Your Worst Gear Purchase?

[Dave P]

A Quantum Antix that I bought on a whim because I wanted another reel and they were out of Lews. Started out great. Lasted about half a season and now screeches like a cage full of monkeys. Yes, I did lube it. A lot. Several times. Two different spinning rods that I wanted for dropshotting that I can't stand. One Berkley and one Abu.

[SudburyBasser]

Same here this was a year ago. I know exactly what I was thinking "new, cheap, how bad can it be? Right?" Boy it can be worse than imaginable! Worst thing is you can't ever put it in the garbage disposal or chop it up.

 

I have some luck. My barber offered to take it off my hands so he could use it as a trolling rod for pickerel and other similar stuff. As long as I never have to see it again, it's his.

 

No charge.

[jignfule]

Berkley digital scales (boga type)

[jignfule]

Every reel that said "Shimano" on the side of it.  Seriously.

WOW !!!! what an interesting response.

[flyfisher]

Every reel that said "Shimano" on the side of it.  Seriously.

Internet troll definition: one who makes comments on bulletin boards in an effort to illicit a negative response a very close relative to Internet tough guy

[deep]

Has to be a Revo STX I had the misfortune of buying. That thing just didn't like me!

 

It was one of those that had mag brakes only. I've owned and fished several baitcasters (all Abu/ Shimano/ Daiwa except a pro-qualifier). This was the only one I could never get to cast more than 10 times in a row without backlashing,

[JunkYard814]

I was looking for a Pflueger Medalist spinning reel at Cabela's one time. It was on sale, but there were non left in stock. I needed the reel for that weekend, and the guy at the reel counter directed me towards the Cabela's Salt Striker. He told me that Pflueger made Cabela's reels for them and that it was the same reel, but with a different paint job. I was in a hurry so I bought it without thinking too much into it. Biggest disappointment I've ever had. It may be a good reel for something else, but for my applications, I absolutely hate it.

[Nice_Bass]

 I am a bit surprised at the responses however it may look to be a lack of research on some of the items. For example, the ugly stix are some of the best rods out there- I would never have one for any sensative work- or really any bass application altogether. My striper rods and even a musky rod is set up with them. Get a big striper tied up in some wood and an ugly stix is the perfect tool for the job. Same with the spro bbz...I have caught some pretty decent fish throwing it- do i have a box full?... no- but have on days cleaned up with one.  Send me your stix and bbz if you want!

Me-  I have broke two carrot rod but why i bought them in the first place is my own dumb fault.  They actually were comfortable rods, and quite frankly when i set the hook and the rod exploded my buddy and laughed for a couple minutes.  It may have been worth it actually. 

 

My only one true regrettable purchase was not maxing out the TM thrust on my boat.  I have since changed that, but it was expensive and burned some valuable time.  That is what true regret is, poor planning and execution on my part. 

 

 

It is hard for me to blame a one  brand or another just for sucking at what they do, it is my fault if i buy them again...so i wont name any names here...

[OK Bass Hunter]

Storm Wildeye Shiners. Nuff said.

[Fishes in trees]

I don't think that I am alone.   On more occasions than I can count I've made purchases that, upon further review, weren't real smart or useful..  But I've got em.  I still might use them some day, I ain't dead yet.   Having said that, trying to quantify which was the worst or stupidest gear purchase is a challenge.   Just say that there have been more than a few and leave it at that.

[Bass Junkie]

Lure: Tru-Tungsten 4" Shad Swimbait.... I have never seen a lure this poorly made, ever. The fact that it was $20 a lure makes it worse.

Rod: St. Croix Mojo Bass Rod. My first and last St. Croix purchase. Sensitivity was terribly lacking, the quality was only so-so, and for a soft-plastic specific rod it had a terribly slow action. It's the only rod manufactured in the last 10 years or so that I have managed to break. Can't say I felt that bad about it now.

Reel: Pretty much anything with the name Quantum on it, or any baitcasting reel under $100. Back when I was just breaking into the world of bass fishing I didn't want to spend a whole lot on reels. I ended up spending almost $150 on reels, all of which broke within a season or so.

Line: Berkley Trilene Maxx.... Anyone who has used it knows why...

In the end I've found that having patience and buying a few good, well renowned, solid products as you an afford them is a much better idea than owning a lot of low-priced gear.

[RyneB]

A BPS Extreme reel a few years back. I know they have a loyal following but from day 1 i hated it. My buddy bought one at the same time and loves his. Mine was a very inconsistent caster, screws would come loose, finish wore off, etc. It is now in a ziplock bag completely in pieces. I needed to borrow a spring from it the other day when i lost the one on my Revo, so i guess it served its purpose.

[plumworm]

About 95% of 50 lbs. of plastics I have in my boat.

[Crookedneck]

Berkley Vanish........sure made my money vanish....

[Trackick9707]

Worst lure: Rapala DT4... i bought 3 when they first came out and had the lips break off on 2 the first time they got hit by a fish.

Worst reel: Quantum Energy PTi.  I lusted after this reel for 2 years and my wife bought it for me for valentines day. The gearing was messed up out of the box and had 2 spots it would almost seize up when i turned the handle. returned it 2 times and none of them were smooth at all.  As far as the wife knows its my favorite but it's been sitting in my parts box for about 2 years. JUNK.

Worst rod: Every 2 piece rod i've ever bought has cracked at the joint after a short period of use.  Maybe i just have too much muscle 

[Bluebasser86]

Worse line would have have to be a toss up between Berkley Vanish or Ironsilk. I'm not sure which is worse, a line with so much memory you can't hardly make a cast or a line that cast but breaks every time you hook a fish 

[tomustang]

Lure: Tru-Tungsten 4" Shad Swimbait.... I have never seen a lure this poorly made, ever. The fact that it was $20 a lure makes it worse.

Rod: St. Croix Mojo Bass Rod. My first and last St. Croix purchase. Sensitivity was terribly lacking, the quality was only so-so, and for a soft-plastic specific rod it had a terribly slow action. It's the only rod manufactured in the last 10 years or so that I have managed to break. Can't say I felt that bad about it now.

Reel: Pretty much anything with the name Quantum on it, or any baitcasting reel under $100. Back when I was just breaking into the world of bass fishing I didn't want to spend a whole lot on reels. I ended up spending almost $150 on reels, all of which broke within a season or so.

Line: Berkley Trilene Maxx.... Anyone who has used it knows why...

In the end I've found that having patience and buying a few good, well renowned, solid products as you an afford them is a much better idea than owning a lot of low-priced gear.

 

Back the truck up, you say about buying good solid products but base everything st croix is with their crappiest rod line?

[Bankbeater]

My first low profile reel was a BPS tourny special.  I used it about 3 or 4 times and the gears seized up inside it.  Went and got a replacement for it.  The second one lasted about 45 min. before the gears seized up in it.  I took the second one back a bought an Abu round reel.

[Hanover_Yakker]

Line: Stealth Braid - frays too easy after repeated heavy usage casting frogs all day. Lost a citation two years ago because of it.
Rod: Berkley Conlon and Cherrywood rods - snapped the tips on the first cast (when I first got started & trying to save money)
Reel: 2 of them actually. First, a Shakespeare bottom end 1 bearing baitcaster from DSG (same as before, trying to save money). Second, a Quantum Escalade b/c from DSG (exclusive to DSG) wouldn't cast for squat.
Lure: Renosky curly tail Minnows (3pk) - they run on their side when retrieved and have no action even when paired with a Betts Beetle Spin spinnerbait arm. However, the forked tail version is killer on the micro chatterbaits for pond bass.

[tubeman]

BPS Extreme Reel. Never could find a line that didn't bird nest on it. It is now with Davey Jones locker.

[mod479]

I'm a long time lurker but I'll contribute. 1. Black friday quantum baitcast combo 1A. Black friday quantum spinning combo Absolute garbage. The baitcaster was mind-boggling bad and both of the rods eventually broke. Garbage. 2. Quantum kvd pt burner baitcaster. Pretty, but crap.

 

Had a similar gem from Quantum...X-factor PT BURNER from Gander Mountain. Total trash, inconsistent casting and backlashes no matter how you set it up or how heavy a lure you'd be using. Shoulda bought a chronarch that day.

[Lucky Craft Man]

The G Loomis FRG863 (Their old Frog Rod).  I was so pumped up for this rod and when I recieved it in the mail, it felt heavy and fished even worse.  I am a big G Loomis fan, but this rod was way out of characture for them.  I was able somehow sell it (for a loss, but I didn't care, because I just wanted that 2x4 out of my collection).   

[Maico1]

The G Loomis FRG863 (Their old Frog Rod).  I was so pumped up for this rod and when I recieved it in the mail, it felt heavy and fished even worse.  I am a big G Loomis fan, but this rod was way out of characture for them.  I was able somehow sell it (for a loss, but I didn't care, because I just wanted that 2x4 out of my collection).   

I know exactly what you mean.....Mine is still hiding somewhere in my basement,it is afraid to come out......

[J Francho]

I bought a bunch of crankbaits, in several colors in depths - pretty much that entire segment of their line. All the baits of one particular color imploded in my tackle box. None of the other baits, including Rapala, Lucky Craft, Megabass, Ima, OSP, Jackall, Strike King, Storm, etc. did this, so I'm pretty sure it was a problem with that particular run of baits. Luckily, BPS was able to dig up the record of my purchase, and refund my money. To this day, I rarely fish any of the other baits from this brand (which will remain unnamed). They were not cheap baits, either.

[jignfule]

The G Loomis FRG863 (Their old Frog Rod).  I was so pumped up for this rod and when I recieved it in the mail, it felt heavy and fished even worse.  I am a big G Loomis fan, but this rod was way out of characture for them.  I was able somehow sell it (for a loss, but I didn't care, because I just wanted that 2x4 out of my collection).   

I was thinking about trying one out years ago, but was saved from doing so by reading a lot of bad review about the rod on this forum. Good forum and well worth the price of a subscribtion.