I understand the fact that it is expensive to operate a boat. Be upfront and tell folks that they need to buy gas if you want or need help with the money aspect of things. I have a few fishing partners that fish with me regularly. When I need help with something that has to do with either the boat or my fishing equipment (truck, trailer, poles, bait tank, ANYTHING) I will give them a call. I will even call if I have some work to do on boat even if I do not NEED help. Just showing them all the small stuff that I have to do really helps. If my boat gets dirty fishing and I am in no rush, I will go to car wash with them and get them to help there as well. Some of my fishing friends just have cars so they can not even help with towing. This is a big thing to me since when I was fishing out of my buddy's boat I always towed. This way we are both sharing the "wear and tear" and we still split each other's fuel costs.

I personally do not mind someone fishing without offering to pay the first couple times. After 2 trips if they do not see the expenses and want to help, they probably do not have the right kind of values for hanging out with me.

I know what ya mean man i have a 30footer and it cost alot to run the sob. When I take my friend i tell them up front hey im not paying for [censored] just so you know. I bought the 70000 dollar boat you can kiss my a.ss if im paying for gas to take someone else fishing.

A very good friend runs a 28 ft ProKat, running twin 150's. He invites me fishing regularly. Might have something to do with the fact that when we pull up to the pumps I hand him a $100 bill. Sometimes he refuses but then I stuff it in his truck's console when he ain't lookin' anyway. Then when we pull up to his storage unit I'm the first out of the truck and grabbing the water hose to start washing her down. And all of this before we've cleaned one fish.

Like my daddy used to tell me, "the job ain't done 'til the tools are cleaned and put away."

exactly! and thats the way it should be! you have boat payments.... people want to enjoy YOUR toy, they can pony up some benjamins to fuel it and ice it down!

My best friend from highschool lives in Galveston and he has invited me fishing many, many times over the years and knew full well that I could barely afford gas to get there and back let alone pony up for any extras. He always had gear, bait, put me up for the weekends, fed me, etc...and never asked me for a dime. I'm much better off now and even though he doesn't have a boat any more I visit him as often as I can and return the favors any time I can catch him looking the other way. He always graciously refuses my gifts at first but with a little arm twisting and a few "your money's no good here" and "aw shucks, remember when you..." he accepts. We start kayak fly fishing in May(he doesn't know it yet). Helluva guy and proud that he's my best friend.

Friends like that are hard to beat, and I would do/have done the same thing for friends that really didn't have money to spare... but yeah, friends that have the money but still want a free ride... well yeah, after a while, I guess they don't come fishing with me as often as some other people might...