What was your worst fishing purchase decision ever?

[J._Bricker]

I'm gonna go with my Color-C-Lector and associated plastic worms. I learned my lesson and didn't get reeled in by the Helicopter Lure or the Banjo Minnow. And delayed my use of that famous stick bait designed after a Bic pen...

[Ratherbfishing]

I'm generally a fan of MOST Berkley products but Fireline Crystal is like spooling up with dental floss and the knots hold ability is dreadful (the ones I've tried anyway).

[Hawkeye21]

23 minutes ago, J._Bricker said:

I'm gonna go with my Color-C-Lector and associated plastic worms. I learned my lesson and didn't get reeled in by the Helicopter Lure or the Banjo Minnow. And delayed my use of that famous stick bait designed after a Bic pen...

 

I got the Bajo Minnow Lure Kit for a present when I was a kid and I loved it.  Caught some really nice bass on them.  Seemed like a gimmick but it did work.

[jimf]

My second boat, and my first aluminum.   I didn't have much of a budget, but I wanted a 17'+ boat.   I focused more on the engine when I was shopping, failed to really properly inspect the hull.   Lots of loose rivets, and then a stress crack developed on the keel.    I remember that day - it always took on some water, but right after launch it was obvious something something worse was happening.   I thought I must have left the drain plug out, but no ... just a new (and big) leak.   Loose rivets water seeps in, but this was coming in to where the bilge wasn't shutting off.    

 

I never one time felt comfortable in that boat.  Engine ran great, but I spent more time under the boat patching than I did in it fishing.  

[scaleface]

30 minutes ago, J._Bricker said:

I'm gonna go with my Color-C-Lector and associated plastic worms. I learned my lesson and didn't get reeled in by the Helicopter Lure or the Banjo Minnow. And delayed my use of that famous stick bait designed after a Bic pen...

 

You want to trade it ? I would like to have one .

[Fenwick24/7]

..hmmmm...I'd have to say it was a tie between the Helicopter Lure and the first attempt Mitchell made at a split handle casting rod - the rod was BEAUTIFUL, guys, but snapped in three places upon hookset on the 'only' fish it ever caught, a very chunky 3-lber I had to pull in by hand over the shrapnel left in its wake...the Heli' lures...?? ...nuff' said there.  ? 

[wdp]

Bought one of these back in the mid 80's. ?

[Gundog]

5 minutes ago, wdp said:

Bought one of these back in the mid 80's. ?

Had one too but thankfully lost it on the first cast to a huge rock. 

3 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Natural Light by Anheuser-Busch 

 

Not sure that counts as a fishing purchase but....whadaheck.

[crypt]

I'd have to go with fishing license for my wife. She's been 1 time in the 11 years we've been together. Yet she still renews every year !!!!! and she gets a snook stamp also !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CTBassin860]

3 hours ago, cam said:

Everything I've bought thus far is junk. None of it catches fish!

Based on your profile picture i can see why! 

[UPSmallie]

3 hours ago, Ratherbfishing said:

I'm generally a fan of MOST Berkley products but Fireline Crystal is like spooling up with dental floss and the knots hold ability is dreadful (the ones I've tried anyway).

 

There's a reason why I only keep it on my tipups haha.  Couldn't imagine spooling that on a reel though.

[RO_Watkins]

A cheap rod when I first started bass fishing.

 

I thought it was just like catfish or crappie where you could catch them with about any ole rod. I wore my arm out, missed a lot of fish and broke it within a couple weeks.

 

Luckily I didn't spend too much!

[Brown Town]

Spiderwire braid the first summer I started frog fishing. I don't know how many big fish I broke off, but definitely learned a lot that year.

[MassYak85]

2 hours ago, wdp said:

Bought one of these back in the mid 80's. ?

I actually have one of these laying around lol, never used it though 

[Deleted account]

What? No one here ever bought a Carrot Stik? 

I remember seeing them at a show when they first came out, and the guy at the booth was all like "it won't break because of our proprietary cellular structure and progressive action which distributes..." snap! Wish I had video of that.

[sully420]

Seaguar invizx Sorry that junk fishes like over priced stren but it breaks more?

[Coldbasser]

Berkeley Nanofill Line flat out sucked and broke under pressure of catching a fish

 

[jakebrake]

Either the Mitchell spiderwire reel (bought 2...broke handle off of one almost immediately), or....i'll admit I bought it....

 

and paid full price ....

 

the banjo minnow system...

 

should have taken a Jackson out of my wallet, and used it in place of toilet paper.

[frosty]

I still have a box of the original Flying Lure  dad bought them when I was a teenager, we just slayed them the first time we used them, however, they steadily became less effective? I think my worst purchase was a shimano rod from Walmart. Broke in half after a couple weeks. 

[camo]

Got talked into picking up a couple Megabass rods, while I do love them I don't think I ever needed them. I don't feel they were leaps and bounds better than some other rods I have for half the cost. Oh well live, learn and forget about it because fishing is forever!

[david in va]

 A used boat that did not have any leaks when I bought it. It wouldn't hold water in the yard  when it rained 

[idabass]

This ugly reel. Never have used it, just collecting dust. Could never find a rod I was sure it would look good on.

[BassThumb]

1st generation St. Croix Mojo Bass 7' 11" flippin' stick, the most unbalanced, tip-heavy rod I've ever owned. 

 

Berkeley Nanofil.

 

TroKar hooks.

[Hawkeye21]

7 hours ago, idabass said:

This ugly reel. Never have used it, just collecting dust. Could never find a rod I was sure it would look good on.

 

Ugly?  I think it looks sweet!  Black and Gold Hawkeye colors.  Put it on a Skeet Reese rod if you feel it needs to match.  As much as I like how certain rods and reels look together it still doesn't matter one bit when catching fish.  I'd rather just have quality products.

[Montanaro]

Bought two huddgills when they came out.

 

One swims sideways and never have got even a bite on them!