Is it just me...

[BASSclary]

... Or do other people in your family complain when you buy expensive(and in my case not so expensive) fishing rods and reels? My dad never lets me hear the end of it.. > He always nags me about how my Crucial and Carbonlite is "so high-end" and how I want to save my christmas money for A new combo. He's one of those people that thinks all rods are created equal with just different price tags. Which is fine, I agree to a point but their is a quality and performance gap between my combo and a Gander Mountain $50 combo. Like he cant understand my explanation of why I spend the money I do on my gear. Obviously I enjoy a more refined rod, but he seems he wont let it go on what i spend! I wish I would get him to fish a better rod so he knows what its like to fish a nicer rod and reel than what he has. (I would let him use mine but he hates casting gear.) Its just so frustrating when he nags me for using a more expensive rod when he has never used one himself.

Does anybody else have a family member like this?

And my dad does fish as often as I do, So he's not clueless about it like a family member who doesn't fish.

Sorry for ranting a bit.

[FL_fisher]

If he is still using zebco 202s then yes he is clueless as far as equipement goes. Doesnt mean he cant fish I know a older guy that uses zebcos and can kick some bass lol. At the same time your not going to see anyone on the elite series fishing with them because you are limited to what you can do with them.

[J Francho]

Stop your pouting, and beat him with his gear.  Better yet, let him fish your gear, and guide him to a trophy.

[bryand82487]

I know what you mean.  My dad just does the occasional fishing with a bobber and worm.  He doesn't nag me to much but I've got 8 or 9 combos and every now and then he will say, "Why do you keep buying all these rods and reels you can only fish with one at a time?"  I've just came to the conclusion that unless you fish a lot and truly have the passion that we all here have you just can't understand. 

[Long Mike]

Yep, it's just you, and others your age.  Adults don't have that problem, with the exception of the occasional nagging wife.

[philsoreel]

... Or do other people in your family complain when you buy expensive(and in my case not so expensive) fishing rods and reels? My dad never lets me hear the end of it.. > He always nags me about how my Crucial and Carbonlite is "so high-end" and how I want to save my christmas money for A new combo. He's one of those people that thinks all rods are created equal with just different price tags. Which is fine, I agree to a point but their is a quality and performance gap between my combo and a Gander Mountain $50 combo. Like he cant understand my explanation of why I spend the money I do on my gear. Obviously I enjoy a more refined rod, but he seems he wont let it go on what i spend! I wish I would get him to fish a better rod so he knows what its like to fish a nicer rod and reel than what he has. (I would let him use mine but he hates casting gear.) Its just so frustrating when he nags me for using a more expensive rod when he has never used one himself.

Does anybody else have a family member like this?

And my dad does fish as often as I do, So he's not clueless about it like a family member who doesn't fish.

Sorry for ranting a bit.

Save your money, buy him a trully remarkable rod, and watch his face light up when he uses it. You'll never forget it and neither will he.

[philsoreel]

When you get a full-time job...I always forget how old you are. lol

[lynyrdsky1]

Got the same problem with my dad. He says just buy the 20 dollar rods at bass pro and the tourney special reels. But, he is using Calcutta's and old Allstar titanium rods. He hasn't bought new rods and reels in about 5 10 years but all the stuff he has was probably worth 200 to 300 dollars a set up. The most I've spent on a set up is 190 which was a pro qualifier deal. But whatever I've been able to catch fish with his stuff but he hasn't with any of mine. I also got a job so hes not paying anything for anything.

[OHIO]

Same problem here too. I have a friend that uses a Lightning Rod and some sort of spinning reel (forget the name, but it's cheap).

Every time I fish with him, he asks why I spend so much on my equipment.

I don't know what to tell him because he catches just as many fish as I do and he only has one combo.

It's nice to have expensive and nice gear, but you don't always need it.

I could do most of my fishing with a MH/F rod of any brand, but I don't think I would have as much fun.

[The Rooster]

Tell them it's like buying a car. ALL of them will get you from point A to point B and yet there is a major price difference from one model to another. And it's not just in the hundreds like fishing gear is. It's thousands and thousands of dollars, but I guarantee that ALL of the people who were written about here who complain that you shouldn't spend as much money on rods and reels as you (and I) do have ALL bought cars that costed at least $1000 more than one they could have bought instead.

Ask them why they did that. And if they tell you it was just because it was a "more dependable car" and that's the only reason then I call bull$#!% on that one. We ALL buy cars first because we like one better than another, and secondly because it runs good. I've never ever known anyone to buy a car cause it ran good even though they did not like it.

Then they might go on about the list of features one car has over another, or how much more comfortable it is. Or what all it allows them to do that another model would not have. Same with fishing gear.

They might say the more they spend the longer they expect to get out of the car. I can see that too, but it's still the same with fishing gear. And as a matter of fact, many fishing reels will OUTLAST a car's lifetime. What, 5 or 10 years for the average car, some longer if you take care of them?? You might fish with that $200 reel for 20 years or more (more if it's a Shimano ;D ). But yet they still might pay $1000 or more for one car over another and then choke at the idea of paying just $100 more for a reel.

The only thing they might say at all about the price difference of cars vs. fishing reels/rods is that you could get more than one reel for the same money you pay for the nicer one, but they aren't buying multiple cars.  BUT.......you still could come back with saying you will buy the one and it will outlast 5 of the cheaper ones.  And you won't even hear that said out of the people who say you can't fish with more than one at a time.  I'd even challenge that one.  I can be deadsticking a bait with one, not touching it at all, or trolling one or more behind a slow moving boat, while cranking on another in my hand.  THERE!!  Now I'm fishing with 2 or 3 at once!!

In truth, buying a car and buying a reel and/or rod is about the same. The cheaper one will get you buy but the nicer one is a whole lot more fun. And the money difference on a fishing reel is much more easily justifiable than the difference on a car. I think it really comes down to mental conditioning. We have all watched our parents buy good or better cars so we just accept it, but the same cannot always be said for good or better fishing equipment and that's why it's not so easily accepted by some.

[I.rar]

Yep, it's just you, and others your age. Adults don't have that problem, with the exception of the occasional nagging wife.

lol x2.

[The Rooster]

Oh, and here's the final arguement for those of you who are young and still living at home with parents.  Tell them as long as you spend lots of money on fishing stuff and then leave the house with it in your hand then they know where your money is going and where you are going with it when you leave.  It could be worse. ;D

[bilgerat]

Your post could have any of the following inserted in place of "fishing combo" and still be true:

golf clubs

bowling ball

shoes

screwdrivers

corn flakes

television set

hair care product

crayons...

It's the never ending argument. I gotta go now, my wife is nagging... :-*

[slonezp]

I got rid of my nagging wife.  8-)

You could be spending that money on drugs. Better it's spent on fishing gear. Spend it now while you're able. In a few years when you get out into the world and have a mortgage, car payment, family, etc., the BPS $30 combos is what you'll  be fishing with.  "Do I buy baby formula or a Steez?" "The mortgage is due but that Ranger Commanche sure looks nice" "Honey, go to you mothers by yourself. I'm going fishing" "Excuse me Mr. Lawyer. You say the divorce will cost how much?"

[slonezp]

"Cornflakes?"

[Red]

Take your Christmas money you are saving for a new combo and buy him a nice spinning rig instead.

[northern basser]

Yep, it's just you, and others your age. Adults don't have that problem, with the exception of the occasional nagging wife.

I've learned to keep my mouth shut about $ I spend on fishing equipment and I also keep it spread out in different locations so she doesn't see "the mother load" as a whole.

[slonezp]

Yep, it's just you, and others your age. Adults don't have that problem, with the exception of the occasional nagging wife.

I've learned to keep my mouth shut about $ I spend on fishing equipment and I also keep it spread out in different locations so she doesn't see "the mother load" as a whole.

All the while she's doing the same with purses, shoes, and clothes

[Grey Wolf]

He's your Dad , he's the boss , that's why he can chew on you.

[northern basser]

Yep, it's just you, and others your age. Adults don't have that problem, with the exception of the occasional nagging wife.

I've learned to keep my mouth shut about $ I spend on fishing equipment and I also keep it spread out in different locations so she doesn't see "the mother load" as a whole.

All the while she's doing the same with purses, shoes, and clothes

Ya,  makes long for simple life...oops...  I mean single life.

;D

[northern basser]

Take your Christmas money you are saving for a new combo and buy him a nice spinning rig instead.

I agree.  He might not ever agree with you outwardly,  just keep an eye on which combo he reaches for if you end up getting him one.

[lynyrdsky1]

That may work  but it doesn't work so well when your dad gets mad at you for getting him something thats expensive. I just bought my dad a rod and he was mad but he said he would take so i hope it wont be picky.

[trevor]

My dad is a charter captain, so I don't really hear much at all from him. Its more from my own conscience. Do I really need $150 rods and reels? I know KVD could whoop my *** with a $60 combo any day of the week. So just that thought has recently kept me from buying too much gear, even though my parents probably wouldn't have many objections. I kind of pride myself on only using a few combos, like a challenge to myself. And of course, its not a hard challenge to succeed at: catching bass with "only" 3 combos. But I don't fish with garbage, either.

But on the gear subject, I am getting into fly fishing. Don't those Sage rods just look sweet..... ;D

[Grey Wolf]

That may work but it doesn't work so well when your dad gets mad at you for getting him something thats expensive. I just bought my dad a rod and he was mad but he said he would take so i hope it wont be picky.

He was mad but took it anyway??????????? Dude he's giving you double-talk.

[Whets Lines]

Bassclary,

Everyone always talks about your age. I don't know how old you are. One thing I learned as I got older is that everyone has opinions on everything. Maybe you are still learning this.

By spending money on fishing stuff you are doing something your dad would not do so he has an opinion on it. Whether you like it or not, he has it. I wouldn't buy him anything or try to convince him that what you are doing should make sense to him.

Personally, I don't care when people give me grief for my rigs. I could get hit by a bus today and be gone in an instant. I do not tournament fish, I can't catch fish using a Texas/Carolina rig to save my rear, and I seldom venture beyond my favorite fishing hole. But, buying and using some of (what I consider) to be the best fishing gear makes ME happy and that's really all that matters. I don't catch any more fish using my St. Croix Legend Extreme. But like I said, I don't care. I was happy and excited to get that setup and I just love fishing with it. Everyone has different priorities and don't let them push theirs on you and don't push yours on them.

So, hang in there. When your dad comments on the money you spend, just sit back and know you are happy with what you have and have done. The cool thing is that you can fish with your dad. My dad can't fish for his life, but he loves to do it and I love going with him...even if we never catch any of the catfish he so desperately seeks.

Whets

8-)