ChrisJones 7,973 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 I was reading this article on alleged poaching of white sturgeon on Canada's Fraser River as a tangent for a trip I'm attempting to plan. As part of my 'bucket list,' I want to catch a sturgeon on the Fraser River. Our local sporting goods store has a few Canadian ex-pats and the 'bragging board' has some three-digit fish caught on the river over the last two years. Some impressive specimens, IMHO. Four trips that I'm hoping to complete in the next few years are White Sturgeon on the Fraser River, Canada. Alligator Gar on the Trinity River and it's tributaries in Texas. Bull Shark in Florida's canals. Utah's Cutthroat Slam Challenge IMHO all of these trips are doable on my current budget and while not particularly ambitious by many standards will stand as a set of family memories for myself, my wife, kids, and my dad. So the question for the THL panel is what are your bucket list outdoor trips? Not necessarily a wish list with lottery money but achievable milestones that you would like to complete in your lifetime? 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 23,783 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 19 minutes ago, ChrisJones said: I was reading this article on alleged poaching of white sturgeon on Canada's Fraser River as a tangent for a trip I'm attempting to plan. As part of my 'bucket list,' I want to catch a sturgeon on the Fraser River. Our local sporting goods store has a few Canadian ex-pats and the 'bragging board' has some three-digit fish caught on the river over the last two years. Some impressive specimens, IMHO. Four trips that I'm hoping to complete in the next few years are White Sturgeon on the Fraser River, Canada. Alligator Gar on the Trinity River and it's tributaries in Texas. Bull Shark in Florida's canals. Utah's Cutthroat Slam Challenge IMHO all of these trips are doable on my current budget and while not particularly ambitious by many standards will stand as a set of family memories for myself, my wife, kids, and my dad. So the question for the THL panel is what are your bucket list outdoor trips? Not necessarily a wish list with lottery money but achievable milestones that you would like to complete in your lifetime? Funny you mention this,i just got home from the doctors,had 4 jabs this morning Hep A,Tetanus,Typhoid and MMR,got to book my rabies (course of 3 jabs),going to do something I have wanted to do for a while,getting a visa tomorrow but still need another 2,i will post pics when I am there Couple of friends went to BC last year to Chilliwack and caught a number of big sturgeon,they did it on a budget,the bull shark in florida is interesting as my mayes emigrated there and he is a fanatical fisherman,thats why he actually chose florida,whats your budget on that do you figure? Fieldsports bucket?Mountain lion Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisJones 7,973 Posted September 11, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 7 minutes ago, mackem said: Couple of friends went to BC last year to Chilliwack and caught a number of big sturgeon,they did it on a budget,the bull shark in florida is interesting as my mayes emigrated there and he is a fanatical fisherman,thats why he actually chose florida,whats your budget on that do you figure? Budget is fluid and a bit of a head-scratcher. I have a slush fund with a couple of grand in it at the moment. Going into Canada will probably be the most expensive but I'll combine all of it with a cross-country drive to see a bit more of the union on the way. Work commitments are tricky as I've never had a week where I haven't worked overtime. I generally work 3 15 hour shifts and then have four days off but lately with staffing issues it's been more challenging with hours but this is what's topping off the slush fund! I get 160 hours of holidays (4 weeks) at the moment which is pretty good for the US. That's due to go up to 200 hours (5 weeks) in the next year as I hit 11 years of service. I won't fly because I want to see a bit more of the country along the way. Driving isn't an issue for me and I'm looking forward to the journey as well as the destination. Canada will be the most expensive leg of the trip as mainly due to distance and accommodation. I've got mates in Florida and extended family (hers) in Texas right near the Trinity which was part of the reason I picked it. The accommodation is taken care of. I'll rent a vehicle if I haven't picked up my Subaru by then (new car in the pipeline.) Tackle and rods I'm going to pick up when I get to the destination when I've got more of an idea what I need to be fishing with. Fishing gear this end isn't expensive and I want it for the memories. The Cutthroat Challenge I can do on my weekends and I want to do that fly only to up the challenge factor. Gar are catchable on the fly too (streamer) and I've already got a Texan colleague who's fished the Trinity that way extensively. My fly fishing skills are poor but I'm rectifying that on local waters anyway. The other variables are food and fuel. I'm willing to camp British style so the JetBoil and pot noodles are already in the house! Mrs is coming. She said if she doesn't get to fish as well, it's divorce court. My dad wants to do it too and while he'll fish the entire time my mam won't so they'll need a hotel at the bare minimum. All my lads are teenagers and their participation will depend purely on the moment. All in all I'm looking at a few grand but I don't have to do it all at once so I can compartmentalise them into individual trips. It's a stretch financially but achievable. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 23,783 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 5 minutes ago, ChrisJones said: Mrs is coming. She said if she doesn't get to fish as well, it's divorce court. Been there,it takes a chunk out of your budget Be interested to see the sharks in the canals,jeremy wade and Cyril chauquet both did it,it looks incredible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisJones 7,973 Posted September 11, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 9 minutes ago, mackem said: Been there,it takes a chunk out of your budget Be interested to see the sharks in the canals,jeremy wade and Cyril chauquet both did it,it looks incredible. That's okay though she's as keen as I am and she's paying into the fund too. My mate is from Fort Myers and he was fishing for snakeheads in the south of the state and when he was reeling it in a bull shark took exception and cored it! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mushroom 12,388 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 Got one planned for when I send her off to Uni... Gonna buy a van (rascal or similar), kit it out proper and drive from Barcelona to Shenzhen China. Planned for around 6 months each way. Take the dog etc and be free for a year. Imagine; A cup of mint tea and famous Iranian hospitality in a beautiful rural village.... a bbq out of the back of your van up high in the Himalayas with only your mate as a companion, a smoke in Nepal and then the incredible and mysterious jungles of northern Burma and Thailand, finally hit Shenzhen. Come back through from Shenzhen up to northern China, into Mongolia, on to Russia, maybe divert down to Kazakhstan, back up to Russia, across to the Nordics down through to Denmark, cross to Germany, through France and back to Barca....... I can't wait 4 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Born Hunter 17,638 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 Tahr And chamois hunting in NZ Fiordland. (In the works for next spring, fingers and toes crossed) Yellowstone NP as part of a bit of a US West road trip WILL be following NZ. Dream would be to hunt Dall ram in the mountains, but $$$ right! Finally Patagonia has sort of come on my radar recently too. Sub Saharan Africa would be on that list too of course. That's a start! Islands in the middle of nowhere interest me too. Ascension and the Falklands particularly. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
greg64 2,562 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 (edited) https://www.intotheblue.co.uk/experiences/white-cliffs-spitfire-experiences/ like to give this a bash but expensive Edited September 11, 2018 by greg64 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mushroom 12,388 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 7 minutes ago, maxhardcore said: Mush take plenty lube' you def be getting bummed somewhere along the way on that route weather your receptive or not lol Goos one tho Bummed? I fuucking hope so, I picked the route especially lol I have family and friends all along the outward bound route plus when I said kitted out proper I meant with phasers, photon torpedos and fuuckin shields man To add: if I was to meet up with our owd Dessie, I'll bet he'd be the first to pour the tea and sell me a magic rug. (Bugger may fill it with opium and have me lifted at the border but that's by the by lol) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 23,783 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 39 minutes ago, mushroom said: Got one planned for when I send her off to Uni... Gonna buy a van (rascal or similar), kit it out proper and drive from Barcelona to Shenzhen China. Planned for around 6 months each way. Take the dog etc and be free for a year. Imagine; A cup of mint tea and famous Iranian hospitality in a beautiful rural village.... a bbq out of the back of your van up high in the Himalayas with only your mate as a companion, a smoke in Nepal and then the incredible and mysterious jungles of northern Burma and Thailand, finally hit Shenzhen. Iranian hospitality?I hung around in Islamabad for a couple of months waiting for permission to travel through from Baluchistan through iran into turkey,still didn't get the visa,i know a Spanish guy who got a visa and had secret police types following him. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stumfelter 3,032 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 I'd quite like a week in Skegness but in a b&b instead of that shitty fcuking caravan that she insists we go to just because she's had a couple of wins at the site bingo hall. 1 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mushroom 12,388 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 (edited) 10 minutes ago, mackem said: Iranian hospitality?I hung around in Islamabad for a couple of months waiting for permission to travel through from Baluchistan through iran into turkey,still didn't get the visa,i know a Spanish guy who got a visa and had secret police types following him. I've got an invite From what I've been told, it's easier with a sponsor. Failing that I'll head north and hit Kazakhstan before China Edited to add; I'll be sorting out all visas before even thinking of leaving Barca mate After Brexit, I'll probably need one to get into France ffs lol Edited September 11, 2018 by mushroom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 23,783 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 1 minute ago, mushroom said: I've got an invite From what I've been told, it's easier with a sponsor. Failing that I'll head north and hit Kazakhstan before China Best make sure your vehicle is 100% sound,i have been on rural dirt track roads around those areas,be an interesting trip if you pull it off,lot of places now are opened up so its easier to travel in them.I am at the Nepalese embassy tomorrow getting a multiple entry visa,then need the indian multiple entry,and looking for a travel agency that caters for solo travellers as they wont let me head off on my own in Bhutan,looking to fly to Kathmandu 10'th'ish of November a couple of days after we get back to London from Canada.Kathmandu-upper mustang valley on the Tibetan plain then fly to Bhutan then drop down into india and loop back to himachal Pradesh and Kashmir before going back to Nepal for the flight home 20'th'ish of December. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Born Hunter 17,638 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 You're an international people trafficker aren't you Mackem? Ive got you sussed! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mushroom 12,388 Posted September 11, 2018 Report Share Posted September 11, 2018 7 minutes ago, mackem said: Best make sure your vehicle is 100% sound,i have been on rural dirt track roads around those areas,be an interesting trip if you pull it off,lot of places now are opened up so its easier to travel in them.I am at the Nepalese embassy tomorrow getting a multiple entry visa,then need the indian multiple entry,and looking for a travel agency that caters for solo travellers as they wont let me head off on my own in Bhutan,looking to fly to Kathmandu 10'th'ish of November a couple of days after we get back to London from Canada.Kathmandu-upper mustang valley on the Tibetan plain then fly to Bhutan then drop down into india and loop back to himachal Pradesh and Kashmir before going back to Nepal for the flight home 20'th'ish of December. Bhutan was on the list but..... the only massive hurdle that I see goin there and it was you, you bugger that pointed it out! It's fuucking expensive lol P.s. The van will be unrecognizable as a van and more a scary looking transformer type rascal, driven by a hobbit looking Englishman and his huge bellend of a dog lol. All eventualities are planned and catered for. The only worry I have is being murdered but hey, that's life Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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