Avoiding the Bait Monkey

[Tizi]

I have been trying to avoid the bait monkey and it has been extremely difficult as of late.  Every time I see the latest sale thread, there is something new that catches my eye.  Can I afford that new bait?  Do I really need that bait?  Is it similar to something I already have? How am I going to use that bait if I buy it?  It is not about affording, it is about management.  I have 100s of lures that will probably never get used.  I prefer to not add to that.

 

These are the questions I keep asking myself, then I end up buying the bait anyway.  My newest plan:  Identify 3 to 4 key manufacturers and stick to offerings from them.  I have narrowed my choices to 6th Sense, Rapala, Strike King and Megabass.  So, if the latest sale thread post is not related to one of these manufacturers, I will attempt to avoid those offerings.  In addition, I have started a spreadsheet to track what I have on hand (thanks for that tip BR) so I don't buy an item I already have.  I hope this works...

[5/0]

It is a never ending battle! For me it doesn't necessarily have to be on sale, it's a reflex action! If I see post or something online my first reaction is...I gotta have it! I'd second the narrowing manufacturers as long as the color selection is good. Sadly that doesn't always happen!

[TnRiver46]

It's easy to avoid the monkey when you don't have any money 

[Finessegenics]

How would you format the spreadsheet? I’d love to see anyone’s copy to because I want to try it out myself 

[Tizi]

Here is what mine looks like, I just started it so it could change:

[MassYak85]

My method is to have in the back of my mind things I'm looking to buy short or long term. If I see one of those things go on sale it's a no brainer to swoop in and buy, if I see something on sale I didn't really want in the first place it's easy to shrug it off. Only exception is true blowout sales of like 50 percent or more, in that case I'll stock up on stuff I might already have but know I'll use, or maybe I'll try something that would normally be out of my budget if it wasn't on sale. 

 

Again I think it's just having a mental list of things you actually want vs "sure it's on sale but I didn't want that anyways". 

[LargeMarge]

My strategy for the winter is to not buy anything until after my first fishing trip in the spring. Cuts down on the impulse buys and gives me a chance to evaluate from the water instead of my couch.

 

Buying too much just adds complexity given that I can only fish one at a time. I try to keep it simple.

[bait__Monkey]

[Cdn Angler]

I've probably bought $1,000 of tackle/rods/reels since September. A lot of items are on sale and I'm trying to expand my fishing arsenal to have a proper musky combo and to get tackle that will let me expand my techniques - ned rig, a rig, jerkbaits etc. I'm also trying to be more organized so getting bins, peg boards, tackle boxes etc. 

 

At a certain point I expect to have enough to just replace stuff and add the odd thing here or there. 

 

In Canada it is tough as our regular tackle shops have mostly non premium stuff. You don't find river2sea, jackall, keitech in normal stores, only specialty small places and crazy expensive. So you either buy something sub-optimal or pay a fortune. Makes it imperative to buy stuff on sale when you can. 

 

For example a shad rap I saw today that was $15.99. A whopper plopper might be $22 and I'd have to drive 40 miles to find it.  

[BoatSquirrel]

I am with you Tizi.  The temptations are constant and multiple when fishing is your passion and you are always thinking about it.  I have mostly cut off the internet ordering but I find I enjoy the visit to the tackle/toy store.  Got to find a way to avoid those visits.  

I would encourage you to look through any tackle and donate any you will not use.  The gift will mean as much to you as it will the lucky folks who get some new lures.

 

[DanielG]

Hmmm.... I have hobbies and I love to fish. I'm out three or four times a week in the good season time. But, I don't understand the reason to have an overflow of multiple poles, reels, baits, etc. Yes, enough but just a huge number of items I may never use. I have a  good spinning rig and a good casting rig. I make both do multiple duty, sometimes beyond what they would normally be used for. There are actually a handful of baits I use regularly. I like to try something different once and awhile but always return mostly to my confidence baits. I don't fish competitively though and I understand needing to change things up fast to keep ahead of things, but I see casual recreational anglers with more stuff than they'd ever possibly be able to use. I actually know people who have a ton of stuff they carry with them all the time and it's never gotten wet and never will be.

Sort of a mystery to me. I guess it may be an addiction. Sort of like gambling anglers or something. I'm flummoxed.

[Smells like fish]

Don't wanna quit, ain't gonna quit! I like that spreadsheet idea though. 

[A-Jay]

After purchasing my rig, the bait monkey's voice seems to become amplified quite a bit.

It was very intimidating to say the least . . . . 

 

A-Jay

[Hewhospeaksmuchbull]

56 minutes ago, bait__Monkey said:

You mock us?

 

No likes for you, come back one year. You Monkey, you!

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, DanielG said:

Hmmm.... I have hobbies and I love to fish. I'm out three or four times a week in the good season time. But, I don't understand the reason to have an overflow of multiple poles, reels, baits, etc. Yes, enough but just a huge number of items I may never use. I have a  good spinning rig and a good casting rig. I make both do multiple duty, sometimes beyond what they would normally be used for. There are actually a handful of baits I use regularly. I like to try something different once and awhile but always return mostly to my confidence baits. I don't fish competitively though and I understand needing to change things up fast to keep ahead of things, but I see casual recreational anglers with more stuff than they'd ever possibly be able to use. I actually know people who have a ton of stuff they carry with them all the time and it's never gotten wet and never will be.

Sort of a mystery to me. I guess it may be an addiction. Sort of like gambling anglers or something. I'm flummoxed.

It's the same reason my girlfriend has to order an appetizer, main course, and dessert every time we go anywhere. She's obsessed with the idea of anything food related. There is no explaining it, you just gotta roll with it and move on. 

[Fishes in trees]

So, you're trying to make gear purchasing decisions based on perceived needs rather than wants.   Good luck with that. I gave up trying to do that a long time ago.   What I do is ask myself one simple question, i.e. "Is there a chance that this particular piece of gear will help me catch a fish?  ever?"  If the answer is yes, then I'm probably going to get it.  If the answer is yes and it happens to be one of those times when I'm temporarily broke, then I revisit the decision sometime when I'm not broke.

[r3825]

Very few things in life bring me as much enjoyment as new fishing goodies in the mail, don't avoid it,  embrace it!!

[Michigander]

 

4 hours ago, Tizi said:

I have been trying to avoid the bait monkey

[GReb]

I told my wife last week that I was good on lures this year and didn’t need anything. The next day I ordered a pile of Jackhammers and DT6s. But honestly I did need them

[Sam]

You cannot out-fox the Bait Monkey.

 

You can do whatever you want but you will never, ever, outsmart the Bait Monkey.

 

The Bait Monkey is watching you and he knows about you.

 

He knows you are a sucker for all baits, not just the ones you are going to stick with. As soon as a pro starts to hype a bait the Bait Monkey knows you will get it.

 

Don't despair. It is a disease we all have. The Bait Monkey rules.

[Michigander]

Good on you, but I don't think I could restrict myself a small set of manufacturers like that. I have been restricting myself to certain baits for certain presentations. For example, only Keitech Fat Swing Impacts and Exoswims for paddle tail swim baits, only Rage Craws and Rage Bugs for craws, Snack Daddy for tubes, etc. I like VMC for light wire hooks and Owner for heavier hooks. I feel like a more refined selection of baits and terminal tackle that I am practiced with will help me choose an appropriate presentation and have confidence when fishing it.

[Paul Roberts]

Fishing. Getting out of the house. i buy more stuff when I'm cooped up thinking about fishing.

[Bankbeater]

It starts with a single idea and the next thing you know you’re having to add an extra room on the house, or extending the garage out. 

[Tizi]

I need a bass boat.  Do I?  Need?  I have 2 kayaks and a 12 foot smokercraft. but a used boat I can renovate would be sweet.  The monkey doesn't stop at lures...I am betting at some point that monkey is going to get me for that boat.   

[jbsoonerfan]

1 minute ago, Tizi said:

I need a bass boat.  Do I?  Need?  I have 2 kayaks and a 12 foot smokercraft. but a used boat I can renovate would be sweet.  The monkey doesn't stop at lures...I am betting at some point that monkey is going to get me for that boat.   

Absolutely no doubt he will. I used to just go with my buddy. I had a tackle bag full of lures and 5 combos. I bought a boat and now I have a boat full of lures and 13 combos that grow by the day it seems. 

 

But it sure is fun!