Did I do right/wrong?

[jbsoonerfan]

Ok, so there is a kid I know that I have taken out a few times to our local lake and tried teaching him how to find cover, structure, pattern fish, etc. Well he had messaged me a couple weeks ago and told me that him and another kid in HS were going to start fishing in the HS tournaments. I told him that I was proud to hear that and if I could help in anyway to please let me know. Well he messaged me today and asked if I had any extra tackle that I would be willing to sell. Well I had 1 HUGE tote full of soft plastics, brand new still in the package, probably 200 bags or so, all different brands. I had another HUGE tote full of crankbaits, some still in the package, there were jigs, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, weights, hooks, etc. There was enough stuff in these 2 totes to have a fully loaded boat and this was just all my extra stuff. I would guess $3,000 or more worth of tackle. I told him to come out and see what he wanted and we could figure out a price. He told me his partner was coming with him too. My original plan was to let them sort through it all and pick out what they wanted and I was just going to give it to them to get them started. They were blown away at what all was in there. He asked me how much for this, how much for that, etc. I told them to just pick out what they wanted and we would go from there. Well, they just looked and looked and looked and looked. He finally asks, how much for everything, this will fill the boat up. Well this put me in a bind as I really didn't want to give $3,000 worth of tackle away, and ALL of my backup stuff. I told him to just keep getting stuff out that they really want. This goes on and they can't decide so I finally say. Hey, you don't have to pay me it all today. You can make monthly payments or whatever you need to do but I will take $500 for all of it. They started grinning ear to ear and pulled out the cash. I really didn't want them to pay anything but I hated to give ALL my extra tackle away. I would have just gave them 4 or 5 hundred dollars worth. Did I do wrong? Should I have just gave it all to them? 

[gim]

I'd say they got one hell of a deal if you had $3 grand worth of stuff that you sold them for 500 bucks.  I don't think I would have been quite that generous to be honest.

[flyfisher]

Should've charged more given they pulled out the $500 easy.  Unless you are sponsoring them and just because they are friends, doesn't mean you should get screwed out of what you spent on the items even if they were "extra"

 

[GaryH]

Very commendable JB. I think you did good. I myself have help HS teams and college teams. Not only did you give them a great deal but having them pay something also teaches them to respect what they have. ????? Good job

[WaterOtter]

You were hooked on the excitement of spreading the joy of fishing and you did a great thing helping your mentee and his buddy get set up for growing in the sport.  You did a good thing!

 

Plus, now you get to go shopping with the bait monkey!!

[jbsoonerfan]

16 minutes ago, flyfisher said:

Should've charged more given they pulled out the $500 easy.  Unless you are sponsoring them and jsut because they are friends, doesn't mean you should get screwed out of what you spent on the items even if they were "extra"

 

Honestly, I don't need the money and really wanted to help these guys out. That $500 came from them and not Mommy or Daddy. They both have summer jobs and he had told me they just got paid and wanted to buy some tackle. My son is the same age and has a job and I'm always proud when he buys something with his own money instead of asking me. 

[flyfisher]

11 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

Honestly, I don't need the money and really wanted to help these guys out. That $500 came from them and not Mommy or Daddy. They both have summer jobs and he had told me they just got paid and wanted to buy some tackle. My son is the same age and has a job and I'm always proud when he buys something with his own money instead of asking me. 

That makes more sense then and you did try and get them to just pick out some stuff and they wanted it all which I cannot blame them as it sounds like it was solid gear.  Maybe I am just not as nice as everyone else lol

[Deleted account]

Two thoughts,

- If I tell a kid "pick somethings out and I'll tell you how much" That's what we are doing.

-In most states minors cannot enter into contracts, which purchases are.

[jbsoonerfan]

10 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Two thoughts,

- If I tell a kid "pick somethings out and I'll tell you how much" That's what we are doing.

-In most states minors cannot enter into contracts, which purchases are.

It was more like a garage sale. Please don't turn me in to the state of Oklahoma. Lol

[Bird]

Just your thought process speaks volumes.

You were willing to give up tackle you paid for to benefit young fisherman.

They were tickled, so should you be.

Sounds win win to me ?

[12poundbass]

You did good. Giving them a handful of stuff is one thing so selling them a ton of stuff is great. 
 

1: they got a helluva deal

2: you’re teaching them they can’t expect handouts and they probably have a sense of accomplishment because they worked hard for their money and got a ton of tackle for a rock bottom price. 

[slonezp]

Don't sweat it.

Kids got a great deal and you cleared out your garage for new gear. Win, win!

[DaubsNU1]

Strong work! You did them a solid. 

[Mike L]

You both benefited and are satisfied with the result. 
 
Can’t be wrong when that happens 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Dwight Hottle]

You made a great decision. You helped them out but let them pay with their own money which they worked for. That life lesson is more important than a outright gift. 

[roadwarrior]

10 hours ago, slonezp said:

Don't sweat it.

Kids got a great deal and you cleared out your garage for new gear. Win, win!

Great deal for all of you!

 

 

 

                                         

[volzfan59]

Well done @jbsoonerfan, well done indeed! Any time that you help a kid, you've done the right thing.

[Will Ketchum]

I'm sure you'll hear from them again. You will be able to fish vicariously through them and hear about any success or failure they had and the techniques that worked and didn't work.

[J._Bricker]

 

20 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

Honestly, I don't need the money and really wanted to help these guys out. That $500 came from them and not Mommy or Daddy. They both have summer jobs and he had told me they just got paid and wanted to buy some tackle. My son is the same age and has a job and I'm always proud when he buys something with his own money instead of asking me. 

Well done @jbsoonerfan! The kids earned the money on their own merits and got a good deal thanks to you. We can all agree one doesn’t appreciate something until one knows how much work it takes to get it. I’m sure your protégés will be back next payday with more questions about tackle and fishing. Again, well done sir ?

[jbsoonerfan]

Got a message a little bit ago telling me they won a little jackpot tourney today. 3 fish limit and they had a touch over 10 lbs. For all I know he could be lying to me, but if true, pretty cool. Not my kids so I blurred their faces.

[WaterOtter]

Thanks for letting us know that it worked out! 

(I'm sure you'll find out soon that they're not lying.  That was such a big gift and they must be so juiced that they'll share every bit of their success with you for weeks/months/years to come)

[BassNJake]

***checks OK craigslist for fishing gear***

 

 

[BrianMDTX]

My “rule” is this: never regret a decision made in the past, unless it was something said or done to intentionally cause pain and suffering to another. 
 

So in this case, have no regrets. 

[Darth-Baiter]

they had $500?!! dang kid ballers!!

 

did that have more?  

[TOXIC]

For about 5 years pre Covid we would have a “get together” at a friends house who lives close to the Potomac river.  We had friends come from all over, Massachusetts, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and probably a few other states I’m forgetting.  Most would stay at local hotels and pull their boats.  I would pack the back of my truck with boxes of sponsor gear.  I won’t go into all of the gear at the risk of sounding like a blowhard but if I had to guess I brought in the neighborhood of $7,000 worth of baits from terminal tackle to hard baits and plastics.  After the first day of the 2 day event, my buddy would host a bbq and since I stayed with him, I would just open the back of my truck and tell everyone to grab a few of whatever they needed or wanted to try.  After all, that’s what sponsorship is all about, getting product into the hands of those who would use it.  Every sponsor agreement I had forbid me from selling product so I would refuse any type of offer to pay.  Well, one guy brought 4 “friends” who I had never met and I extended the offer to them as well.  As the night wore on and the party continued I went out to lock up the truck and it was pretty much cleaned out.  Normally I keep a close eye on the comings and goings from the truck but over the years I knew and trusted all of the participants.  Come to find out the “new” guys that were there  used the opportunity to fill bags with gear.  When one of my friends called them out on it, they offered to pay something and I told them I could not do that.  They never offered to put anything back and later embarrassed themselves as the party went on into the night.  Lesson learned.