*Bump*

JC, so what are you thinking? Does the interest seem high enough for you to rent out a slip to crappie fishermen/women or even do a pay-by-the-day basis?

Was wanting to get your honest feeling. I think with TFF'ers, you can lay to rest any wrongdoings or improprieties occurring on your marina.

I'm still interested, if that helps. Why I "bumped" the thread.

Eric,

I am very open to renting out slips to fisherman with certain rules in place that I am sure would be no problem for the guys here. It would probably be limited to 5 guys per slip and you would have to make sure any brush you put in would be retrievable so if you leave and we rent it out to a boat owner they would not damage thier boat. As for the day fishing, I really have not heard much from guys that seem that interested, so I will probably drop that idea for now. Let me know if you have a group of guys that want to rent a slip. Thanks for the input.

Josh

Thanks Josh. Sounds like a plan. I think I can talk my wife into chalking up little over $300 bucks for a year's worth of fishing a slip close by.

No worries, we'd just hang brush on a rope for retrieval at a later time for future slip renters. If the pay-by-day idea ever goes over, I'd be for that too.

Anyone else want to go in on this idea? Maybe we could go in on the slip after the New Year sometime in January, after everyone's had a chance to recover from the holiday expenses.
Once we have a group, we could go meet Josh in person together and see what slip we could rent, etc.

Like I said, may have to wait a month or two, but would love to get a slip and get it brushed by February, so it's ready for the Spring.

Sounds great Big Cat. Just let me know when you get a group together and then we can find a spot for you that you like. We actually have really good crappie fishing here anyways, with a little brush you should be able to do really well. Talk to you soon.

Josh

I'd personally like to see you consider the pay-by-the-day option as well. We don't have anything like that in Northwest FtW anymore since they shut down Lake Worth marina. The only thing that I would recommend, with the daily fishing, is that you consider having a special rate for senior citizens, and perhaps offer a half-price day once a week (perhaps on a Wednesday). Same hold true for the respect part. You'll wind up having "regulars" that will basically become your lookout people, as well as your MOST DEPENDABLE clients...usually retired people looking for place to hangout, and have fun. Anyways -- I'd recommend that you give it a try as well. At certain times of the year (winter months) you'll need to be a little more strict due to the abundance of traffic, but once people recognize that you're fair as well as firm -- the riprap will disappear, and you'll wind up with a good core group of people that you'll see each and every year like clockwork.

Thanks Hub. How big a difference does it make if the barge is heated or not. Right now it is covered, but I would have to put walls up to block the wind year round. I am a little concerned with the cost of putting in and running heat. Also, what hours are the other barges open? Thanks

Josh

little minnow,
Not being familure with your area, have you considered a small barge. I don't know if you have the room for one but you could probably find something you could float and use it for a daily fee and use some slips for a lease. Looks like you've got plenty of interest. Just a thought.

whoops, looks like I need to read and comprehend.

I can go either way, guys...pay-by-day or rent a slip.

Whether Josh decicdes on a little barge (like Rocky Creek at Benbrook or Weatherford's), or a bigger one with more than one tank and amenities (like Lewisville's), just the drive to EM would be more convenient for me.

Josh, I don't think (at least for me) that heating is a big priority, as I have coveralls, though it may attract more customers for you in the winter months (LL barge does a good biz in the cool season).

However, those smaller, "one-tank" barges only charge $3-4, because they are small and have no heat. LL charges $7, but they have 3 tanks (and outside pier), along with all the amenities like coffee, bait, minnow buckets, and tackle.

I realize you'd rather lean toward the former (small with no heat to save $$), so as long as you brush it, keep the cost reasonable, and maybe offer senior discounts like hub_cap said, live bait, and possibly hot coffee, then you should be good to go.

I still may try to round up some folks to rent a slip after the holidays.

Thanks Big Cat. Let me know and we will get you set up.

Josh if you wanna know the ins and outs of doing this I would suggest you contact a marina doing it. Sandy and Vic at Highview Marina on lake Bardwell will fill you up with how-to info and what to look out for. (972) 646-5330

Personally I would love a pay/day rate since you're only a couple miles from my house.

Will be keeping a watch on this. Slip rental or day use either one would be nice closer to home.

Thanks Uncle Dewey I will do that. You and FarTraveler can watch for a post from me updating everyone.

Josh,

Thanks again. We realize this puts some stress on you, but for many of us in the west and north sides of Fort Worth, this would be a blessing to have a place to fish this close (least relative to the places I'm driving to now).

Take your time and let us know here in the next month or two how you plan to go about things. Again, we appreciate ya.

*Bump again*

If anyone is interested in investgating and possibly renting a slip out at Josh's place after the holidays...lemme know.

I'd like to meet Josh, investigate the depth of the slips available, and other stuff before committing, but I'm very grateful he's offering.

That and possibly a pay-by-day deal where I don't have to drive so darn far.