Buying tackle

[Swamp Girl]

I place a tackle order about every three weeks, but I no longer buy new rods, reels, or lures beyond replacing soft plastic lures lost to wear and tear. My purchases also include other terminal tackle that gets lost, like line, hooks, sinkers, and snaps. I just have all the lures and rods that I need, beyond replacing a favorite lost lure. I might buy another reel or two one day as my old ones stop working. Has anyone else reached a point of similar stasis, where they're going with the hand they have? Or will the monkey ride you hard into your sunset?

[Pat Brown]

I've recently shifted over towards someone who finds things that work and gets lots of that kinda stuff and less the experimental angler for the most part.  Or I should say - I experiment laterally within a bait category and less all over the place.

 

I do have fun with my creature baits and worms sometimes though.

[Swamp Girl]

4 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

I've recently shifted over towards someone who finds things that work and gets lots of that kinda stuff and less the experimental angler for the most part.  Or I should say - I experiment laterally within a bait category and less all over the place.

 

I do have fun with my creature baits and worms sometimes though.

 

Pat, in soft plastics, I find a color that works and I ride that horse until it no longer works. Right now, it's chartreuse and pearl in a Crush City Mayor, but a week ago, it was red crawdad in the same lure and the week before that, green pumpkin. Do you do that too? I placed an order last night for more chartreuse and pearl, hoping there was another garish, weird choice, but there wasn't.

[KYKBassing]

I think I’m finally getting to the point of gear saturation. I bought 4 combos this year, all of which were on sale or used (ALF), but I have just about every power/action combo I need for what I throw. 
 

I’ll probably just be ordering tackle to replace the usual consumables for a while and go with what I’ve got.

 

 Reading your posts helps reiterate the point that skill, knowledge and time on the water will always catch more fish than more tackle will. 

[Swamp Girl]

5 minutes ago, KYKBassing said:

Reading your posts helps reiterate the point that skill, knowledge and time on the water will always catch more fish than more tackle will. 

 

Thank you. That's a fine compliment.

 

And I agree that tackle only takes you so far. Now, three years ago, I didn't even know what an underspin is, but today, it's my main lure, paired with various soft plastic paddletails (mostly Crush City Mayors, but also Keitechs), which I also didn't know existed three years ago. But watch a Crush City on an underspin and dang, no wonder the bass hit them. They wiggle more than Marilyn Monroe, plus I can throw them into a soggy briar patch and bring them back. I think of them as compact spinnerbaits and I can cast them half of forever. What's not to love?

 

I know what my local bass like and whereas other BR members, from time to time, kindly suggest new lures, I think I'm pretty set. I'm consistent and catch quality fish, so the Bait Monkey can ride others. 

 

One more thing: I stood this morning and saw a beguiling marsh beyond a hump. It had wood and lily pads and skinny water. Still, I chuckled my underspin into it. That's how confident I am in it. I didn't hook a bass, but if I had, it would have given me a chance to land it. 

[king fisher]

I'm on and off the Bait Monkey wagon, faster than a rock star checks in and out of rehab.  One day I'm only going to replace a few baits I lost, and the next day I'm looking at custom glide baits.  Right now I am in recovery, but it only takes one You Tube video, and I'm right back to spending like a politician with a surplus in the budget.

[NorthernBasser]

I don't wanna talk about it. 

[OmegaDPW]

I'm still using the same rods and reels that I bought 25 years ago when I upgraded from the stuff that I had. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I have other hobbies that I occasionally spend money on, but with two kids, car insurance on 3 vehicles, mortgage, property tax, you name it- I don't spend money at all if I don't need it. 

 

 This year I bought jigheads, a few spools of line, a Shakespeare reel to stick on a rod that didn't have one, some soft plastics, some Beetle Spins, stuff like that. The type of stuff that I can throw in the basket when buying groceries that doesn't add up too much. I'll never use up my soft plastic collection that I have now and rarely throw hard baits, so my spending is pretty sparse. 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

To me one of the biggest reasons why Bass are so special is their ability to adapt and learn baits.    Moreover, I love the fact that there is always a better way to catch them.

 

Buying cool tackle is part of the sport imho.   I watch a lot of Elite Series pros YT content, they do travel videos, and it's amazing the amount of stupid tackle they buy in every city they go to just like myself.     

 

They all buy tackle like @NorthernBasser 🤣

 

Just got home from buying tackle.....bought the stupiest thing I've bought in a really long time......Geecrack Cue Bombs 😆

Geecrack Imo Kemushi Cue Bomb 4pk | Tackle Warehouse

[Swamp Girl]

Alex, I'll think my position is all settled and then you'll opine and muddle me. Your new lure is wild!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

You fish so many different places that it makes it harder for your fish to learn your baits, but I imagine as you stack up more hours on your new true home lake, you'll find baits that absolutely throttled one summer, only to get a fraction of the action the next summer.   

 

[Swamp Girl]

I bet you're right, Alex, but I have a lot of lures in reserve.

[T-Billy]

I stopped buying tackle and switched to the barter system instead. Today I traded 225 of my dollars for a new 9' XH Shimano Skixx muskie rod. 😉

[Jig Man]

I have more setups than I can handle so I’m not gonna get any more.  I don’t go for the latest and greatest new bait.  I make most of my stuff including jigs and many plastics.  I have not been successful making a swim bait like the Keitech so I buy them (a couple of years worth at a time).  I also can not copy Elaztech so I make major purchases of several dozen packs at once.

 

 I buy my hooks by the thousand when I can get them but never less than 100 at a time.

[scaleface]

Wish there was a tackle swap meet close by to trade some stuff. I need to get rid of a bunch before I expire and make it a burden on my wife. As far as lures I havent bought any for over a year except for soft plastics that I use up. Did order some tungsten weights this winter.

[Pogues2300]

I have a couple zillions, a few tatula sv’s and my favorite reel metanium mgl … paired with a couple imx pro crank bait rods, a couple nrx casting rods, a poison adrena rod and last my one spinning outfit glx 842 with a daiwa tatula xt reel… that’s enough! No mas! I just buy tackle now , spent plenty of money and I am happy with my rods and reels lol. Oh forgot I also have a orochi perfect pitch. There was another thread about icast and it had a 3k$ reel I think was saltwater… made me feel a bit better about the cash I spent lol

[Munkin]

Got tired of replacing new never used lures in the tackle box with newer lures each year.  Bought less than 5 new lures to try this year and some line that's it. Started a fishing stuff  cull in garage already. 

 

Allen

[BrianMDTX]

Sorry, BM, but at this point in time, I’m pretty well covered with rods and reels. 
 

Baits? I just re-did my tackle storage and I have enough soft plastics to fill a Rubbermaid tote. I guarantee I’ll buy more. 🤣

[Bankbeater]

I thought the only thing I would be needing this year is replacement hooks for some of my crankbaits.  A couple of weeks ago my old President finally wore out, and my Daiwa reel that I have been babying along finally gave it up today.  I will be looking at new spinning reels and baitcasters tomorrow.

[gim]

6 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

but I no longer buy new rods, reels, or lures beyond replacing soft plastic lures lost to wear and tear. My purchases also include other terminal tackle that gets lost, like line, hooks, sinkers, and snaps. I just have all the lures and rods that I need, beyond replacing a favorite lost lure. I might buy another reel or two one day as my old ones stop working. Has anyone else reached a point of similar stasis, where they're going with the hand they have?

 

This is me too.  Just replace line, hooks, sinkers, weights, and plastics when necessary.  Hardbait lure purchases are rare unless I lose one.  I only buy a new rod or reel when an existing one fails or breaks.  I've got enough as it is.

[Log Catcher]

I am pretty well covered on everything I need. I will buy line, hooks, and sinkers as needed. I have way too much in crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and soft plastics. I need to start getting rid of some of to get it to a manageable mess.

[Bird]

I broke a $200 rod in early June on an exaggerated hook set 😁and had to replace that.

BUT I really don't succumb to the Monkey 🐒.

Buy tackle in bulk at once during the winter and that's it.

I'm one of those that can walk around a Bass pro for an hour and not purchase anything........I have enough.

[Columbia Craw]

I count myself as one of the mentally ill who buy so I’m in a constant state of being excited for what’s being delivered today.

[Pogues2300]

6 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

I place a tackle order about every three weeks, but I no longer buy new rods, reels, or lures beyond replacing soft plastic lures lost to wear and tear. My purchases also include other terminal tackle that gets lost, like line, hooks, sinkers, and snaps. I just have all the lures and rods that I need, beyond replacing a favorite lost lure. I might buy another reel or two one day as my old ones stop working. Has anyone else reached a point of similar stasis, where they're going with the hand they have? Or will the monkey ride you hard into your sunset?

One other thing ol crickety, a-jay, I just want to say thank you both. I’ve been negative and you two are among my favorite contributors and I’m inspired to lean that way.

[Swamp Girl]

@Pogues2300: Thanks!