Ok guys!

[Catt]

Here's the question if you were just starting out in bass fishing and couldn't afford to buy high end rod & reels what would you choices be. I would buy 2 ea. as soon as I possibly could, with this selection I feel I could compete in any tournament or target big bass.

Shimano Cardiff 100B $99.99

Falcon® Original Series $74.99

[RWHusker.]

I would go to Mike Hendrix at Hendrix Rods.  A custom my M70, 7' mh fast type for about $150.  However my succesion has gone from a Cabelas mid quality to All Star to Hendrix.

GO BIG RED

[cart7t]

If you're saying I've got around $300 to spend on the rigs I'd buy the following. This providing my hands and wrists aren't too shot to hold a round reel.

1 Lightly used 4600 C3 AG reel

2 Lightly used 5500 C3 AG reels

1 All Star Classic 6' Med action

1 All Star Classic 6'6" Med action

1 All Star Classic 6'6" Med/HVY action

Cost for the reels on either the Bass fishing forums or Ebay  $120 total.

Cost for the rods at the same places.  $150-160 total.

That gets me 3 rigs total.

I've got about $30 left for premium line.  

[ww2farmer]

I like the Fenwick HMX rods at $84.99, and the Abu Revo S at $99

[FishTank]

Spinning:  Shimano Symetre 2500 $79 and St. Croix Premiere PS66MF $85

Casting: Shimano Citica $99 and a Shimano Compre CPCX66MHB $90

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Bait Casting: A used (off ebay or in FFlea Market) pre shaksphere All Star Rod 0r

Fenwick HMX 6'6" and a 7" in Med and or MH or BPS Exterem Rod

Pflueger Trion or BPS Extreme BC Reels

If budget lower no doubt: BPS extreme combo: reularly on sale for 99 bucks

Spinning

Fenwick HMX 6'6" Med

Pflueger President

if my budget was lower

Fenwick Eagle GT and Pflueger Trion Spinning reel

[basspro48]

Casting: Shimano Citica, $100

            Team All-Star rod, $80-$100 depending on where you get it.

Spinning: Shimano Symetre, $75 new on ebay

              Shimano Clarus rod, $70

[twors]

Ebay a shimano citica and if you have a St.Croix dealer near, then cherry pick out a good Triumph.

[Sam]

Bass Pro Shops and pick out a Woo Daves rod for about $50 and a BPS spinning reel for one set up and a Woo Daves rod for about $50 and a Shimano Curado 100 for your baitcaster.

Then, as you progress with your fishing and have more experience you can go for the higher priced rods and reels.

If you break or lose your BPS setup you will be out only $100 to $150 and you can easily replace the rod and reel.

Your goal is to have all G. Loomis rods and all Shimano high end reels.

Get them before you get married! ;D

[Jeff H]

I would definitely go bargain hunting just starting out. I'd set my lower limits on rods to decent IM-6 models and minimum 5 bearing reels. Whatever I could get out of my money in that kind of stuff is where I'd start. I'd be trying to cover as many specific techiques as I could for the money I had to blow.

I have had some real junk in my early years, and even that stuff lasted a few years. Heck, I STILL have some of the rods and reels I started with stashed away around here. I can't even give the reels away because they are so thrashed but they still work and could be used. I'm going to make wall decorations out of the stuff.... ;D

[roadwarrior]

Spinning:  Shimano Stradic 2500FH (current model) on sale $75-$100; St. Croix Avid AS68MXF on sale $65-$85.

Baitcasting: Shimano Citica $100- $120 or Curado $160 (Delo's); St. Croix Avid AC68MXF on sale $65-$85.

[Catt]

Now add in Abu Garcia's C3 & C4's and you can have a quality setup for under $200. You could afford this on minimum wage so what I don't get is all the whining about high end equipment.  

[Guest the_muddy_man]

AAHHHHHH, to many people 200 bucks is high end ;D

[Catt]

$200 in one month is only $6.67 a day  

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Hey Catt: Ihave child support,rent,utilities,tuition and everyday expenses and 200 bucks is stil hard for me, and I make a few bucks more than Minimum wage, The Avg wage here in this part of the country is less than 10 bucks an hour.Many of my friends can barley afford oof the rack gear from Wal Mart.

[MALTESE FALCON]

I agree with Catt. The C3's and C4's are great reels. Very affordable, and since the upgrade last year they are even better.

Falcon

[Catt]

I'll tell you the way I look at and it may tick some people off but so be it

People who aren't willing to do what's necessary to obtain quality equipment aint serious enough about bass fishing. When I step up on that deck with rod in hand; a lunatic smile crosses my face, my eyes get cold and restless there is no room for second best. It's me against that bass so there will be no question marks about rod, reel, line, hook or bait selection because those things have long been settled.

Yea I can hook a double digit hawg on a Zebco 33 but what my odds of landing it?

Dude I've been a poor boy all my life so I know all about being broke but you can start a coin bank, you know where you throw all your loose change in a bottle or drawer. Aint no one saying go out and spend $200 out of you monthly budget but it is an attainable goal.

[dodgeguy]

i'd get a pro qualifier combo from basspro.

[Daniel My Brother]

With $300 I'd buy:

2 x BPS Extreme baitcast rod/reel combos at $100 each (on sale now)

1 x Pflueger President spinning reel / BPS Extreme combo at $100 (Sale price)

That's 3 combos that would handle all of my fishing needs for years to come.

[flechero]

$200 in one month is only $6.67 a day

That's not even beer/cigarette money for a lot of people.

People who aren't willing to do what's necessary...

That applies to ALL parts of life. If people will get out of the instant gratification mentality, it's easy to save for the best of whatever you want. And to take it one step further- I've never met anyone that couldn't tighten a budget, a little more, when the desire was great. You just have to have a plan and THEN STICK TO IT.

When I bought my first few Loomis rods- I started eating a bigger breakfast and put lunch money into an envelope... about 40 days to save for each IMX is what it took. All it took was a LITTLE self control.

Good stuff, Catt.

I liked Cart7's gear suggestions and I would probably do similar... All Star classic's and Abu 4600's for starters.

[Catt]

To buy my first Calcutta I ate Beanie Winnies, Bologna Sandwiches, & Vienna sausage. I put it on a Berkley Lighting Rod went to Toledo Bend won $250.00 during a night tournament & bought my second Calcuttafor $169 then ate big time ham/cheese sandwiches.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

OK , I am a little slow, I TOOK THE BAIT,  YOU WIN, but thats the last time

I would rather fish moderatly and give the extras to my daughter and my ol lady, just me I don't get a charge outta of it the way you guys do, and I love bass fishin, it is definaatly the most important thing in my life, like it is to many of you. Family,friends and music all bump it down a lotta noches. If I am gonna scrimp and save, I am getting my kid a car( and that is more impportant than anything to do with fishing)

Catt and Flech: i kinnda had enough of the judgement you throw my way, as well as others It is exactly why you will never find me in a church.You also do not know what it took for me to get where i am . nor could you understand where I am heading, I can tell you that won't be any church!

Im feeling it I aint in the club I know, and I never will be . I guess it time to say thanks for the chuckles and see ya again some day, to some of the folks I met here, but i got enough family and friends to keep me goin. I will be more careful to watch where and how I post 8-)

Good stuff Muddy!!!!!

[Catt]

Muddy you aint been any where many of us haven't already been; I could tell you stories that would shock even you.

Dude you want to talk about kids I've got 6    

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Whats harder is some guys who pay CS miss a payment buying a loomis WAA-LAAA  Then it goes up for sale on ebay for 1/4 of what they paid for it >same with guns,cars,trucks .A fool and there money are easily departed and it benefits us with nickle and dime purchases in the long run YAY for peeed off wives  and girl freinds LOL

[flechero]

Catt and Flech: i kinnda had enough of the judgement you throw my way, as well as others It is exactly why you will never find me in a church.You also do not know what it took for me to get where i am . nor could you understand where I am heading, I can tell you that won't be any church!

Im feeling it I aint in the club I know, and I never will be . I guess it time to say thanks for the chuckles and see ya again some day, to some of the folks I met here, but i got enough family and friends to keep me goin. I will be more careful to watch where and how I post 8-)

What????

If you'll read a few of my posts on gear, I talk about value and working within your budget- that's FAR from judgemental. Just because I made a comment (back to Catt) about saving and not being into instant gratification you JUDGE me as some religious zealot, tackle nazi eliteist. I call BS on that, my friend. I've not only defended you but I Pray for you. As far as Church goes, you can't blame me for that... you haven't been in one since long before you knew me. Besides, I Pray for you and your work weekly (you've been in my prayer book since March) so you can use any excuse you want but me.... God didn't make you a victim, he allowed you to make choices...

Seriously Dominick, When have I ever judged you?

How quickly you forget... you already forgotten the encouragement of going back to school? Did anyone else on the boards offer you a carrot along with their Prayers? I didn't think so.

I could write pages on what it took to get to the point I'm at in my life.... the stories are a little different, but everyone has one.

I'm really surprised, Dom, really surprised.