At What Price Point Do You...

[*Hootie]

A few years ago, I fished with BPS Pro Qualifier and BPS Tourney Special rods. Whole rig, $100.00 on sale. Now I am using GLX and NRX rods, and shimano reels, Curado i, Chronarch ci4's and a Shimano core 100Mg7. What the heck happened? I don't know. Oh well, I'm going fishing.

Hootie

[jignfule]

I refuse to pay much over $1000.00 on a combo (NRX 895c Metanium HG)

[robster80]

heck i used a $40 bps graphite series rod with a bps tournament reel for a cpl years. upgraded to some some better equipment so far this year - lew,curado E's and I's, a couple Powell rods,etc.

[0119]

It depends on what type of equipment. Spinning reels I feel I need to go above $200 to get a really good one that will last. Casting reels $250 to get custom tuned ones from a cottage shop. Rods are my dilemma. I am not happy with what I feel is excessive stiffness and stupid gang banger motif of all rods being made now. I will pay very little for painted blanks, stupid near non existent reels seats and poor quality guides.

[sparky241]

The most I will spend is $150 for rod and reel, I don't know where you guys work but I don't have the kinda cash some here have to spend, I don't have cc and I won't get another one, and like DVT said it takes away so.e for me to spend enormous money on some stuff, even is it is great stuff

[J Francho]

I generally will not pay over 65% of retail. Most of my rods and reels were around a $150 - $250.

[Mike2841]

Used to think it was 100 for a rod, then 200, now I got a st croix legend elite calling my name. And of course you can't just put any reel on a legend elite.....

[OK Bass Hunter]

Just bought a reel for $440.00. I'm starting to think I don't have a "no" point.

[SirSnookalot]

If I had no limit on upside I'd be at the helm of my Viking sport fishing yacht, that isn't the case.

I try and keep my purchases to what I think will get the job done for my brand of fishing.  My level of seriousness for freshwater fishing does not demand costs that I believe are excessive.  Not doing much bottom fishing the need for super sensitivity isn't there for me, a $75 rod is just fine with a spinning reel no more than $100.

The majority of my fishing is done inshore saltwater fishing, I do have to up my game a little bit.  On average my rods are $90-$140 and my reels are $150-200.

[roadwarrior]

I don't know, some guys collect guns, coins, stamps and cars. I collect fishing gear

which is pretty cheap compared to many other hobbies. How much are season tickets

for your favorite football team? If you take your family or just your significant other I

suspect the cost far exceeds what you spend on fishing equipment.

[Tywithay]

I don't know, some guys collect guns, coins, stamps and cars. I collect fishing gear

which is pretty cheap compared to many other hobbies. How much are season tickets

for your favorite football team? If you take your family or just your significant other I

suspect the cost far exceeds what you spend on fishing equipment.

A 30 pack a week would be almost $100 a month. Some people do that or more without even trying. They could quit drinking and buy a couple $300 rods and reels a year without spending an extra dime. They've made their financial choice, others have made the choice to buy fishing gear.

[Diggy]

A few years ago, I fished with BPS Pro Qualifier and BPS Tourney Special rods. Whole rig, $100.00 on sale. Now I am using GLX and NRX rods, and shimano reels, Curado i, Chronarch ci4's and a Shimano core 100Mg7. What the heck happened? I don't know. Oh well, I'm going fishing.

Hootie

With age comes wisdom

[RB 77]

Curados and Crucials fit the bill for me so I'm right at about that same thresholod as well. I do have a little bit more expensive gear and a little less expensive as well, but like others have stated I feel that a great value can be had in that price range.

[Raul]

My ceiling is around $250 ( give or take $20 ) for both, as incredible as it sounds my really nice reels cost me less than $ 250, I paid 240 for each of my 4 TDZs, 3 Pixies 2005 límited edition and such, It was a matter of timing, all purchased on sale/clearance. The most expensive rod I purchased was a GLX, full retail baby, sold it cuz I swear I felt no difference with the less expensive IMX.

[kickerfish1]

I guess I really don't have one. I just sort of enjoy fishing and testing gear as funds and time allow. I fishing anything from $80 reels to reels that I have over $500 in. Same thing with rods a few that are around $80 and ones that are $550.

 

Get in where you can and don't worry about keeping up with the Jones's. I had a good fishing buddy that I fished with 8-10 years ago that only used BPS Tourney Specials and Bionic Blades. He had over 20 years of experience including 10 on various tournament levels. Could he afford better? Yes, however he felt like he was getting all the performance "he needed" out of what he was using. It was at that point I started to realize that you can have the best gear in the world but unless you "get it" and understand what you are doing and what is going on, on the other side of line you still won't can't many fish.

 

Personally I have no problem picking up my Elite Tech Smallmouth rod over my Cumara though the difference in price is nearly double.

[Jeff H]

I've paid just over $200 for one reel and one rod.  The reel was used, the rod new.  Most of the reels I have now were bought used for less than $100.  All of my rods were bought new, none except the one mentioned earlier was more than $155.  I try not to spend more than $200 on either.  I don't need anything better than what $150- $200 will buy. Heck, I'm thrilled to have a bunch Daiwa clad Crucials and Avids in my rod locker!

[Capt.Bob]

It is all relevant, some like no more than necessary to catch fish, I have a preference of spending as much as necessary for the best rods available, I have found there is a tremendous difference in performance, my limit is 4-500 dollars for a good rod even if it means Custom to do what I want it to, and some times that is necessary, for reels usually I spend more than $200.00 But the ones I have I can't buy as good for less. But you have to know what your buying, I have spent over $350.00 on reels, and some I have found I could have had better for $200.00, I can't say that for the rods I spend over $300.00 on, I have never found better cheaper! Buying more expensive name brands I have found, you can usually recoup most of your money on higher end gear, usually when you spend over $200 if you change your mind and decide on something else, the more expensive equipment from major Manufacturers are easier to sell, and bring closer to there original price than less expensive gear.  JME 

[TNBassin']

I don't know, some guys collect guns, coins, stamps and cars. I collect fishing gear

which is pretty cheap compared to many other hobbies. How much are season tickets

for your favorite football team? If you take your family or just your significant other I

suspect the cost far exceeds what you spend on fishing equipment.

Fishing is definitely not my most expensive hobby. I'm big into sports memorabilia in which I used to sell on eBay for a few years. U talk about a hobby that's expensive....

[Hogsticker]

Well it use to be that d**n lockness monster telling me tree fitty. But now I try really hard to not go over 250 on a reel or stick. Not to say that I won't. Some reels are really special. For a while I bought all high end reels used, but my OCD took over and made me go new. At least it wasn't the lockness monster.

[ww2farmer]

 My current rods are all $80 -$130 Abu Vendetta's or Veritas's, and Fenwick Elite Tech's. My casting reels are either second hand Curado's or Revos, if I do buy new, it's usually $100ish reels, I have some of the current generation Daiwa Exceler's I like, and an Abu Garcia Orra winch, that I really like. Spinning reels.........$59.99 , that is until they raise the price on the Pflueger President, that's all the spinning reel I need for bass fishing. I had an extensive arsenal of St Croix Avids, and LTB rods for a while, and they were nice, but the cheaper rods get it done for me just as well, and I am hard on gear, so there are fewer tears shed when disaster strikes now.

[SirSnookalot]

My price point is not based on budget but more on experience using equipment priced all over the map.  I tailor my equipment to my brand of fishing, a rod for example needs to be able to cast a pretty good distance, have the backbone to handle the type of inshore fish that I catch.  I have used rods that are close to 3 times the price of what my favorite rod is, granted they were a bit lighter (which is not too important to me) but no more comfortable, or cast any farther or handled the fish any better.  Some of my rods are close to 8-9 years old, the cork still looks like new and I still love the rods.  I've found my niche.

[OkobojiEagle]

Don't feel pressured to spend beyond your means. That just eats into the enjoyment you get from the sport.

 

 

... and your marriage

 

 

oe

[TNBassin']

My current rods are all $80 -$130 Abu Vendetta's or Veritas's, and Fenwick Elite Tech's. My casting reels are either second hand Curado's or Revos, if I do buy new, it's usually $100ish reels, I have some of the current generation Daiwa Exceler's I like, and an Abu Garcia Orra winch, that I really like. Spinning reels.........$59.99 , that is until they raise the price on the Pflueger President, that's all the spinning reel I need for bass fishing. I had an extensive arsenal of St Croix Avids, and LTB rods for a while, and they were nice, but the cheaper rods get it done for me just as well, and I am hard on gear, so there are fewer tears shed when disaster strikes now.

Absolutely nothing wrong with being thrifty or buying used. Sounds like you have got some nice gear.

[John G]

250 is my absolute limit

Most of my rods are in the 120-150range and reels are in the 150-200 range

I honestly think the 150-250 market is the best as fas as bang for the buck and competiveness

Your Avatar pic makes me hurt just looking at it!

[OK Bass Hunter]

It ain't about bang for buck. I said before if it was about bang for buck, we'd all be using cast nets. You see it and it grabs you. Then you start doing the math in your head and rearranging priorities and before you know it, you have a new shiny piece of fishing joy.