Going cheap when fishing new spots

[TriStateBassin106]

One thing I always do when fishing a unfamiliar body of water for the first time ever is I go cheap. If i'm throwing a texas rig I'll replace my tungsten with lead. Maybe even replace the hooks with something cheaper. Even if i'm fishing moving baits like chatterbaits or topwater I'll downgrade to something cheaper, i'll replace let's say a jackhammer with a normal og chatterbait etc. Maybe even replace senkos with yum dingers, IMO it's just too risky losing expensive stuff on the unknown. Eventually after I figure things out I go back to the higher quality/expensive stuff

 

Do you guys go cheap when fishing unknown water? Or do you have enough confidence you won't get snagged? 

[roadwarrior]

Never. 

I don't own that "other stuff".

[TriStateBassin106]

2 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Never. 

I don't own that "other stuff".

We are two different anglers then lol

[MN Fisher]

I don't have enough spare cash to have two sets of everything. I have one set, some of it mid-range, some of it cheap - my spinnerbaits F.E. are Jawbone and SK Banshee...both DSG exclusives for like $3 each.

 

I've lost one lure this year, a Rapala Rattlin' Rap to a Pike - and replacing it took a little finagling...ya, our household budget is that tight.

[Teal]

I try not to buy too many 20 dollar baits lol.  I throw to the snag stuff too much.  Losing JIGS, tungsten and hooks is apart of the game.   I just try to limit how much I spend on megabass, luckycraft, ect,

[flyfisher]

So you are going to limit your success on baits that you deem as cheap because of the unknown?  Seems like you could be potentially making a good place not so good by doing so.  I don't care what kind of place I am fishing, new or old, I am throwing what i think will work and I have confidence based the conditions presented.

 

[the reel ess]

I "go cheap" everywhere. LOL. Just kidding. But I do save money wherever and whenever I can.

[Tizi]

I throw everything in my box, that is why I made the purchases. I have lost many lures, part of the deal I guess.

[BrianMDTX]

I look at it like this: that double-digit may hit that bait you cast in a new pond, and with cheap hooks, there it goes.  

 

Fishing a $4.00 lure (still a good lure) over a $14.99 one I can see. A Yum Dinger over a Senko I can definitely see. Same with a lead sinker over a tungsten. But not hooks. I want great, sharp and strong hooks every time. 

[TriStateBassin106]

5 hours ago, flyfisher said:

So you are going to limit your success on baits that you deem as cheap because of the unknown?  Seems like you could be potentially making a good place not so good by doing so.  I don't care what kind of place I am fishing, new or old, I am throwing what i think will work and I have confidence based the conditions presented.

 

It's not worth losing expensive gear to the unknown bottom contour/snags when you can just use the cheaper stuff you might have laying around as canon fodder to know what's where and where not to throw, once I figure that stuff out i switch back to my better baits. 

[Dwight Hottle]

So what your saying is that you dress down because it’s a blind date?

[Teal]

15 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

So what your saying is that you dress down because it’s a blind date?

That's a great analogy 

[newriverfisherman1953]

Nope. That’s to complicated and too much drama. I just go fishing and use the stuff I have confidence in. 

[kayaking_kev]

I try not to throw good stuff when I fish from the bank. I lost a Jack Hammer not long ago and I knew I shouldn't of even if tried, but every now and then it's hard to resist the urge.

 

But, when I go wade fishing in the river, the $550 rod stays at home and I'll take a much cheaper rod.

[TriStateBassin106]

11 minutes ago, kayaking_kev said:

I try not to throw good stuff when I fish from the bank. I lost a Jack Hammer not long ago and I knew I shouldn't of even if tried, but every now and then it's hard to resist the urge.

 

But, when I go wade fishing in the river, the $550 rod stays at home and I'll take a much cheaper rod.

Exactly, it's a pain to replace quality stuff that costs more money, I don't have the financial luxury to buy jackhammers and whopper ploppers or even tungsten everytime they break off. 

[Bluebasser86]

When I buy stuff, I'm just borrowing it until the lake claims what it rightfully owns.

 

I have rods and reels for beating around the bank and creek fishing, but not cheap hooks and stuff, and even my bank fishing combos are still solid. No way I'd go fishing with anything I wouldn't use as an everyday piece of equipment and risk losing the fish of a lifetime just to save a couple bucks.

[roadwarrior]

10 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

So what your saying is that you dress down because it’s a blind date?

[boostr]

I don't buy expensive baits (all under $10) including Yammi Senkos and Rage Tail, and tungsten isn't that expensive. I will not feel bad when I lose them no matter where I'm fishing. 

[Sphynx]

Depends on the presentation, if it's a technique that it really is worth spending money on to buy the good stuff (jerkbaits come to mind here) I do, but there are a whole lot of affordable tackle that catches the crap out of fish (like the Yum dinger) and if I can save some cash I see no reason not too, but I don't think too hard about it, I fish a lot of expensive spinnerbaits, but I also buy my fair share of $1 Walmart ones, they both catch fish.

[TnRiver46]

On 8/24/2020 at 1:08 PM, TriStateBassin106 said:

One thing I always do when fishing a unfamiliar body of water for the first time ever is I go cheap. If i'm throwing a texas rig I'll replace my tungsten with lead. Maybe even replace the hooks with something cheaper. Even if i'm fishing moving baits like chatterbaits or topwater I'll downgrade to something cheaper, i'll replace let's say a jackhammer with a normal og chatterbait etc. Maybe even replace senkos with yum dingers, IMO it's just too risky losing expensive stuff on the unknown. Eventually after I figure things out I go back to the higher quality/expensive stuff

 

Do you guys go cheap when fishing unknown water? Or do you have enough confidence you won't get snagged? 

Seems like a good idea to me! I hate losing baits even if they are 50 cents and literally never use expensive lures 

[DitchPanda]

18 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

When I buy stuff, I'm just borrowing it until the lake claims what it rightfully owns.

 

I have rods and reels for beating around the bank and creek fishing, but not cheap hooks and stuff, and even my bank fishing combos are still solid. No way I'd go fishing with anything I wouldn't use as an everyday piece of equipment and risk losing the fish of a lifetime just to save a couple bucks.

This right here. I have stuff that's really nice and stuff that's not as refined but still very funtional. Lures and terminal tackle I use is the same everywhere. I don't have boxes of good stuff and boxes of cheap stuff I throw in unfamiliar places. I use what I have confidence in and that's good, solid middle of the road lures and hooks with a proven track record...I'm not bending out a hook on a 6 or God forbid 8lber to save 50 cents. Top line perfectly sums up my jig and Texas rig fishing...when I flip in cover that lure is lost if I get it back for another flip that's a bonus. If there's a fish on it when it comes back...even better.

 

[Bankbeater]

I figure I'm going to get snagged so I bring my lure retriever along with me.

[DaubsNU1]

2 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

I figure I'm going to get snagged so I bring my lure retriever along with me.

 

90% of my stuff is 20+ years old...so I don't worry if I get hung and something gets lost. I do have a lure-retriever...saved many o lure!