Anyone else "baby" their equipment?

[Randy Price]

Three years ago I got a very nice bonus and spend a several thousands of dollars at St. Croix on many of their top end rods.  I grew up a somewhat poor kid and only had one rod and reel until my 20's.  I have a hard time enjoying using my high end stuff being worried about "hurting" it.  Stupid I know but I can't help it.  I find myself grabbing my trusty Avid vs one of my Legend series rods.  I'm the same way with my binoculars.  Bought a pair of Swarovski's several years ago but when I go hunting will usually grab the Vortex's instead.  I try to tell myself use and enjoy all of it as life is too short (just buried my Dad back in February) but I've got some mental hang up.  Am I the only one?

[roadwarrior]

I work 'em like I stole 'em!  Bought all my stuff to fish not to collect dust.

I "baby" my gear when traveling, rod sleeves and reel covers. I keep them 

organized on the boat and store them carefully, but I fish them hard.

[fishballer06]

I try to take good care of my gear so that it will in return take good care of me. And in the event that I ever have to sell it on down the line, I can still get a decent return on my money. But with that said, I do buy all of my gear with the purpose of using it, so it's going to get used the same whether its a cheap piece of equipment or the highest end of gear. 

[Mike L]

No you’re not. 
For some reason I’m more careful with my “high end” rods than with the reels. 
 

Even tho I have covers for them both and store away from anything that can contact them in the garage, I’m always conscience of how I handle and transport them. 
 

But that said, I bought it to use it.

Does me no good to use something else. 

 

 

 

Mike

[mrpao]

I put covers on my reels when traveling.

Covers on the rods in the rod box.

I dont throw my stuff around on the boat.

I dont take my high end equipment bank/river fishing.

But I do fish my stuff hard and maintain them as needed.

I try to keep them in good shape, so if I need to sell it, it'll hold more of its value.

[new2BC4bass]

1 hour ago, fishballer06 said:

I try to take good care of my gear so that it will in return take good care of me. And in the event that I ever have to sell it on down the line, I can still get a decent return on my money. But with that said, I do buy all of my gear with the purpose of using it, so it's going to get used the same whether its a cheap piece of equipment or the highest end of gear. 

Yup.  Same here.  Keep reel covers on all reels when not in my hands.  Suppose I should do the same for my rods, but, man, that would cost a few hundred dollars.  Not that I don't already have a few hundred in reel covers.    I'm just very careful handling my rods.

[Fishes in trees]

I think it just makes sense to take care of your gear and not torture it unnecessarily.  I want my fishing rods to be happy, to want to serve, when I call them into action to help me catch a fish.

Being kind of a junk fisherman, who mostly fishes by myself, I generally carry many different rigs

15 to 20, mostly rigs to cover a certain circumstance that I might encounter.   I worry about my rods not getting used enough.

 

Overall, on a good year I won't break any rods.   I've had several of those years.  On worse years, I might break a rod or two or three.  Pretty much every time it is operator error, don't think that I've ever had a rod break due to any manufacturing defect.

[A-Jay]

As mentioned here several times and I do believe this to be the best practice, 

I am always willing to maintain & take very good care of my gear so that it will in return, 

take good care of me.

That said, I like purchasing & use quality gear, of all kinds & types,

 but with the full intent on using it as it was designed.

And in this case, I have no problem fishing it hard, doesn't mean I abuse it. 

@Randy Price

If looking at some nice gear in the corner rather than fishing it makes you feel good,

Go for it.

A-Jay

[Bankc]

I try to be really careful with my gear and keep it well maintained, but I won't let it sit on a shelf and go unused.  I tend not to buy things that are too expensive to replace as well.  My theory is, I own my gear.  My gear doesn't own me.  And if it's price is dictating how you use it, then it's probably the one in charge.  

[BrianMDTX]

When I drove my ‘05 Dodge Ram 1500 QC 4x4 home, my wife asked “are you really going to drive that truck in the woods?”

 

”I’m a hunter, babe. That’s why I bought it!” 

 

I take care of my gear, but I use it!

[Catt]

Rod-n-reels are tools...I use my tools!

 

I don't abuse em, but I don't Baby em...they are will taken care of!

[Deleted account]

Nope. 

[bulldog1935]

When I post photos on forums, people are always telling my how nice I keep up my gear.  

I obviously didn't buy it new but this Hardy St. George is from 1917 - fished it 5 years and then sold it for more than twice what I paid.  

more than once I've bunged my knee falling while protecting the rod and reel

[throttleplate]

keep em oiled up after every trip with rem oil but when out fishing in deep water with waders and around rocks my reels get dunked and banged against rocks.

If i slip which i have and the reel is in my hand that breaks my fall on the rocks so be it. If it breaks i will buy another, all my reels are in the $100.00 range pfluegers spinning.

[JustJames]

If you buy nice gears and only look at it, you only got half worth the price you paid. The nice beautiful rods and reels would look even nicer when taken picture with fish not on counter top or casting in backyard. I don’t really have those expensive stuffs like other but I’m proud of mine and don’t mind at all to show off with fish of course. It makes me feel even more enjoyable when using one and catch fish.

I do take care of my gear but not to the point of baby it. All my reels got cover but only when transport with other reels other than that it will stay on rod racks waiting the turn to get used. 

[JLBBass]

I don't tourney fish, so yes, i baby my equipment and boat.  I baby my boat more than my equipment though. A 10 year old boat owned by me since new will look better than a 1 season old tourney boat! 

[Michigander]

I don't have enough money to treat my gear like it doesn't matter so I am very careful with it. But I also don't have enough money to buy stuff I am not going to use. So I treat it nice but use it fully.

[S Hovanec]

I whacked one of my SCV drop-shot rods off the gunell, hard, about 10 years ago.  I'm still waiting for it to blow up.  I don't think they're as fragile as we think they are.

 

Fish them and enjoy!

[Boomstick]

I wish I could say that I once got skunked and threw my reel at a fish and knocked it out, but I just don't have that kind of money lying around. I'm not sure I baby my equipment since I use it, but I make sure I don't wreck it either.

[Columbia Craw]

Fear not.

[WRB]

It’s hard to believe living in SoCal and not having running water or power as a child in the mountains. Outhouse toilet, WW11 Jeep to get water and groceries. We had propane to cook and fuel oil to heat, poor but happy.

This carries over in your adult life and tends to make you fugal not cheap. I have nice things and live very well off in retirement but never got over my youth. 

Nothing wrong with appreciating high quality rods, reels and taking extra care of your things.

Tom

[TnRiver46]

Nawwwwww......... He** nawwww!!

 

I can replace each and any of my rod/reel combos for $40 or less. And I can repair rods (mostly) and reels 

[Mobasser]

I fish with a combination of older and newer stuff. I've never babied it, but took care of it through the years. I bought it to fish with.

[Hammer 4]

Use to have spendy rigs, nowadays I go middle of the road. I don't baby my stuff, but I do take care of it. Tools will get scratched ect. but I don't abuse it.

[MN Fisher]

I don't throw them around, bang them on hard surfaces, etc - but I don't 'baby' them either. They're used, but not abused. Even my 40+year old equipment is usable and probably 7.5+ in appearance across the board..