I thought I would share a tip with all of you. I used to spend HUNDREDS, maybe thousands each year on new gear. You know the story: something new comes out, you have to have one of each color. It feels good buying them, but after the season is over (November for me) I realize two things:
1) I spent money than I intended (I HAD NO BUDGET)
2) I never/rarely used the new baits I bought eariler in the year.
After years of being broke come summertime and having boxes of baits that never saw water, I had to do something. What I have done every year since takes a lot of discipline, but it was well worth it when the time came to buy new baits, rods, reels, you name it. It is a system of steps:
Step 1) Inventory- Open a box and remove all the lures. Once they are all out, start placing the lures that you ACTUALLY USED OVER THE PAST YEAR back in, starting with the ones you used most often (congratulations, you just discovered what your confidence baits are). Once all of the baits you used last year are back in your box, take a look at whats left. Those baits go into a separate pile and not in the box. I DONT CARE if you think it has a cool paint job or you htink it will work in a certain lake that you havent gotten to in a while, do not put it back in that box! It obviously isnt that good if you didnt use it last year. Repeat step one with all of your boxes no matter how many boxes you have. Do it for all of your crankbaits, jigs, topwaters, frogs, spinnerbaits, etc.
Step 2) Inspection- Put those boxes of the baits you do use back in your boat or tackle bag, they are safe. Move onto the piles of 'unused' baits. Sort through them, looking for rusty hooks, general condition of them. If the hooks are rusty, just remove them, you dont have to replace them (I'm getting there). A little bit of fine sandpaper can remove some rust spots from the eyes. A moist Mr. Clean Magic Eraser can be used to buff out a dull paint job. Once they are all clean, break out the camera and a white sheet.
Step 3) EBAY!!!!!!!- This is the toughest part for a fisherman, letting go of his baits. But face it, you just don't NEED that many, and step one has already sought out the ones you have confidence in, so any remaining baits are, really, just taking up space. Your unused baits are LIQUID ASSETS (look it up if you have to). A form of currency for many anglers. Set-up an ebay and paypal account and start selling them. Place a white sheet on your kitchen table or coffee table, lay out the baits in lots (keep reading) and take good close-up picture with good natural light. Also, show your wife what you are doing, she'll be THRILLED!!!!!!!
I like to organize my baits by brand and sell like baits with like baits, especially hard baits (trying to appeal to fans of that brand/model). For instance, I recently sold a lot of 14 Norman Deep Little N's in various colors. I made 40 bucks. I liked those cranks, I just never used them. When it comes to high-end imported baits such as Lucky Craft, Megabass, etc, I sell each bait seperate or in pairs. The resale value on those baits are riduculous; almost as much as if they were new.
Last winter, I sold 30 Lucky Crafts; I've stopped fishing them. I decided that I didn't catch more or bigger fish on them vs my bandits or fat free shads, or I sold them. I made $1,000. One thousand!!! That's a new Lowrance Structure Scan unit! This yea I sold a handful of Lucks and a lot of Strike Kings and Normans. I made $700. Thats $1,700 in two years. What can you do with an extra $1,700?
Note: you dont have to use ebay, but I think if you want the most bang for your buck, use it. You can also use forums like bassresource.com's Fisherman's Flea Market.
Step 4) Shipping- once you have your money from a buy (and ONLY once you have your money), ship on time and keep your prices honest; you'll make repeat customers that way. I start most bait lots around $5 with $5 flat rate shipping and single "expensive" baits $5 with $2 padded envelope shipping. Note: YOU SHOULDNT MAKE MONEY ON THE SHIPPING!
Step 5) Count your dollars- You did it! I know it was hard to let your baits go, and yes, you probably, technically sold them at a loss (got less than you paid for them). But look at it this way: if you have a hundred baits that you aren't going to use, and you can get $2 per, thats $200. Thats a new Revo or Smoke or what have you. If you have MOUNTAINS OF UNUSED BAITS, you just may have a down payment on a boat or a fancy-schmansy GPS unit, or a boat maintainence fund. You know that new Powerpole that you have been eyeing up? Go buy it!
This system works, and its good to budget your money. Whatever I sell during the winter, that is the amount I allow myself to spend for the rest of the year. You can sell rods, reels, whatever you like. Have an extra boat cover? Trolling motor prop? Grease gun? Throw it on ebay if you're not going to use it! Make some money and buy something that you will use.
Money doesn't buy happiness, but it does buy me a new Powell rod... I don't see the difference...
-Joe
