• Originally published July 12, 2008 at 9:18 p.m., updated July 12, 2008 at 9:18 p.m.

I still remember the feeling when I pulled my buddy’s 22-foot Pathfinder to the Florida dock – cheated, resentful, embittered and victimized.

After rationalizing the situation, I determined $2 on-the-water gasoline was a small price to pay for a week of free rent on such a fine vessel. A much lighter wallet was suddenly forgotten after the first 14-pound St. Lucie Inlet snook took off with my threadfin herring.

That was June 2003.

I paid $4.42 a gallon this week.

I told myself when gas prices soared past $3 a gallon I was not going to be one of those people who complain about it - there are enough complainers already. However, now that $4 gas is a reality, a change is in order.

Making some changes

No, I am not going to quit fishing – I will ride a bike to the dock before that happens. Instead, I am going to change my habits, mindset and prepare a little more before I hit the water, hopefully conserving gasoline and greenbacks. Here are a few suggestions:

In the guiding business, I can’t say that my habits have changed. I still run over 80 miles roundtrip if I know it will put fish in the boat. I feel I owe it to the customer to do everything in my power to give them the best opportunity to catch fish. Most guides I know are doing the same, offsetting high fuel prices by increasing charter prices by at least $50.

But what about when you are on your own? Don’t go alone. Find other friends who love to fish and take three to four people to balance fuel costs. Twenty gallons of gasoline is not so hard to pump when each angler pays an equal share. Be sure to factor the gas it took to pull the boat to the ramp, too, and take care of the boat owner.

It has always been my rule when traveling in someone else’s vehicle and boat to not allow them to pay for anything. Hey, they make the payment on the boat and truck already. The fuel to run the operation is a small price to pay. And, if you stick to this rule, you can bet you will be asked on a lot more fishing trips.

Besides, going alone is no fun and not very safe. I can count the number of times I have fished along on one hand since I have owned a boat, and my wife frowned on every occasion.

So, since “boatpool” is not an official word (my word processor is relaying that message to me now), I am making it a word. I am sure carpool was once devoid in the dictionary until one of Mr. Webster’s counterparts endured an afternoon of Houston rush hour traffic.

Make a game plan

Have a game plan before you hit the water. Great anglers know the forecasted tides and wind directions before the boat ever gets wet. I know - weather changes quickly in Texas; however, as much as we gripe about the weatherman, he is more right than wrong.

Knowing the wind direction helps eliminate water. If the wind is blowing south at 15 knots, there is no reason to run across the bay to the north shoreline to check the water. Likewise, a stiff north wind is no good for the south shoreline. Trust your instincts and save the gas.

Stay in tune with the tide

Know the tide differential as it pertains to your location. Example: If the tide is set to begin coming in at Port O’Connor at 6 a.m., Matagorda anglers know it will be 1-2 hours later at Green’s or Cotton’s Bayou, depending on the wind. East, southeast winds pump water into the bays, west, southwest and north winds pushed water out of the bays.

Knowing when to be at the right location when the water is moving eliminates water and the senseless burning of gasoline.

Lighten up

Lighten your load. Some say keeping your tank filled to the top eliminates condensation which allows water to form in the tank. That may be true for boat owners who leave their vessel in storage for long periods of time; however, for anglers who spend lots of time on the water, a lighter load means less fuel burned. I am not saying to run you engine on fumes – burning dirty fuel on the bottom of the tank increases the chance of fouling fuel intake systems.

I have a 60-gallon tank, but rarely do I run with 60 gallons, especially if I plan to drift in shallow water. Most of the time I run with 35-40 gallons of gas - about 300 pounds lighter than carrying a full tank. My boat performs even better with 20 gallons of fuel, which gives me a range of about 80 miles, perfect if I plan on spending a day in East Matagorda Bay.

While you are watching weight, keep the coolers half full of ice. A small beverage cooler and a fish cooler is all you need. A 94-quart cooler filled to the top with ice weighs about 80 pounds. If ice is filled to the top, where will the fish go?

The same concept holds true for useless trolling motor batteries, tackle boxes or water-filled livewells. If you are not using your livewell, put a plug in it so water does not intrude.

These are simple remedies, but saving a gallon of gasoline is like putting $4 in your pocket. Five here and five there is a $20 bill, enough to take you wife out to dinner and buy appetizers.

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