The Right Gear

[Trox]

Hey guys, I thought it would be cool to share the moments that we realized the differences that "the right gear" makes when bass fishing. I got this idea after reading another topic in regards to how eveything fishing got so expensive... 

 

For me, I grew up fishing with whatever my mom would end up buying me. Usually, it was a $20-$40 spinning reel with an Ugly Stick, and there's not too many kids on the block to tell you how your setup really stacks up and why. All we cared about is that we could put a worm on it. As I got older and through high school, my ideas of fishing never really matured. If I bought a reel, it was always a spinning reel, and if I bought a rod, it was always an Ugly Stick. I mean, my PB came off of simple setups like that, so why change? 

Finally, In my early 20s, I started to branch out a bit and got my first casting setup (I had never gotten one before because when I was 6yrs old or so, I backlashed my step dads reel so bad that I completely swore em off forever). After a few frustrating weeks of backlashes etc, etc, I finally got the hang of casting one and of course had to buy another. Still, they were just rods and reels with no specific technique in mind - but they caught fish, so there could be nothing wrong with them, right? ...well yes... that is right. In a way, a fishing pole is a fishing pole and if it catches fish, it works. At least this was the way I thought.

This went on for some time. I jigged with my casting pole, I finessed with my jig pole, I drop shotted with my flipping stick (This is a bit on an exaggeration though, because in order to actually have a flipping stick, you had to know enough to need one - but you get the idea here). I caught fish. I was happy...

It wasn't until one day I decided, what the heck, I'm going to spend a little bit of money and get a pole worth more than $100 and see what all the fuss is about. So, for the first time, I started to do a little bit of research. I figured that if I'm going to commit to a high dollar pole, that it warrants a little more attention and effort than just going to Academy and bending a few sticks.

Some time went by, but eventually I made the purchase and received my first quality rod. It was a MH-F (which was also a new concept for me) because I learned that you can pretty much do anything with that. A little later, I took it out for a spin and threw a 3/4oz jig. That was it. For the first time in my life, I was actually able to really feel the bottom. I could tell the difference between rocks, gravel, grass, etc, and I tell ya, I was B-I-T bit!! How have I gone so long without knowing the difference a real rod can make? It was at that point that I started really learning the in and outs of bass fishing. I began reading articles, watching YouTube videos, and drilling sales reps at Bass Pro for answers. I was also the last time I was ever able to hold any money lol. Over the next few years, my two setups turned into 15 and I no longer own one under $400, except for one... a 10 year old, $70 spinning/Ugly Stick setup that still catches fish  

 

This topic isn't at all intended to support the buying of all super high end equipment... Along the way, I've bought $100 rods that outperform $400 rods and $100 reels that hold up to $400 reels. What this is all about is that "moment" you felt the difference. The first time that chatterbait actually shook your teeth out, or the first time you felt a bass "tap" your lure where not just any old rod and reel would have allowed you to do so... Did you go out like me and immediatly start the journey to re-build your entire aresenal? Did you begin your search for more info, maybe learning the names of a few pros along the way? Did it re-ignite a passion?

 

Thought this could be an interesting chat!

 

Cheers!

[Brew City Bass]

I'm 23 and have been fishing since I could walk. 

Much like you, everything I had was "good enough". Spinning rods and worms, maybe a mepps inline spinner. Then when I turned 18 and started actually bass fishing and wanting to be not just a angler, but a great angler, I realized I had to get serious. Through trial and error I realized some stuff just can't be done on an ugly stick with a spinning reel and 10lb line. That's when I got my first baitcaster. It was a cheap walmart one, so definitely not "good" gear. I luckily caught on within a few days and was hooked. I started saving every penny I had to buy more bass lures, and moved away from live baits or the standard senko wacky rig. When I was 20 I realized fishing the bank was fun, but there are so many more fish in the lakes that I cannot possibly run my lure past if I am on the bank. 

So I saved every penny I had and bought an old bass boat. Even with the boat, fishing was rough for two years. I was stuck in my shore fishing habits of throwing wacky rigs 24/7 and spinnerbaits. Sure, I caught fish, but I didn't catch quality, and sure didn't catch limits like I thought I would by owning a boat. This is when I feel I got "serious". I started watching fishing videos 24/7. I was watching every video put out by every pro. Every tips and tricks video on youtube. This is when it clicked. I learned patterns and forage times for bass and where they are more likely to hangout and what mood they will be in. 

I haven't really had the dough to buy nice gear until two years ago. Boy does it make a difference. The only reason I don't regret having crappy gear until as of late is because even if I had it, I would have had no clue how to properly use it. Now, I don't own $500 rods or reels, but most of my set ups are in the $250-300 range, and I find these to be practical for how serious I've gotten without going broke. Still paying off those college loans... lol 

One of my best purchases fishing wise was a decent sonar... I use to just aimlessly cast lures not even knowing what was below the water or what the depth was. Man were my eyes opened when I got the sonar. I went from throwing spinners and texas rigs at the bank to drop shotting downed brush piles, or picking apart that 10x10ft hole that nobody would ever know was there if they didn't drive over it with sonar. I feel like I am just aimlessly typing now so I'll stop, but I just wanted to say... I relate. haha

[Trox]

Good story! Yeah, It's definately been an evolution for me. Started off bank fishing, then moved to a kayak where I stuck for about 10 years, then got into a little bass buggy with my first cheap sonar. Very cheap sonar/fishfinder, but it did what it was suppose to do. Then finally, got into my first bass boat last February. I'm glad you mentioned the fact that "you don't regret having crappy gear", that's exactly how I feel as well. The years I spent finding fish without sonar and catching them with very low end gear, has made me 1) appreciate what I have now and 2) a better fisherman overall. Also, being able to catch fish without sonar can be extremely useful because when you can find fish strictly by observing the environment around you, it just adds to what the sonar shows.

 

Also, any setup over $200 can be considered high quality, even cheaper if you REALLY do your research... The fact that I lean on the more expensive side is purely choice. I recently bought a couple of rods that I bought for $420/ea just to turn around and sell them. The short: I had a jackhammer chatterbait on one of them and was fishing it pretty hard. Later, when I decided to move, I accidently left a much cheaper chatterbait hanging in the water on a much cheaper rod. When I went to pick it up I instantly noticed the additional vibration... Holy crap... Those "high end" rods were sold by the end of the week lol. With that being said, if you are looking for a fantastic rod for the money, that rod that shook me up my arm was a *** ***... $100 - out performed a St. Croix Legends Xtreme. And to prove that that was not just me, I handed the rods over to my co-angler for a second comparison to make sure I wasn't going crazy but I wasn't. That $100 rod outperformed a $400+ dollar rod 10 fold. So yeah, great gear can definately come at a resonable price and being a fellow "serious fisherman", I'm can assume your gear performs fantastically and some research was put behind each purchase.

 

Oh, man. If I could only get my wife bitten by this same bug I'd be set... and even more broke lol.