I take the money anytime it is offered but never hound anybody for it. I am going fishing regardless most of the time. On the other hand, when I am not using my boat, I try to be fair and pay my half.

Most of the guys that I fish with are boat owners themselves so they know what it takes to maintain one. They are all more than fair just as I hope I am. I also feel like if I call and invite someone I was going in anyway so I don't expect anything. A few bucks for gas or the ramp fee and ice is plenty. Lunch is a bonus.
if I fish a tournament with someone then 50/50 on all expenses and winnings. No other way to do it. Also I take it a step further and will share big bass or contingency money if I win it. To me its just the right way to do it. Once on the water money is the last thing on my mind. I want to fish and have a good time.

I want to fish with you Mark-lol But seriously, will you take me - Ha ha

Many non-boaters have no idea how much gas you burn towing a boat @ 10-12mpg. Then, the gas in the boat adds up as well. I don't fish as a non-boater very often, but I go out of my way to at least throw a fair amount at the boat owner. Chip in for gas, pay the launch fee, etc.

For me, I'll invite friends out for fishing once on my tab. After that I'll ask them to pitch in for the next one. Just about every time I hook the boat up to the trailer it costs ~100 bucks in gas, food, and lures.

In the end, its most important to communicate to each other and outline expectations.

in my case i seem to buy the gas for the boat, diesel for the truck, and just lately i finally get a basic lunch and drinks packed. not my ideal, but i make more money so i guess that is the reasoning

My phone rings this morning at 8. It's the PAA and I'm in for the first TX as a coangler. It cost me $300 before I hung up the phone and I haven't even got to the lake yet. I will still have an obligation to the "pro" I am in the boat with. I will not shirk it.

Lots of guys on here say they will pay "their half" and I'm sure that is their intentions. The problem is they want the final say on what they think their half is and it may not jive with the other person. I'm just sayin....

I just go by my gut feel. If it don't feel good then I talk about with the other person. After that if it still don't feel good then I don't fish with person anymore. I'm not well off financially but I pay my way. Each situation is different with the person and their circumstances and the circumstances of the outing itself. I just listen to my gut and go fishing. Life is too short to get too wrapped up over it.

50/50 is the only way to handle it with a tournament partner. 50/50 on all the costs, 50/50 on all the winnings, no matter who caught what. If we're in my boat fishing a spot that I've brought us to and my partner catches big bass of the tourney, we split that... after all, if my boat wouldn't have taken us to the spot, he wouldn't have caught it. My problem is, me and my partner have too much practice splitting up costs and not enough splitting up winnings... LOL.

If I am going fishing for fun and invite someone to go with me, knowing that I'll go by myself if they decline, I don't ask anybody to split costs. Usually another boat owner is going to offer it anyhow, just like I'd offer if I was going with them. The old "your truck/my boat" deal works great, too.

I don't fish tourneys so...I don't care if my partner offers money or not. He does, but it's not necessary. I'm going fishing anyway. I got the boat. He wasn't involved in that decision making process. The cost of owning a boat falls to me, not the people I take fishing with me. If I fished team tourneys, I would feel differently.

You know, my partner and I have the same deal AND the same problem hahahahaha.

my method is we leave my house with the truck and boat full of gas .every thing is split and returned back to my house full again.works for me

I would say out of common decency he should offer to pay for half the gas if not all if he invites himself and half if you invite him. 50/50 on winnings. You wouldn't expect your buddy to pay for all of a steak dinner that you invited him to? I look at riding backseat the same way.
The cost of an entire tank of gas is a ton cheaper than the ownership cost of a boat but I think it may be unfair to say that paying gas cost is the "least" he could do if not a boat owner. If he isn't paying the note, insurance, registration, towing it, loading or unloading it, or washing it when you get it home, what else could be expected except to be a respectful partner and not fish over you, etc? I would say pay for the gas, lunch, beer, tow vehicle fuel maybe? Registration fees? I know there could be a million different ways that he/she could pitch in but I don't unerstand how paying for gas would be the least thing they could do if they don't own it. My neighbor doesn't split the cost of my weekly pool cleaning service when he uses it but he does bring beer!

How does one invite themselves? I have friends who say "hey, if you have a spot one day, I'd like to go" but none of my friends would ever just call and invite themselves...
If this is what is happening to a bunch of you and they don't want to pay anything, then I'm gonna go out on a limb and say "you need new friends". JMHO.

this is the way my partner and i work. I pay the entry fees and we fish out of his boat. we dont split gas cost and I dont ask for his half of entry fees. But when i use his boat, I replace the gas i use or fill it up, no questions asked. i have also bought tackle and left it in the boat and he has also.sometimes i tow the boat and sometimes he does.

Just get another partner to fish with.
If he doesnt respect you enough to at least offer why bother?

If its for fun, just casual fishing and I invite that person, I woudnt expect them to pay. In a serious or tourney situation, then you bet, it should be 50/50.