Anyone ever "started over"? (Philosophical musings itt) 2024

fishwizzard reply :

As I am trying to get myself motivated to give my tackle corner a greatly needed cleaning, I find myself thinking "I wanna start over".

I am about to begin my third year of bass fishing and only last summer/fall did I really begin to get a handle on things and feel confident. When I would catch a fish I started to understand why I caught it, rather than just chucking a lure in and hoping for the best. I now find myself with piles of lures, mostly plastics, that I am, if I am honest with myself, am never going to use. Between the exuberance of a beginner and maybe a year or so of both LTB and MTB, I have so so many lures that will never see water. And now that I am getting a hang of things and figuring out what styles and techniques I really enjoy and work in my waters, I want to buy more tackle, but it feels silly to do so when I have so much already. I also am so distracted by wanting to try everything that I never get really good at any one thing.

So more and more I am thinking about selling everything and starting over. I would keep my rods and reels and the dozen or so "kits" I build in 3600 boxes for grab-n-go trips, but get rid of everything else and, once my kits become depleted, start over just a limited selection of lures to focus on. So like, get rid of the piles of worms I have just buy a few of the "classics" and really learn them, so like buy a two colors of Trick Worms, Culprits, Robos, and Senkos. Just those four worms could keep me busy for an entire season. Same thing with other plastics, just pick a proven brand/color and only fish that until I learn it and develop conference. Hardbaits will be done the same way, a few proven lures/colors. It will be hard to get rid of it all, but if I just pick and choose I will never get rid of anything.

I know I will loose a ton of money selling everything off, but I think a more or less fresh start with the bit of knowledge I now have will make me a more focused and productive fisherman. My most productive and enjoyable days are when I bring the least amount of tackle with me, so I think I would really benefit from a refresh.

Has anyone ever done something like this? Am I crazy with cabin fever from the currently rainy weather?

Ratherbfishing reply :

On 5/6/2017 at 4:05 AM, Bunnielab said:

As I am trying to get myself motivated to give my tackle corner a greatly needed cleaning, I find myself thinking "I wanna start over".

I am about to begin my third year of bass fishing and only last summer/fall did I really begin to get a handle on things and feel confident. When I would catch a fish I started to understand why I caught it, rather than just chucking a lure in and hoping for the best. I now find myself with piles of lures, mostly plastics, that I am, if I am honest with myself, am never going to use. Between the exuberance of a beginner and maybe a year or so of both LTB and MTB, I have so so many lures that will never see water. And now that I am getting a hang of things and figuring out what styles and techniques I really enjoy and work in my waters, I want to buy more tackle, but it feels silly to do so when I have so much already. I also am so distracted by wanting to try everything that I never get really good at any one thing.

So more and more I am thinking about selling everything and starting over. I would keep my rods and reels and the dozen or so "kits" I build in 3600 boxes for grab-n-go trips, but get rid of everything else and, once my kits become depleted, start over just a limited selection of lures to focus on. So like, get rid of the piles of worms I have just buy a few of the "classics" and really learn them, so like buy a two colors of Trick Worms, Culprits, Robos, and Senkos. Just those four worms could keep me busy for an entire season. Same thing with other plastics, just pick a proven brand/color and only fish that until I learn it and develop conference. Hardbaits will be done the same way, a few proven lures/colors. It will be hard to get rid of it all, but if I just pick and choose I will never get rid of anything.

I know I will loose a ton of money selling everything off, but I think a more or less fresh start with the bit of knowledge I now have will make me a more focused and productive fisherman. My most productive and enjoyable days are when I bring the least amount of tackle with me, so I think I would really benefit from a refresh.

Has anyone ever done something like this? Am I crazy with cabin fever from the currently rainy weather?

Yes, you are crazy. Understandably so (weather-wise)

If you sell it ALL off, you'll wind up buying SOME of it back-at new lure prices? Why would you want to do a fool thing like that? If you must, just sit it aside and incorporate it back into your arsenal as you see fit.

Or you can give it all to me and I'll save you the trouble of deciding. : )

NHBull reply :

If you find your yourse mid summer feeling the same way, there is no downside to thin the herd.

That said, since your rerun on investment is going to be slim, considering donating it to a fishing club and get the deduction and feel better doing so.

Turtle135 reply :

I think you are on the right track particularly if you are targeting larger bass. Minimize and master a limited number of big fish presentations.

fishwizzard reply :

On 5/6/2017 at 4:10 AM, Ratherbfishing said:

If you sell it ALL off, you'll wind up buying SOME of it back-at new lure prices? Why would you want to do a fool thing like that? If you must, just sit it aside and incorporate it back into your arsenal as you see fit.

It's an issue of self control, once I start picking, I will keep it all. But as I said, I will top off all my little kits and keep them, so I will still have a ton of lures to work through, but when it comes time to refill, I will be far far more selective. For example, this is my "6-8 inch t-rigged worms" kit;

There are like 10 different brands/styles of worms in there. Is a Rage Recon that different from a Culprit? Is a Producto Tournament really that different from a Mann's Jelly? Sure, there are difference, but right now I don't have the experience or knowledge to know when to use one or the other. I have maybe 11-14 other kits like this, for different plastics. The plan (as I am currently thinking) is to fish each kit and actually keep track of what is catching and what isnt. Then, when I go to restock (and condense it down to like 6-7 kits), I will only buy what has worked for me.

Donating it isn't a bad idea, I travel for work a ton and if I control my eating and drinking, my left over per diem money goes right into the tackle fund. I have already donated some rods and tackle to a local fishing charity, it might even be more of a sure thing to just throw it in the mail rather then try to sort and photo it all, that gives me less time to change my mind.

On 5/6/2017 at 4:24 AM, Turtle135 said:

I think you are on the right track particularly if you are targeting larger bass. Minimize and master a limited number of big fish presentations.

Even if I want to target numbers, the diminishing returns on dozens of presentations has to kick in rather quickly. The Ned rig, a Robo on a Slider, and a Bubbling Shaker on a worm hook has accounted for most of my great numbers days, why am I keeping all this other stuff around?

A lot of this comes from fishing out of a kayak or on foot. In both cases I can only carry a very limited amount of tackle, so it's not like I will ever have even a fraction of my collection on hand to react to new or changing conditions.

lo n slo reply :

I'll take that box full of worms bro ?

BassWhole! reply :

On 5/6/2017 at 4:05 AM, Bunnielab said:

As I am trying to get myself motivated to give my tackle corner a greatly needed cleaning, I find myself thinking "I wanna start over".

I am about to begin my third year of bass fishing and only last summer/fall did I really begin to get a handle on things and feel confident. When I would catch a fish I started to understand why I caught it, rather than just chucking a lure in and hoping for the best. I now find myself with piles of lures, mostly plastics, that I am, if I am honest with myself, am never going to use. Between the exuberance of a beginner and maybe a year or so of both LTB and MTB, I have so so many lures that will never see water. And now that I am getting a hang of things and figuring out what styles and techniques I really enjoy and work in my waters, I want to buy more tackle, but it feels silly to do so when I have so much already. I also am so distracted by wanting to try everything that I never get really good at any one thing.

So more and more I am thinking about selling everything and starting over. I would keep my rods and reels and the dozen or so "kits" I build in 3600 boxes for grab-n-go trips, but get rid of everything else and, once my kits become depleted, start over just a limited selection of lures to focus on. So like, get rid of the piles of worms I have just buy a few of the "classics" and really learn them, so like buy a two colors of Trick Worms, Culprits, Robos, and Senkos. Just those four worms could keep me busy for an entire season. Same thing with other plastics, just pick a proven brand/color and only fish that until I learn it and develop conference. Hardbaits will be done the same way, a few proven lures/colors. It will be hard to get rid of it all, but if I just pick and choose I will never get rid of anything.

I know I will loose a ton of money selling everything off, but I think a more or less fresh start with the bit of knowledge I now have will make me a more focused and productive fisherman. My most productive and enjoyable days are when I bring the least amount of tackle with me, so I think I would really benefit from a refresh.

Has anyone ever done something like this? Am I crazy with cabin fever from the currently rainy weather?

"Experience is the comb life gives us after we loose our hair"

Subaqua Adinterim reply :

You're not alone, I have the same crazy thoughts.

Right now, I'm just trying to buy less stuff - that's a start.

You never want to be a slave to your possessions; but somehow if you accumulate too much stuff, it happens - you end up wasting time in various ways because you have too much stuff.

Best of luck in your effort.

RoLo reply :

You're not crazy, you've just reached the inescapable conclusion that bass are unpredictable.

"Anyone ever "started over"?

Frankly, at the beginning of every fishing day I feel like I'm 'starting over'.

Do not sell your stuff, you'll only wind up buying it back a second time.

Make your new decisions & apply your new ideas, but keep all your current stash (NO, not pot)

Roger

Team9nine reply :

Go for it! There is a surprising amount of "freedom" that comes with starting over, once you get past the initial grief Just be smart about it. Keep and stock up the boxes and stuff you know already works, then sell the other stuff online, either here or on eBay. Take any monies from those sales and stash it in an envelope and hold it for future purchases, which will eventually come. The future purchases will cost you nothing this way, and you'll be going into them with a new found discipline. Any new baits that don't pan out, sell them and add back to the envelope. If you stay in control you could go years before you ever have to "come out of pocket" for another bait, and to top it all off, you'll be feeling better and catching more fish - what's not to like?

-T9

Columbia Craw reply :

You are not crazy. Lures are tools and having options is a good thing. Wanting to simplify is not a bad thing either. Over time you gain confidence in specific lures and gravitate toward them and the stuff that worked okay gets shelved. Bass fishing is incredibly trendy. I got caught up in wanting to try that new thing and try that other new thing thinking it must be better than what I was using at the time. I could dump 70% percent of my hard baits and not miss a thing. You have matured and reached a point that you understand it's not the Lure, it's the angler's thought process as to when and how to apply it that is most important. Now, when you come up on a new angler who is starting out, be a giver and let them benefit from your reserve stocks.

camo reply :

I think maybe what you're getting at is you feel you're over complicating your fishing. That doesn't mean you need to go and get rid of your stuff just bring less and work on mastering particular techniques then you can decide for yourself the differences in the various types of worms you have and the place and time to use them.

Raul reply :

On 5/6/2017 at 4:05 AM, Bunnielab said:

As I am trying to get myself motivated to give my tackle corner a greatly needed cleaning, I find myself thinking "I wanna start over".

I am about to begin my third year of bass fishing and only last summer/fall did I really begin to get a handle on things and feel confident. When I would catch a fish I started to understand why I caught it, rather than just chucking a lure in and hoping for the best. I now find myself with piles of lures, mostly plastics, that I am, if I am honest with myself, am never going to use. Between the exuberance of a beginner and maybe a year or so of both LTB and MTB, I have so so many lures that will never see water. And now that I am getting a hang of things and figuring out what styles and techniques I really enjoy and work in my waters, I want to buy more tackle, but it feels silly to do so when I have so much already. I also am so distracted by wanting to try everything that I never get really good at any one thing.

So more and more I am thinking about selling everything and starting over. I would keep my rods and reels and the dozen or so "kits" I build in 3600 boxes for grab-n-go trips, but get rid of everything else and, once my kits become depleted, start over just a limited selection of lures to focus on. So like, get rid of the piles of worms I have just buy a few of the "classics" and really learn them, so like buy a two colors of Trick Worms, Culprits, Robos, and Senkos. Just those four worms could keep me busy for an entire season. Same thing with other plastics, just pick a proven brand/color and only fish that until I learn it and develop conference. Hardbaits will be done the same way, a few proven lures/colors. It will be hard to get rid of it all, but if I just pick and choose I will never get rid of anything.

I know I will loose a ton of money selling everything off, but I think a more or less fresh start with the bit of knowledge I now have will make me a more focused and productive fisherman. My most productive and enjoyable days are when I bring the least amount of tackle with me, so I think I would really benefit from a refresh.

Has anyone ever done something like this? Am I crazy with cabin fever from the currently rainy weather?

Every year, then I talk myself out of such insanity and organize all my s*t, I may not use it and 95% of it has never touched the water but at least now it looks cool.

MassYak85 reply :

I've encountered the same issue. It's a combination of buying lures and not liking some, finding that some are junk/don't perform, finding that I prefer some over the other, etc. etc. What I wind up with is a pile of perfectly good lures I know I will never use again mixed in with the lures I do use.

I've had the same thought you have, "I wish I could take what I know know and just build my lure arsenal from scratch". But instead of literally doing it like you seem to want to do (not that I blame you), I've sat down with all my gear, and picked through it. It takes some willpower to take a perfectly good lure or bag of plastics you paid good money for and toss it in a bin never to see the light of day again (until you sell it), but I've found that it really helps to open a box and see only lures that you've built confidence in instead of saying "I should try X because I need to get my money's worth out of something I've never caught a fish on".

Catt reply :

Ya really wanna start over?

Here's where you need to start!

Understand what structure is, how to truly identify it, interpret it, and then fish it effectively.

Understand what the predominate prey species in your lake and how that species relates to structure with each season...morning, noon, and night.

Understand that next after location is timing; just because you don't get bite does not mean the bass aren't there or you tied on the wrong lure.

Understand that to consistently catch bass is a process of elimination and duplication. Eliminate patterns and waters that are non-productive and duplicate patterns and waters that are productive.

Understand the #1 key to consistently catching bass is between your ears not between the folds of your wallet.

roadwarrior reply :

On 5/6/2017 at 10:35 AM, Raul said:

Every year, then I talk myself out of such insanity and organize all my s*t, I may not use it and 95% of it has never touched the water but at least now it looks cool.

Not...

My cave has pegboards and shelves for everything.

Then I have a large Plano tackle bag with all the stuff I think I might need.

Next is a smaller Plano which contains the tackle I plan to use on a particular day.

And finally, my rods are rigged and ready and sometimes I never open the tackle bag.

BassWhole! reply :

Most anglers progress through a circular cycle where they have (or should have) eureka moments. So while "starting over" is in itself, not a bad idea, understand that just like you look back 3 years or so and think "what was I thinking?", it will most likely happen again, and again, and its not related with what or how much tackle you own or not. KISS and simplify is where most advanced/very good anglers end up, but like most things in life, do what works for you.

Gundog reply :

OP I'm in the process of doing the same thing only on a smaller scale. I've got about 15 tackle packs of lures I haven't used and am selling them at an upcoming auction. Mostly soft plastics but a few crankbaits and jerkbaits that have never seen the light of day. I think its good to shed the clutter, downsize the collection and concentrate on the baits that work for you. Having said that, I still have about 50 tackle packs of lures that won't be going to auction.

Paul Roberts reply :

On 5/6/2017 at 4:47 AM, Bunnielab said:

Is a Rage Recon that different from a Culprit? Is a Producto Tournament really that different from a Mann's Jelly? Sure, there are difference, but right now I don't have the experience or knowledge to know when to use one or the other.

Short answer is, No. I break worm boxes down to Straight-tail, Swimming-tail, Stick, Finesse. That pretty much does it. I have favorites but am happy to mix em up.

That said, there are advantages to certain... Straight-tails, for example. I have some that are heavy and cast well unweighted -Jelly Worms and a Boone worm used to fit that scenario. But, stick worms have pretty much filled that niche since.

fishwizzard reply :

On 5/6/2017 at 10:48 AM, Catt said:

Understand the #1 key to consistently catching bass is between your ears not between the folds of your wallet.

That is sort of what I am trying to do. Learn the fundamentals better and unclutter my life a bit.

I think I am going to start by going through all my plastics and NIB hardbaits and culling everything I have yet to even fish and see what I am left with.

Yeajray231 reply :

I'm always trying new baits ! And somehow most of em work! That's what I love about bass fishing. So many ways to catch em.

Catt reply :

On 5/7/2017 at 1:29 AM, Bunnielab said:

That is sort of what I am trying to do. Learn the fundamentals better and unclutter my life a bit.

I think I am going to start by going through all my plastics and NIB hardbaits and culling everything I have yet to even fish and see what I am left with.

Getting rid of tackle aint what ya need to do

Zeeter reply :

I think selling it and starting over is a bad idea. Even if you keep your most productive gear. Just because you have all these lures and equipment doesn't mean you'll never use them.

When I got back into it I went on a spending spree. Now I have too much gear. Yet I'm a rider in tournaments and the boater suggested I try chartreuse baits because it was overcast.

I'd never used them because they didn't look natural. Thankfully, I had something on hand and managed to get some bites.

Point is, you never know when you'll need it. Maybe scale down on trips, but have a little of everything just in case.

Raul reply :

On 5/7/2017 at 3:43 AM, Catt said:

Getting rid of tackle aint what ya need to do

WRB reply :

It's time to buy a boat.

Tom

cgolf reply :

I did this once giving some softbaits I wasn't using to someone, about 1/2 to 3/4 of a Walmart bag full, because I thought I knew everything and had no use for those baits. Now many years later when I am still learning, I think where is this bait and that bait that would work perfect for a certain presentation to only realize that I had given it away. So no I will never give any stuff away until I reach the age where I am done fishing, or physically limited to what I can actually toss due to age/health

Raul reply :

On 5/7/2017 at 11:44 AM, WRB said:

It's time to buy a boat.

Tom

True !

Man the day I got my 12 ft tub was one of the happiest times of my life, I no longer had to worry, instead of having to select which baits to carry now I was able to drag almost all my s*t with me instead of leaving it at home, of course I didn't need it, I catch fish with almost the same handful of stuff everywhere all year long, but what the hell ? Better have and not need than need and don't have, at least now I don't have to carry it on my back.

wet_dream reply :

This is a refreshing thread to see, especially as a beginner. I'm on the other end of the spectrum and I don't have that much tackle (yet). While I am tempted to buy and try every lure in every color, I've tried to stick to the basics. And a lot of the decisions I've made are due to a lot of reading on these forums.

But experimenting and figuring out what works is part of the fun. Catching a fish on a new lure or technique always gets me pumped. I know my tackle collection will only continue to grow and one day I may have the same thought of starting over. I don't see the downside of having all these things at your disposal. Like others have said, you might end up buying some of the stuff back.

But I am just getting started, lol. So I guess the thought of starting over really doesn't apply to me.

Mad Scientist reply :

I know exactly where you are coming from. I was in the same boat - I was snatching up all sorts of tackle just because it was on sale just to build up my arsenal, and now I have a bunch of stuff that I'll likely never use.

But don't sell it. Unless you're in debit over it and you need the cash to make ends meet, don't do it. The money is already spent, and you'll never recoup that investment. If you want to start over, do it. But just pack that old stuff away, and sit on it for a while. You might be surprised how much you end up using in the end. And if after a season or two you still find yourself wanting to get rid of it, THEN start selling it off.

That's my opinion, anyway.

jtharris3 reply :

I've toyed with the idea, but that's as far as it's gone. I've been fishing for my entire life and I have stuff that's been sitting around for 20 years. But, I do find that I eventually get back around to using most of the stuff that I set aside from time to time. So I don't get rid of anything unless I give it to someone who will use it or it just gets too old to use.

fishwizzard reply :

Lots of good feedback, thanks guys.

I managed to get out to day and catch a pair of dinks out of a muddy little river. I also went through my plastics and pulled out everything I have never fished or caught on.

Not as much stuff as I thought, but this is was a quick pass and I was merciful to some stuff that I just know will produce if given the chance. The cleaning was needed, I found stuff I didn't remember buying, like the 10+ bags of new old stock Z-man ribbon tail worms. Going to donate the big box and see about selling the old Zman stuff, there must be another weirdo like me out there somewhere.

thomas15 reply :

There are two reasons that I have so much tackle. One is because I buy a lot (duhh), the other is that I hate losing tackle so I'm very conservative when I fish. True I don't want to lose a $30.00 lure but this year I'm going to fish harder with less expensive stuff in hopes that If I lose some it will be off set by catching more fish. But still I have no intention of buying any tackle this year. I've got plenty.

J Francho reply :

I'm going to be 45 in a few weeks. I can't remember not fishing. Same thing happens to me every spring. What am I going to do with all this?

fishangdood reply :

On 5/6/2017 at 4:05 AM, Bunnielab said:

As I am trying to get myself motivated to give my tackle corner a greatly needed cleaning, I find myself thinking "I wanna start over".

I am about to begin my third year of bass fishing and only last summer/fall did I really begin to get a handle on things and feel confident. When I would catch a fish I started to understand why I caught it, rather than just chucking a lure in and hoping for the best. I now find myself with piles of lures, mostly plastics, that I am, if I am honest with myself, am never going to use. Between the exuberance of a beginner and maybe a year or so of both LTB and MTB, I have so so many lures that will never see water. And now that I am getting a hang of things and figuring out what styles and techniques I really enjoy and work in my waters, I want to buy more tackle, but it feels silly to do so when I have so much already. I also am so distracted by wanting to try everything that I never get really good at any one thing.

So more and more I am thinking about selling everything and starting over. I would keep my rods and reels and the dozen or so "kits" I build in 3600 boxes for grab-n-go trips, but get rid of everything else and, once my kits become depleted, start over just a limited selection of lures to focus on. So like, get rid of the piles of worms I have just buy a few of the "classics" and really learn them, so like buy a two colors of Trick Worms, Culprits, Robos, and Senkos. Just those four worms could keep me busy for an entire season. Same thing with other plastics, just pick a proven brand/color and only fish that until I learn it and develop conference. Hardbaits will be done the same way, a few proven lures/colors. It will be hard to get rid of it all, but if I just pick and choose I will never get rid of anything.

I know I will loose a ton of money selling everything off, but I think a more or less fresh start with the bit of knowledge I now have will make me a more focused and productive fisherman. My most productive and enjoyable days are when I bring the least amount of tackle with me, so I think I would really benefit from a refresh.

Has anyone ever done something like this? Am I crazy with cabin fever from the currently rainy weather?

In a way I have started over by giving noobies their start. It's probably happened at least half a dozen times. The best experience was donating all my catfish gear to my buddy's church group. I'm a full time basshole.

whitwolf reply :

I suppose for me there have been times I wondered what to do but not often. I'm a tackle junky and I have no problem putting It on the peg board and during the coldest of months I organize, reorganize, and simply enjoy looking at what I have worked my tail off for.

It's a personal choice as to whether you want to sell or give away but for me I almost always give baits away. In the end enjoy what you have, use what you have confidence In, and have fun fishing and collecting.

lo n slo reply :

dibs on the worms

KayakFish107 reply :

I'm on the other end of the spectrum as well! If I would put everything together, I might be able to fill a 3700 box, and it would definitely not be stuffed! Haha! There's so many things I'd love to try, and wish I could afford to use, but I make do with what I've got and try to have some success. Maybe someday I hope to be in your shoes, but I'm just starting out, and get by with what I've got!

Cdn Angler reply :

Most plastics can serve a purpose somehow unless they are total trash. The only thing I can't see myself ever using is a pack of giant 7" pink worms that are thick as a finger. Even then I could probably cut it up into two ned heads. I have had some blue craws for a couple years, but I could see them getting used eventually.

Hard baits that suck/you hate are a bit different and I'd find those easier to toss. Who is going to pay anything for them though? Usually nobody.

I can't see any sense in chucking all your tackle. If you want to narrow your focus then set it aside. Can always revisit it in the future.

PourMyOwn reply :

I always like a zombie thread.

I've been fishing since 1980, I have piles of stuff too. What I did to the soft plastic was melt it into styles of baits that I actually use.

I separated them by color and made hundreds of creature type baits, jig trailers and soft jerkbaits.

Jaderose reply :

I have tons of stuff. Most days I could go out with a frog rod, my Texas Rig rod, 2 colors of Senkos, and a jar of JJ's because that's all I wind up using anyway.

Scott F reply :

Seeing how this post is nearly 3 years old, I’d like to hear from fishwizzard (the OP) and see what he chose to do and how he feels about it now.

Fishes in trees reply :

I 'd like to know the rest of the story. What happened between May of 2017 and when this thread was resurrected more than 14 hours ago. Did the guy give away most of his stuff? Did he take the best advice out there ( i.e. get a boat so he could carry more stuff )? Some of both? None of the above? In his last post the original poster said he was "gonna" donate a box of the stuff he'd culled. Did he really do that? I'd like to know. If it was me I'd probably donate it to a different shelf in my fishing shed.

In the winter time, and during the season when it is too windy or rainy or whatever other reason I make up to not go fishing that day, I cull through stuff. Really all I'm doing is moving it from one box to another, I'll find a few old gems and put them in the "I'm absolutely positive I'm going to try to use these next time I go pile". But really not much changes. Yesterday I was in Walmart and thinking about throwing A-rigs and I spent $30 more or less on A- rig jigs & baits, just so I didn't have to go dig through several boxes to find old A-rig stuff I've stored somewhere. I need to get better/ more consistent at labeling things.

J Francho reply :

On 2/29/2020 at 1:58 AM, Fishes in trees said:

I 'd like to know the rest of the story.

Click on the link to his profile, and see all his activity. He's been active the whole time - it's not like he disappeared.

Bird reply :

I started completely over, all tackle, rods and reels and a boat..........in very unappealing fashion.

Garage fire from frayed extension cord 7 yrs ago left behind only ashes.

Yes, I can laugh about it now.

fishwizzard reply :

On 2/28/2020 at 10:36 PM, Scott F said:

Seeing how this post is nearly 3 years old, I’d like to hear from fishwizzard (the OP) and see what he chose to do and how he feels about it now.

I gave away about 2-3 bankers boxes worth of stuff but likely bought twice as much new stuff in the years after. At this point the tackle mountain is big enough that I don't buy anything new unless it's a very good sale or by random luck winning an ebay auction I low-balled.

I have accepted in my heart that tackle fetishism is a companion hobby to actually fishing and amuse myself trying to find the "perfect" plastic/lure/bit of tackle for a (at times highly specific) situation. This spring I am excited to for the "Fat Ika vs Cover Craw" and "Rage Menace vs Ultra Vibe Craw" competitions.

Shimano_1 reply :

I personally think you're on the right track. I've been fishing seriously for the last 10 years or so and every year I seem to thin down my selection a little more. I just did it a couple weeks ago and if I couldn't remember the last time I threw a bait, it got removed. I kept things I knew there was a place for that maybe I wont use on my local lakes. You're absolutely right tho it all can be thinned down to a few of every type of bait in a couple colors. I still buy too much but I think a lot of that is the cabin fever. Hopefully in the next couple weeks the fishing will get me busy enough that I'm not surfing the inter web for tackle deals. I wouldn't get rid of all...or maybe any of it but maybe just put some of it up and focus on a few techniques and a few lures and just fish the heck out of em. I bring so much with me every trip and honestly over half the time I could bring a few jigs and a couple rods and do just fine. Good luck

Michigander reply :

I find that I end up putting old stuff that was abandoned years back into circulation as my skill level grows. Put it in a box and look through it every spring. You might find that you just weren't ready for some baits yet.

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Anyone ever "started over"? (Philosophical musings itt) 2024

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