"bargin bin" just as good?

[Little Luey]

I should add that it is ok to buy inexpensive plastics but always buy quality hooks, they are worth the extra $$.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Natural- Ambassador?  It's not a job,...it's a way of life! lol

As for softness,....which food do they eat that is that soft?  What food do they eat that is the softness of a knock-off?  What makes ANYONE think they can tell the difference?  

Remember, their diet is primarily based on spiney, boney, or shelled critters.  I honestly don't think the bass can tell the difference softness version 1 over softness version 2.  Soft is soft, hard is hard.  The bass in our lake don't care which one you bought,...they'll eat them both.  They also don't care how much you spent (or didn't spend) on them,....they'll still eat them both,lol.

the ONLY advantage I can see with a softer bait is you might get a hair more wiggle out of the ends on a wacky rig.  The wiggle on the knock off is more than "enough" to trick a large class sized fish.  It's certainly not worth paying more than double.

but heck,...it's only $$,lol.

[RandySBreth]

It also depends on what "bargain bin" you're talking about. My personal one is the Bass Pro Outlet store. Lots of returns, overstocks, etc. They recently had an entire bin full of either the real "Smallie Beaver" or the best knock off I've seen, in green pumpkin. I bought the entire bin, I think it was 11.80$ for what may be a ten year supply.

I've loaded up on 5" pumpking Kalin grubs, Yum Dingers, and many others the same way.

And hey, those 4" Renegade worms in motor oil are awesome little dropshot worms, so don't be hatin' ;D

[Paul Roberts]

Roostertails,

Boiling softens plastics permanently. (As I remember it vinegar can harden it -but I don't remember the results -try it).

I boil virtually all my plastics, especially worms. The key to wacky, shaky, and flick-shake, is wiggle. Need I say more?

I dip the tail end of a worm in boiling water (rolling) for about a minute, or a bit more, holding the head with bamboo tongs. I dip because I don't want to soften the head (T-rigging). I dip the ends of wacky baits, holding the center (where the hook will go) with the tongs.

I also dip-boil swimming-tail worms and grubs. The difference is enormous, especially when using light jigheads or bullet weights and slow retrieves. I want my worm tails to writhe, even on the fall, and many, if not most, won't on a 1/16oz weight. I want my baits to look alive, and that's hard to do with lures most of the time (they just aren't live food).

Fifteen seconds or so is enough to straighten a warped bait -important for certain things, like Slug-Go's. Or to warp a straight bait -to enhance the flick-shake "roll".

[The_Natural]

Natural- Ambassador?  It's not a job,...it's a way of life! lol

As for softness,....which food do they eat that is that soft?  What food do they eat that is the softness of a knock-off?  What makes ANYONE think they can tell the difference?  

Remember, their diet is primarily based on spiney, boney, or shelled critters.  I honestly don't think the bass can tell the difference softness version 1 over softness version 2.  Soft is soft, hard is hard.  The bass in our lake don't care which one you bought,...they'll eat them both.  They also don't care how much you spent (or didn't spend) on them,....they'll still eat them both,lol.

the ONLY advantage I can see with a softer bait is you might get a hair more wiggle out of the ends on a wacky rig.  The wiggle on the knock off is more than "enough" to trick a large class sized fish.  It's certainly not worth paying more than double.

but heck,...it's only $$,lol.

Good point; albeit worms are soft  .  I guess it's just a confidence thing...isn't it always?  I wish my only confidence soft plastics were the renegade worms from Wal-mart...I could probably buy a new boat by now.

[S I G M A]

I find some older bomber model a's in the bargain bin at walmart sometimes. I'll usually buy those and swap out the trebles... but thats to the extent of it. I don't ever touch those soft plastics, as I don't need to clutter up my tacklebox with more soft plastics that i won't ever get around to using

[FishTank]

I always look through the bargin bins at Wal-Mart, Dick's, Gander Mountian, etc.  I have never found anything at any Wal-Mart that was worth it and very little at Gander Mountain but Dick's is a different story.  They will mark good baits (Yum, Excalibur Lures, Lucky Craft, Rapala, GYCB, just to name a few) on clearance and then they will mark all clearance either at 50% or 25% off. Finally I will use a $10 off if you buy $50 coupon.  That's about as cheap as you can get it.

One thing about bargin bin baits and lures> If it doesn't work, it aint a bargin, just a waist of money.  So be selective.  

There are times when fish will just bite on just about anything.  This is the time to through that flouresent purple and pink swirled bargin bin plastic worm that you bought at a $1.00 for a pack of 20.

[roadwarrior]

"When was the last time you regretted buying the best!"

Experiment with "identical" baits and run you own test. Buy just one bag of GYCB Senko and the cheaper baits, both in watermelon with black flakes. Fish them back to back so your general time frame, location and bite are close to the same. If there is no difference, the less expensive option is the ticket and you have proven to yourself that "these things work!" That should give you some confidence in your selection.

I started fishing GYCB products in 1997 and they are still working for me.

8-)

[S I G M A]

I always look through the bargin bins at Wal-Mart, Dick's, Gander Mountian, etc. I have never found anything at any Wal-Mart that was worth it and very little at Gander Mountain but Dick's is a different story. They will mark good baits (Yum, Excalibur Lures, Lucky Craft, Rapala, GYCB, just to name a few) on clearance and then they will mark all clearance either at 50% or 25% off. Finally I will use a $10 off if you buy $50 coupon. That's about as cheap as you can get it.

Very true... I was at dicks today and they had some berkley power shaky worms at 25% off. There wasn't too many left when i got there, and none left after i checked out

[FishingBuds]

Never.

My #1 suggestion to help everyone save money is to only buy lures/ baits that are highly recommended by people you know or trust.

Here is my suggestion for a "complete" tackle box:

Soft Plastics:

GYCB Senko, Fat Ika, Kreature, Kut-Tail & 8" worm, double tail and single tail grubs and Hula Grub. Micro Munch Tackle El Gordo, 3 1/2" Mizmo tube. Slug-Go. Roboworm, 6" Shakin' Zipper.

Top water: Zara Spook, Lucky Craft Sammy, Chug Bug and Cavitron Buzzbait.

Crankbaits:

0-2' Bomber Square A, Norman Fat Boy, Mann's -1

2-4' Bagley BII

4-6' Lucky Craft Rick Clunn 2.5 & 3.5

5-10' Rat-L-Trap, Lucky Craft LV-300

10-15' Lucky Craft LV-Max-500. New to me, Yo-Zuri Rattl'N Vibe

15-20' Norman DD22, Mann's 20+

Deep Mann's 25+

Jerkbaits:

Lucky Craft Pointer 128, 100 & 78 and Staysee 95 SP, Rapala Husky Jerk & X-Rap (4").

Jig & trailer

3/8 oz Evolution jig

Micro Munch Tackle 3/8 & 1/2 oz jigs

GMAN 1/2 oz jigs

Shak-E2 jig heads, 1/4 & 3/8 oz

GYCB Fat Baby Craw, Kreature, Flappin' Hog and Net Bait Baby Paca Craw.

Spinnerbaits:

Terminator (one chartreuse and one white), Ledgebuster 3/4 oz single willow blade

Small swimbaits: GYCB Swimming Senko

8-)

PICS Please ;D

I'd like to take the advice and look into some of these a little further, heck some of them I've never heard of

jerk baits, swim baits, crankin baits-where does a man start at to buy them recomendations :-?

[roadwarrior]

Ain't it somethin'?

If I had this advice a decade ago, I'd have a few hundred dollars invested and a few thousand in my pocket!

:

[Micro]

RW's list is very comprehensive and I agree with a lot of it.  The best part about it is is that much of the stuff he lists doesn't come with a premium price.  Bombers, Manns, Heddon, Rat-L-Trap, etc are very reasonably priced.  Rapalas carry a moderate price.  LC was sort of premium, but there are more expensive baits.

You should expect to pay something for good tackle, but it doesn't have to cost you the farm.  

[FishingBuds]

You should expect to pay something for good tackle, but it doesn't have to cost you the farm.

Agree,

But I will say that what I've learned also and this has been a very big learning issue (I call it hidden cost) is LINE, I've learned from the BR is pay attention to your line you use and I now know don't go cheap, My catches have increased sense I've purchased better line not just good baits alone, a matter of fact I'd almost bet I could contribute most of my success on good line. I have in the past paid no attention to line and now see the importance of a good tool. I have yet been able to find good pricing on good quality line :

[roadwarrior]

You should expect to pay something for good tackle, but it doesn't have to cost you the farm.

Agree,

But I will say that what I've learned also and this has been a very big learning issue (I call it hidden cost) is LINE, I've learned from the BR is pay attention to your line you use and I now know don't go cheap, My catches have increased sense I've purchased better line not just good baits alone, a matter of fact I'd almost bet I could contribute most of my success on good line. I have in the past paid no attention to line and now see the importance of a good tool. I have yet been able to find good pricing on good quality line :

The best deal going:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10201217____SearchResults

Save money on other gear, but don't skimp on line or hooks. In addition to Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft, I think the Gamma Copolymer and P-Line CX Premium might be options to try. Hooks with a solid reputation include Gamakatsu, XPoint, Owner, Mustad and VMC.

8-)

[FishingBuds]

Thanks RW

I'm a gamakatsu hook man, I'll have to look at the others and also thats three times I've heard about Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft, I'll try it