Best Fly Fishing Vehicle for Pennsylvania

I'll vote for the Subaru Outback. There's plenty of room inside, get's good gas mileage, AWD and has around 8" of ground clearance. It's long enough to transport rods up to 10 ft., rigged and ready to go. You can also put the back seat down and sleep in the back. I'm 5'10" and find it sleeping in the back to be pretty comfortable.
 
Personally, I favor my F-150 for general fishing. Rainy days, I like having our Honda CRV - The open hatch make for good cover when gearing up in the rain.
 
I have a 2007 Toyota FJ. It's a perfect mix for a fishing vehicle for me. Great off road, good size, plenty of room inside, and power. The mpg can get down there if I'm driving it hard, but highway mpg's aren't too bad.

I had a 2013 Subaru Impreza wagon before my FJ. It did almost everything my FJ would, and more efficiently, but it took a beating doing it. I cracked my ground effects in 3 different places from bottoming it out on back roads. It was such a sad sight when I traded it in.

I think my next vehicle will be a Tacoma. I find myself needing a truck for non fishing related things often enough to justify needing one full time. Its getting old have to track down my Dad or father in law every time I need to go to Home Depot lol.
 
I've had jeep grand Cherokees for a while. Brutal on gas (I always get v8s). Good handling on or off road. I really haven't had many problems with them though. I wouldn't recommend one, they cost too much and gas mileage is poor. A pickup would be a better choice.
 
I use my pickup.

 
I have a 2010 Tacoma; 5 speed manual; 4WD. It has an extended cab which is handy for your cooler and sundries and a 6' bed. I have a cap and with the windows in that open you can store a couple fully rigged rods for you and your buddy when spot hopping. It gets 19-20mph all the time and up to 22 highway hauling. Also an excellent ice fishing ride.
 
I have an '03 manual 5-spd outback. I love it and get great use out of it in terms of a fishing vehicle. I cannot say it's the best fishing rig but a good one for sure. Drawbacks to the Subaru, especially pre-2010 timeframe are chronic cylinder head failure along with it being wise to replace the timing belt and all that it comes in to contact with every 100k. I'm 6'1" and feel that anybody bigger than myself wouldn't feel too comfortable in that generation outback. I do sleep comfortably in it. There's a lot to be known about purchasing any older vehicle and subarus are no exception. But as said 10' rods do fit when rigged that's a huge plus.

Bruno, you still can get the manual outback in the 2.5L 4-cyl in Canada. It's what I am considering for my next vehicle granted I can't find a used manual 2011'ish model.
 
dragfreedrift wrote:
... I can't find a used manual 2011'ish model.
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I know the feeling. I've been trying to find a stick Cadillac CTS-V. It's been impossible to find in the color I want.

 
Last two trucks have been ford expeditions. That's as small as I will ever go. Current one is about to turn 200k and it still looks great inside and out. I do not care one bit about fuel efficiency. I like my comfort and separation from other passengers. Plenty of room for gear with plenty of space left over for sleeping. Although I don't sleep in it much anymore I do enjoy a mid afternoon nap every now and again.
 
I like my 2015 Tahoe, but nothing beats my '68 Scout
 
Three questions to consider:
Is your fishing vehicle a daily driver, do you keep your FFing gear in the vehicle all the time, and do you have a significant commute to work?

For me, the answers are "yes" to the first two. Regarding commute, for me this matter is reduced a lot from the last few years but is still "yes." We all need to make compromises regarding vehicles but, since most of us are hard core anglers who fish a lot, our FFing hobby plays an important role in how we select vehicles. Speaking as one who long drove rear drive cars and only recently got a 4WD I'm really enjoying some new options that such a vehicle has opened for me due in part to worsened forest roads (as mentioned in a different thread).

Anyway, I think if you answered "yes" to the above three questions, a smallish, 4WD or AWD vehicle with a 4 or 6CYL, with a good sized trunk under a hatchback (such as the Suburus) would be ideal.

Fun thread. I'm enjoying your responses.
 
My best flyfishing vehicle has been my FJ cruiser. will go anywhere at anytime of the year. I would also recommend a toyota tacoma or 4-runner.
 
Dave_W wrote:
Speaking as one who long drove rear drive cars and only recently got a 4WD I'm really enjoying some new options that such a vehicle has opened for me due in part to worsened forest roads (as mentioned in a different thread).
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Dave - What'd you buy? May have been mentioned before elsewhere but I either missed it, or forgot. :pint:

I was always impressed with the amount of gear/camping equipment that spilled out of your Mustang at the Jam.
 
I'm running around a 2002 v6 explorer thats a 5 speed. Lock in the 4x4 and it goes anywhere. Lots of storage and can easily keep 9 ft fly rods rigged up. Trucks are nice, but SUVs and the AWD crossovers such as the out back wagons make great vehicles to run around forestry roads
 
68 VW bug. Air cooled engine. If it overheats on the way to the stream water is too warm to fish.
 
2004 Pontiac vibe hatchback. Car is tank. LOL survived 6 years of my wife, and I am going on 2 years with it. In nearly 8 years of ownership, only had to change oil, brakes, and tires. I should change the head light that's out, but that's beside the point.

I use it for my fishing/work car. About 28-30 MPG out of it. With Good winter tires, you wont need 4wd. LOL They stopped making it in 2010 I think , but I think there is a AWD version. Just a solid little ride, and the 4 door hatch back is nice. Seats fold completely flat in the back. Once this one dies I may look for another one. LOL
 
allthingsfishing wrote:
68 VW bug. Air cooled engine. If it overheats on the way to the stream water is too warm to fish.
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Any vehicle that you have to break down a 9ft rod doesn't cut it.
 
Bruno wrote:
shakey wrote:
i might switch to a car soon. looking at an 82-85 mercedes 300D or TD
/quote]

The 300td might be the best car engine ever made. They run forever Nice ones are getting pricey
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yeah,that's the problem with 300D's and Td's

they're either $1,500 - $3,000 rust buckets or $10,000 show cars.your daily driver between the two is hard to find now,post WVO and biodiesel useage era.

the one you linked,for example,has a salvage title,which is always a risky buy.

maybe i'll just get a kia soul.i'm tired of shopping for studebakers,etc.
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Honda Civics are good fishing cars.

I put 166,000 miles on my first one. And have about 236,000 miles on this one.

Many thousands of those miles were on gravel forest roads. Most gravel forest roads are fine for "regular" cars.

But some of those roads are rough. And some are really bad.

It's an interesting challenge driving really rough, rocky steep roads in a small car.
 
Since I've gotten back into fly fishing about 6 years ago I've had two great fishing vehicles, First was a volvoXC70, comfortable ride, tons of storage, easily toted 9 ft connected rod, good clearance, averaged about 20mpg on a fishing trip. The con was I was spending about $1500/year in repairs and maintenance. Current vehicle is a Subaru Tribeca Limited, the pros are similar to the Volvo except the repairs and maintenance have been reduced to a few changed headlights.







 
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