals, but from Corporations (and TV producers) who purchase memberships for use much like season tickets for professional sports teams.

They also sell fish, but that's another story.

I work for 4 plantations that offer pay fishing. Prices are $150-$300/day. $1,500 to $2,500/year. My thoughts are a good day fishing a pond is 30-50 bass with several quality to trophy bass thrown in. Compare that to fishing a reservoir around here $300-$400 guided and a good day is 15 bass with one good one. It is still a strange concept to pay money to fish a pond but that is changing when folks see what they catch on a properly managed pond.

Some good points Greg. What some people don't take into account in fishing public lakes is how much money you are really spending on your boat (sometimes more than a one acre pond), tags, taxes, gas, etc etc. and the fishing experience may not be that good due to a multitude of anglers and non anglers using the lake at the same time. I'm seeing largemouths getting hook shy from weekend after weekend of bass tournaments on a local lake. Going to a pond without the hazzle of of pulling a boat and launching it is a treat. Of course I'm doing it at my ponds.