Your Best Gear Purchase?

[Teal]

After a little more thought, the best bang for the buck for me in gear was actually three separate deals in the last 2 years......

1. St. Croix AVID casting 6'8 MXF - retail $179, mispriced at last year's Fishing Expo for $79

2. Shimano Curado 200DPV - used less than 5 times for $100

3. Shimano Calcutta 200B - used three times for $125

The smartest choice I made was switching to a Hobie kayak for hands free fishing.

I can never find deals like that when I have the extra money.

The only exception is when i bought my boat. 1996 Javelin 400 TE 19'10" 200hp Johnson, meticulously garaged kept. I drove it once, liked it. The next day my wife stole the boat for 5000. The guy originally asked 7500.00. Besides gear, i guess that is our best purchase!

[38 Super Fan]

About a dozen new Xcalibur Jimmys at around $6 a piece recently was a good buy for me....closest walking bait I've seen to a LC Sammy.  

[Goose52]

I can never find deals like that when I have the extra money.

The only exception is when i bought my boat. 1996 Javelin 400 TE 19'10" 200hp Johnson, meticulously garaged kept. I drove it once, liked it. The next day my wife stole the boat for 5000. The guy originally asked 7500.00. Besides gear, i guess that is our best purchase!

 

Wow!  

[Bankbeater]

Curado E7 on a St. Croix rod.  Love that rig.

[endless]

I would say my wife's casting setup. Not my choices but she loved it and loves it. Abu Black Max, All Star pro series 6'10 MH-F. I was just excited watching her pick out her own gear for the first time and seeing how excited she was. It really makes my day! She wanted it for buzzbaits.

[Jake Coucoules]

Id say my first casting setup because it allowed me to use new lures baits and lines and really inprove as an allaround angler instead of just a senko, drop shot, shakey head guy.

[5fishlimit]

I'd have to say the best is the Daiwa Zillion I got this weekend at Bass Pro Shops for $170.

[RyneB]

I'd have to say the best is the Daiwa Zillion I got this weekend at Bass Pro Shops for $170.

 say what. how did that happen?

[5fishlimit]

say what. how did that happen?

The 100SHLA model was discounted to $199,and then I got $30 off for the reel trade in.

[BrettD]

Costa 580g sunglasses followed very closely by the powerpole.

[Felix77]

This is going to sound really stupid but for me it was the $13 Shakespeare fishing setup I bought and caught my 1st bass on. I learned all the basics on that thing.

The reel is long gone. The rod stays in my trunk for those Bassin-Emergencies along with a new reel to compliment it.

[21farms]

I don't know how to answer.  "Best" can mean: most expensive, most productive, most satisfying, most game-changing, etc.

 

I think for my answer I will use - a fishing product that continually exceeds my expectations and gives me pleaure every time I use it.

 

BPS Prolite Finesse BC reel - the last model (PRL05HC) - I have 3 - average price for the three = $57.  I don't know what it is about these little reels...but every time I fish one, I smile...

 

the BPS prolite finesse was the poor man's daiwa sol. even though i had two sols, i also collected the prolites because they were just fun to fish with. i had one of each: the original PRL05H, the 2nd generation B model (PRL05HB), and the 3rd generation C model (PRL05HC) such as the one in your pic. the C model was by far the best of the bunch. too bad BPS went from the 05-size frame of the prolites to the 10-size for the carbonlite reels.

[Capt.Bob]

I almost forgot about the day me and a pal got blew off Lake Erie one day early back about 15 years, it was April and the day was ended early and spring fever was on, so we decided to
stop at a Gander Mountain as we drove home. I was just looking not
intending to buy, when I saw this St. Croix Legend Elite in 6'6" mf
$320.00, told my buddy he should buy it, being a "THRIFTY GUY (tight
a$$) I Knew he wouldn't, and knows nothing about Quality Gear he just
said ya, RIGHT! But all the Croixs were together and mixed on the rack,
Premier, Avid, etc. He picked one up close and said why is this $69.99
It was a Legend Elite, marked 69.99, a 6'3" MXF spinning rod. I said it
had to be a second, it wasn't????? I went back and looked at every
Croix, all marked as expected, so I went back to their fly rods, there I
found all correct except one St. Croix 9' 2 piece Legend Ultra 7
weight, marked $69.99?????? I told my buddy when he was done looking I
was ready. That is when he said I ain't buyin nothing, this place is too
expensive for me??????? You gotta know Norm!! So we started for the
front of the store with both rods, that was when I remembered the sold
G. Loomis. So yep, I quickly checked every IMX and GLX they had. Sure
enough there was an IMX 6' L.F. marked--------you guessed it $69.99, off
to the cashier with all three. The lady at the desk asked iif those
were right, and I asked what do you mean, that was what they were marked
and if it wasn't get the manager. She rang him and he said if that is
what their marked ring em up, and I think this is the best and only day
buying any fishing gear, I got MORE than my moneys worth!!! It was one
day I was glad we got blew off the water! and truly proves the Lord
surely does move in mysterious ways!!

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Best reel '03  $70Pinnacle Deadbolt Classic still wokrs great and gets used often.

Rod my 8' ML Mod Avid Lightweight sensitive and an action that I like very much.

[Darren.]

I almost forgot about the day me and a pal got blew off Lake Erie one day early back about 15 years, it was April and the day was ended early and spring fever was on, so we decided to

stop at a Gander Mountain as we drove home. I was just looking not

intending to buy, when I saw this St. Croix Legend Elite in 6'6" mf

$320.00, told my buddy he should buy it, being a "THRIFTY GUY (tight

a$$) I Knew he wouldn't, and knows nothing about Quality Gear he just

said ya, RIGHT! But all the Croixs were together and mixed on the rack,

Premier, Avid, etc. He picked one up close and said why is this $69.99

It was a Legend Elite, marked 69.99, a 6'3" MXF spinning rod. I said it

had to be a second, it wasn't????? I went back and looked at every

Croix, all marked as expected, so I went back to their fly rods, there I

found all correct except one St. Croix 9' 2 piece Legend Ultra 7

weight, marked $69.99?????? I told my buddy when he was done looking I

was ready. That is when he said I ain't buyin nothing, this place is too

expensive for me??????? You gotta know Norm!! So we started for the

front of the store with both rods, that was when I remembered the sold

G. Loomis. So yep, I quickly checked every IMX and GLX they had. Sure

enough there was an IMX 6' L.F. marked--------you guessed it $69.99, off

to the cashier with all three. The lady at the desk asked iif those

were right, and I asked what do you mean, that was what they were marked

and if it wasn't get the manager. She rang him and he said if that is

what their marked ring em up, and I think this is the best and only day

buying any fishing gear, I got MORE than my moneys worth!!! It was one

day I was glad we got blew off the water! and truly proves the Lord

surely does move in mysterious ways!!

Man o man, would I love to have found a deal like that!!

[Goose52]

the BPS prolite finesse was the poor man's daiwa sol. even though i had two sols, i also collected the prolites because they were just fun to fish with. i had one of each: the original PRL05H, the 2nd generation B model (PRL05HB), and the 3rd generation C model (PRL05HC) such as the one in your pic. the C model was by far the best of the bunch. too bad BPS went from the 05-size frame of the prolites to the 10-size for the carbonlite reels.

 

The ProLites are indeed great reels. I now have quite a few higher-end reels that perform very well...but they SHOULD - they're expensive.  The ProLite has features and performance at a level quite a bit above it's original price, and at my average price of $57, they are just incredible values.  I fished one the other day - with a big smile.

 

Yes - too bad BPS isn't offering that 05 size in their mid-range reels.  In fact, there really is a hole in the reel market for a reasonably priced "finesse" type BC reel having a line capacity of about 80-100yds of 10lb line, a light spool, and the ability to handle lighter baits.  The current production reels that fit that bill are expensive, and that leaves people with looking for used Sols, Pixys, etc.  Even used ProLites have gone up in price - especially the "C" models. I bought two of my ProLite C's used (but as new) - one for $30, one for $40.............can't get them for that any more! 

[SoCalFisher]

I love my Phenix recon PHX-C682L and shimano curado 50e. I even plan to buy another recon.