am I cheap?

[whiskerwhipper]

Money can't buy fish though. I stop at a store on the way to the Crystal Coast of NC and see "catalog anglers"(people who dress the part and sometimes cant act the part) buy hi end Penn reels, etc and have em spooled with braid etc. Cost a pretty penny I imagine. I may bump into one later on down the coast and unintentionally out-fish em with my thrifty outfits. I either buy bootleg Amazon reels or go to my wholesale/bargain fishing shack place near the lake I fish at. The brother and sister that own the joint sell lot of liquidation closeouts, manufacture belly ups and Shakespeare "irregulars". Got me a BnM float n fly with sliding reel seat for 25 bucks. RRP 60 sumthin. Sometimes, people buy high end things to keep up with the Jones

[wicklundrh]

In sales it is called "The percentage Rule". IE, 10% of my paycheck is different than 10% of your paycheck. In other words, a $79.00 fishing reel to one person is the same percentage of his pay compared to a $799.00 reel for another person.

Would I buy it? Sure, if my pay was high enough! Is there a difference in one versus the other? I've held a few different ones in my hands. They are nice don't get me wrong, but not justifiable at my current percentage rate

Do they make a differance in fishing? I guess that is up to the person fishing it. Am I jelous of the person that has one? Nope... just wish my percentage was high enough to warrant it. Then again, he may have a nice reel and drive a old beat up truck... his priorities are his priorities.

[crappiefarmer]

I can go to the local fish market here and buy a whole lot of fresh fish here for $800. At some point You have to say no. You can buy 8 to 10 spider rigging rods for a good amount less than that. There is high end and then there is ridiculous.CF

[lkillebrew]

I like the spinning reels that have a trigger that opens the bail. Generally cheaper reels, but I like em, and a shot of WD40 will revive them usually. I use rods that won't make me cry if I break a tip.

Several years ago afterspending a whole day on the water with my $fishing investments, and catching nothing worth keeping for the skillet. after I loaded the boat, walked back to the floating dock to visit a guy I knew. He was fishing with a cane pole, yellow engineers string, a small bottle for a bobber, he pulled a basketful of nice filet worthy crappie. With little to no $, he was having a blast. I'd spent $$$ and, well that evening pulled it all in perspective for me.

[algenco]

As others have said it's all relative to income.
I have a cousin that now has the largest private company in the nation
He's now semi retired, flying around the world.
Nothing for him to fly somewhere for dinner and an art show and be home by bedtime
At the last one he bought S10 mil in Russian art
It's hard to even talk to him, he's in a different world

[wolfhnd]

I just bought a $12 Chinese real, it seems pretty nice to me. Took two months to get here but honestly it was worth the wait. That said Harbor Freight tools are junk, there seems to be a bit on luck involved when buying no name equipment from China.

A few years ago I had all my fishing gear stolen. I replaced it all with cheap stuff and I'm happy with it. I think the fact that you can think of inexpensive gear as disposable is worth something. The only stolen equipment I miss is my dad's stuff that I never used.

If you are fishing for big fish, 10lb and above then you need good gear. I don't think I have to worry about hooking a 15lb crappie. I don't fish salt water or for catfish but if I did I would buy better equipment.

I fish out of a kayak so I stand a greater chance of losing my gear. I don't want to worry about it. Do people with nice boats catch more fish, absolutely if they know what they are doing. The thing is I like the quiet, the fact that my stuff doesn't require any maintenance. I don't have to store a boat or maintain it or look at it in yard. I think you can be a slave to your processions. I'm the kind of guy that has never owned a nice car, don't want or need one. When I think I need the best I buy it. When I was into archery competition I bought a new thousand dollar bow every year and $12 arrows. Sometimes it makes a difference what equipment you use but sometimes I prefer a cheap option. I happen to like my Mossberg better the more expensive shotguns I have owned and sold because owning things for the sake of owning them is not for me. That doesn't mean I can't appreciate a Maserati if someone else is taking care of it.

[hdhntr]

You say being cheap like that is a bad thing! course it isn't. My good buddy has had an expensive boat for years, lots of st croix rods and expensive reels and first time we went fishing his wife and mine are besties, me and my rods, most important thing to me is On Sale, I caught tons while he didn't catch hardly any and his wifey was all over him. to me i have always had lower end rods and reels but another friend who was getting out of his OCD fishing fixation for too many tickets and I bought one of his 40 St croix rods and a shimano reel, several hundred dollars between them and we shall see if it makes a difference to me.

When your a crappieholic, you don't need the best, just be out there and know what the heck your doing IMO. Or have an expensive boat, we have done well over the years in a tracker with an old 28 horse that just puts along but does start every time. But am going to take the plunge on SI new electronics, on sale of course, THAT seems to be the ticket in finding where to put that those inexpensive lures.

[Grainraiser]

I was in my twenties before I realized the Zebco 33 could catch more than crappies. All those years it was the only reel I had ever used. My daddy fished all his life and he used a Ambassadoor 5000 with 20 lb test to crappie fish. You would never ever never ever catch him without a minnow bucket. I don't think I have ever paid more than $35 dollars for a rod or a reel. If I ain't catching fish I don't blame it on the equipment.

[cevans]

You know, life is too short to be a biochie. And you can't take it,with you. And if you have a little coin, why not treat yourself to what you want? After all, sometimes it's a moral booster also. If for some reason you kick the bucket, what ever you still had, most of the time, it all gets fought over so you don't really want that also. There again, there's nothing against being cheap, but every now and then, you need to come up with a little reason sometimes and just go out and splurge alittle. Or you can always say to the better half when ya do splurge and buy that high dollar item, " the devil made me do it."

[gillchaser999]

i fish Ultralight 90+% of the time . I like a super light Rod and a super smooth lightweight reel . Those two things don't come cheap .
You don't have to mortgage the farm to own what I use , but It's not what I'd call cheap . I buy mostly middle of the road tackle .
I like St Croix , but most of my rods are Triumphs or the newer Panfish or Trout series rods . Do own a couple Daiwa rods and reels .
I find the lighter the outfit , the longer I can handle casting it . Gillchaser