Bargain Baits... 2024
Brian_Reeves reply :
I've been seeing a lot of posts on here about cheaper baits found on clearance sales, wal-mart racks, and second hand e-bay stuff. Just thought I'd throw out my opinion on a thread instead of hijacking someone else's for this discussion.
There are tons of knockoffs and bargains in the fishing world. Cheap line, hooks, sinkers, jigheads, plastics, cranks, and spinners are everywhere. Some of them are good deals and some of them are a waste of your money. I've been through a lot of "bargains" since I have 3 kids and am married at a pretty young age (24). Needless to say, I have to find some good deals and multi-purpose things for me to have the necessary componants to fish. Here's some of the things I've found:
Riverside Soft Plastics (wal-mart bottem shelf .99cents a bag plastics)- These soft plastics are surprisingly good. They make good smaller baits that are based on YUM designs (and actually have the YUM scent in them) The baits, as far as I can tell, are made for finesse and small fish applications. I like their 4" curley tail worms for jig&swims, since I often lose this type of bait due to the exposed hook and light line I swim them on. I actually catch fish on this rig quite often...surprisingly enough on a cheap jighead, also from wal-mart.
FLW Jigs&Trailers- I've found that the fiberguard always either comes too stiff or not stiff enough. The skirts and fiberguard -need- to be trimmed on every single jig because they are way too long. I don't like the hooks...not sure what they are but they rusted on me >
The jig trailers aren't too bad, but are a little on the thick side, sacrificing action on the fall. They are also pretty long and can cause a few short strikes by fish. On the good side, the jigs are cheap (meaning they can be your sacrifical lambs when needed).
Wal-Mart Spinnerbaits- Honestly, they aren't that bad. I change the blades on them since you can get blades for -cheap- online. I also do things to buff up the skirt. All in all...to make it a consistant fish catcher, you probably end up spending a grand total of 20 cents less than a quality spinnerbait. These, like FLW jigs, are good sacrificial lambs though. Chunk them into impossible cover and see what happens.
Renegade Hard plastics (Cranks and jerks)- They aren't bad at all. most need tuning right out of the box, but have decent fish catching abilities once that problem is corrected. I change the hooks out of them to gammies or owner trebels in the same sizes...sometimes in red. All in all, not a bad buy.
Terminal Tackle (Hooks, rods, reels, line, and sinkers) I strongly recommend buying QUALITY items in all of these categories. With hooks, always be sure your package says Owner, Gamakastu (spelling??), or Mustad. You can't go wrong with those 3. Eagle Claw Laser Sharps aren't bad, but I prefer the aforementioned 3.
Rods and reels- You can get a Tournament Quantum 6'6 MH rod and reel combo for around 60 bucks at Wal-Mart. These are GOOD combos and will handle just about any abuse you can think of on the water. I highly recommend these and this combo is about the best you can get at a 'cheap' price.
Line- Silver Thread Copolymer is a good substitution for Flourocarbon and Braided. It's a good halfway point between the two in stretch, abrasion resistance, and sensitivity. It also comes at half the price. This is what I use, along with Spider Wire Stealth and Berkley Vanish (for finesse)
Hopefully this helps take some of the guesswork out of your bargain shopping.
The_Natural reply :
I just spent $70 on a Shimano Sedona and Berkley Lightening rod at walmart. The new lightened Lightening rods are indeed very light and feel nice. It's amazing how much better they are now at $30 than they were in 1989 at $70-$100 (my first rod).
Raul reply :
QuoteI just spent $70 on a Shimano Sedona and Berkley Lightening rod at walmart. The new lightened Lightening rods are indeed very light and feel nice. It's amazing how much better they are now at $30 than they were in 1989 at $70-$100 (my first rod).
My only beef with the new LRs is the guides, they don 't have ceramic inserts, and you are right about the price, got my first one in 1982, paid a whopping 100 bux for it, which back then was a whole lotta munny for a rod.
Bankbeater reply :
You can get some really good deals when wal-mart cleans out their stock. The one by me recently had wave worms on sale for $1 a bag.
wickyman reply :
I didn't see you mention anything about tackle bags on there. So I am adding my two cents. I went yesterday, to just look at everything they had in the fishing section of our local wal-mart, thinking that I was only there to browse. When all of the sudden, I look down to the bottom shelf of the tackle bag isle, and I see this bright red Okeechobee Fats bag. I pick it up, and see the price on the shelf. My Jaw dropped, at an amazingly low $9.95! I grabbed one, and a couple more medium boxes to go into the top compartment, which already housed two O-Fats medium plastic boxes. I think it was $2.86 for the 2 boxes, and I have enough room for a lot of lures, gear, etc.! I am very please with my purchase! Of course there are other bags, or if you prefer, boxes, at varying prices! I am on a really low budget, and I thought that it was time, at that price, to grab myself a bag!
Also, even though you stated the renegades lures, They have other lures that are less than a dollar more, from many name brands, usually in small flats, or in bins. I picked up a rebel Pop-R, in frog spotted, with a white and hologram fuzzy tail for 2 bucks and some change. I also grabbed a Heddon mini torpedo in frog spotted, Cotton Cordell Big-O in grey shad. All very good looking lures! Don't get me wrong though, I also own a couple small renegade rattlers! I have one in a golden shiner, and one in fire tiger.
I also want to address the jigs. I buy a lot of jigs every year, and I really like the Luck-e strike jigs, with the Gamakatsu hooks! They are fantastic, but the paint wears off after a short while. I also like the Renegade Blood-line jigs, they work excellent, when fishing a white, or green thumpin' tail grub, or even just a worm!
I have been using several manufactures of worms, from YUM, robo worm, and senko, but I really prefer the cheaper worms, as they are really close, and produce the same results as the senko! I do find similarities in colors, and size, but the weight, and feel of the rubber is different. You will notice a huge different in movement between the cheaper worms, as apposed to the senko worms. I catch just as many fish, with either worm!
This is an awesome thread, maybe it will help some people whom are just starting, and maybe get them off on the right foot, as far as "bargain" or "low-budget" fishing goes! Have a great day, hit that lake, pond, river, and happy fishing!
wickyman reply :
QuoteYou can get some really good deals when wal-mart cleans out their stock. The one by me recently had wave worms on sale for $1 a bag.
That is a fantastic price! I like the price before a sale, but it's a whole lot better during a sale! Wave worms are great, and you can't go wrong with the tiki sticks! I think that they are great, cheap, and durable worms! They don't move like the senko worms, but fish don't really notice a whole lot! They are worth every penny!
roadwarrior reply :
Well, I have a slightly different suggestion to save a lot of money. I have a lot of tackle, not nearly as much as some, but much more than others. I'm NOT getting rid of it, but if I had it all to do over, I might own less than half. Most of my tackle has either never been used or fished just a time or two. For example, over the past two years I think I have fished six different jerkbaits. I'm not sure exactly when I'm going to fish the other forty-two. Maybe I'll find the right water to fish one of those other colors I "needed" when I bought them.
I think you would be miles ahead if you bought three or four high quality lures (over time) within a given class rather than a dozen cheap baits all at once. With a little effort and a good lure retriever, most lures (hard baits) last indefinitely.
And one other suggestion:
Keep a list of lures HIGHLY recommended by people you trust. Add those baits to your tackle collection over time and when on sale. Don't buy stuff just 'cause it looks cool. Jumping on lures in the bargin bin isn't a good deal unless the bait is actually effective.
wickyman reply :
That is a very good point. I usually go for a lure that has some kind of realism to it. If you think like the bass, then you will be ahead of the rest! You basically want to stick to colors that are more natural to the fish, and other critters, that they might get a hold of! When you throw pink, blue, and other colors like that, chances are, they aren't going to match anything in the area you fish, and the bass might have a little curiosity, but remember, curiosity killed the cat! Just because a lure looks like it might be really good, or even worth a shot, it usually isn't! Get a list of creatures in the area, such as small birds, bugs, fish, and smaller animals. I know, it sounds weird, but I have first handedly seen a bass take a baby squirrel that fell out of its nest...
Fish are your most likely bet, as far as a bass' dinner, or whatever. We have many species of fish that the bass tend to eat on Clear Lake, in California. We have trout, hitch, blue gill, crappie, catfish, and carp. Of those, I know that the bass eat the blue gill, crappie, hitch, and trout. So I look for a lure that is going to look as close to the markings of those fish, or at least in the same general shape. Sometimes, you might want something to aggravate the fish into taking that type of lure though. I like to use something that is bright green, or yellow first, then I throw out something more fit for the surroundings!
It's all dependant on where the fish are suspended in the water also. Are they top, mid, or deep? If they are top, something that will make some kind of splashing, or spitting, will entice the bass to bite, but not always! You might have to try a couple different top waters to get the desired effects. I just recently got into diving lures, and purchased a mid diver, in a black, gray, white, with a red chin. I have heard, that they produce many bigger fish on our particular lake! The fish in the deeper parts will probably, or possibly want something brighter colored, to cause the effects that would catch their eyes. But this isn't always true either.
Bass have a black, or faintly black line across their sides, that detects sound and vibration, much like the ear drum in our ears. They use it to find food deeper down in the water, where light may, or may not be able to penetrate, due to folliage, or sheltering overhangs.
My personal tactics have helped me land some fair sized bass, and I am happy with my results, from the research I have done over the course of the last couple months! If all else fails, get yourself some shiners, and see what happens! Even sometimes, a bobber and crawler!
Red reply :
i buy all my stuff at walmart...rods, reels,lures..everything..unless there is something i want that they dont have then i will go to academy....like senkos...walmart didnt have GY senkos and i wanted some, so i bought some at academy.....come to find out buy reading this forums Kinami senkos are exactly the same...and walmart does have them....i just recently bought a pinnacle solene reel, which walmart carries...but they didnt have left hand so i bought minje online....my 3 other abu's i bought from walmart, and my two berkley rods i got there, i do have one guide series rod from gander mountain but it was a gift...i have always had good luck with shakespere rods too....my favorite rod that i put the pinnacle on is a shakespere rod....i looked up online some of the reel names i have read about on here(revo for example) and cant believe the prices!! i dont think i could ever bring myself to pay that much money for a reel! can a 200 dollar reel really be THAT much better or last THAT much longer than my 50 dollar rells?
Cliff
wickyman reply :
I agree, it seems so pointless to spend that much money, on something that is going to be used for the same sport! I am going to get me the abu garcia ambassadeur, orange colored reel at my local walmart! I like the price, just over 69 dollars, and it feels lighter than the shimano reel, of the same price, at a local shop! I am not all that worried about the price of a reel, but I am worried about materials, and walmart carries some of the nicer reels out there, people just don't like to buy them! I buy my stuff from walmart because of their customer support, if an item isn't working right, they take it back, no questions asked! I love it, and it's good that they back their sales up like that! Not many local shops will! They just want to send it in, and have it refurbished, and charge you to do it... At least in my experiences!
I have 2 out of 3 rods that are Shakespeare! I have an older spinning rod that my dad bought back in 97 or 98. It works great for bass! And I have a Shakespeare intrepid IM7 bait casting/flipping rod! Great rods for the price, and well worth, every penny! I also have a Shakespeare reel, for my ultra light cherry wood pole. Works perfect for crappie! Caught my PB on it too! 4lbs 6oz, on a reel not meant for anything bigger than a 2-3lb fish! Not bad!
guest reply :
QuoteWell, I have a slightly different suggestion to save a lot of money. I have a lot of tackle, not nearly as much as some, but much more than others. I'm NOT getting rid of it, but if I had it all to do over, I might own less than half. Most of my tackle has either never been used or fished just a time or two. For example, over the past two years I think I have fished six different jerkbaits. I'm not sure exactly when I'm going to fish the other forty-two. Maybe I'll find the right water to fish one of those other colors I "needed" when I bought them.I think you would be miles ahead if you bought three or four high quality lures (over time) within a given class rather than a dozen cheap baits all at once. With a little effort and a good lure retriever, most lures (hard baits) last indefinitely.
And one other suggestion:
Keep a list of lures HIGHLY recommended by people you trust. Add those baits to your tackle collection over time and when on sale. Don't buy stuff just 'cause it looks cool. Jumping on lures in the bargin bin isn't a good deal unless the bait is actually effective.
RW has givien me some great points but this has to be his single best post. ABSOULUTELY CORRECT. I have bought some used cranks and top waters this spring to see what works for me I want to have my bag simple : COVER THE WATER TABLE AND TYPES OF COVER
Topwater/shallow>>>Mid Depth and some deep stuff I HAVE JUST GOT MY FIRST QUALITY JIGS eventulally I will weed out what works and what dosen't for me
What works now Original and Jointed Rapalas/Spittin Images and dog walking baits on top
*** Baits(senko knock offs) and Zoom Plastic worms and green ribbon tail worms and I have had moderate sucess with Jointed Glass Raps and some DT"S If the Jig thing takes off everything but the best quality of these lures will leave my bag I want sucess not a sore shoulder and bragging rights over who has the most stuff
RW GREAT INFO GREAT POST
Stringjam reply :
QuoteLine- Silver Thread Copolymer is a good substitution for Flourocarbon and Braided. It's a good halfway point between the two in stretch, abrasion resistance, and sensitivity. It also comes at half the price. This is what I use, along with Spider Wire Stealth and Berkley Vanish (for finesse)
Silver Thread AN40 is good stuff for sure - gets very little attention, but does an excellent job.
guest reply :
Just another thought If it didn't catch fish when it was 6.99 why is gonna catch fish at 2.99 Just a question????????? :
wickyman reply :
Which is a good reason to talk to the lake locals. Most of the older guys whom fish every day, or more than most, will know what works, or works best. If you figure out what is working, when it works, and your best chances in certain areas, then you will have more to base off that lure... I know some people whom fish that lake all the time, they let me in on the secrets of what lures work best. Then I make a list, and see if I can't find it for less than normal prices. 
Not only does it make a difference in the lure, but you need to learn how to work it, in different areas.
msmonroe reply :
I guess the reason I go to places like Academy or Sportsmans Warehouse (or take the occassional trip to BPS) is because, at least where I live, there are knowledgeable people that work there. They know AND fish in the lakes in the area. I waste alot less money and time because I can talk to these guys and get tips from them.
Personally, I've never had any kind of experience like that at a Walmart. I occassionally go there with my dad or brother-in-law, but in those instances there is almost never anyone there to help them, and they end up asking me questions about what to get.
Of course, if I already knew it all, then going to someplace with knowledgable salespeople would be a waste of time. But then so would going to Walmart. Then I'd just go to ***.com.
- Matt
wickyman reply :
Yeah. You really can't guess exactly what a fish wants, but you should have something in your arsenal that the fish is going to take... It's like going to a restraunt and them only having one or two things on the menu... You would rather eat somewhere else... You know? I make sure that I have a few things in there, whether or not it's a waste of money... You might not have a lot now, or money at least, but in the future you will have a lot more tackle, as you build up... You can never have too much stuff... It's not possible... You have to consider that you might want to try it as an alternative, because you lost all the producing baits, and find that the one bait you never tried, has produced all along...
Bud reply :
Quotecan a 200 dollar reel really be THAT much better or last THAT much longer than my 50 dollar rells?
In one word YES. Their is a world of difference between a $200 reel and a $50 dollar one.
Red reply :
ok...lol...i will take your word for it..but i think iw ill stick to my 33 dollar abu garcias from walmart!
Cliff
guest reply :
In one word YES. Their is a world of difference between a $200 reel and a $50 dollar one. QUOTE
Yea 150 less to spend at the track
guest reply :
QuoteWell, I have a slightly different suggestion to save a lot of money. I have a lot of tackle, not nearly as much as some, but much more than others. I'm NOT getting rid of it, but if I had it all to do over, I might own less than half. Most of my tackle has either never been used or fished just a time or two. For example, over the past two years I think I have fished six different jerkbaits. I'm not sure exactly when I'm going to fish the other forty-two. Maybe I'll find the right water to fish one of those other colors I "needed" when I bought them.I think you would be miles ahead if you bought three or four high quality lures (over time) within a given class rather than a dozen cheap baits all at once. With a little effort and a good lure retriever, most lures (hard baits) last indefinitely.
And one other suggestion:
Keep a list of lures HIGHLY recommended by people you trust. Add those baits to your tackle collection over time and when on sale. Don't buy stuff just 'cause it looks cool. Jumping on lures in the bargin bin isn't a good deal unless the bait is actually effective.
Kent's logic is irrefutable. There is no doubt that a carefully selected cross section of quality baits will serve the angler better than a "shotgun" approach to the bargan bin.
The only problem with logic is that it does not appeal to emotions.
I cannot - repeat - cannot go into a Wal-mart without buying SOMETHING from the fishing department. It may only be a popping cork or a pack of hooks, but usually it's something more.
Have you tired those cheap little renegade worms? they catch bassies fo' sure.
FatBoy reply :
To get back to the original point of this thread...
I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RECOMMEND any of Walmart's Renegade jig heads. I bought a few packs of those last summer. Within 2-3 weeks in my box every hook was rusted. And I mean thoroughly rusted, even through the painted head.
These days I keep a couple of those silica gel packs that you can get in shoes or whatever in each of my boxes (got that tip right here on BassResource.com!!!) So rusting stuff is not so much of a problem any more. But still, you should avoid those Renegade jig heads like the plague.
burleytog reply :
I don't know what hook they use in those heads, but they are very prone to rusting.
Doesn't matter if they get wet or stay dry, they just rust.
Red reply :
well i have to say, i used those renegade jig heads almost exclusively for walleye fishing in minnesota and zero rust issues with them...they are cheap and they cought tons of walleyes for me...just my experience
Cliff
wickyman reply :
Wait... I haven't had any issues with the renegade jigs... I have had them for quite a while, and none of them have rusted?! Maybe it's just me, and my care to close my box when I fish... Even the ones I have used are still like new... I basically use the bloodline renegade jigs, but not a one has rusted... I have zerust boxes by flambeau, and the supposedly let off a gas when you close the lid, that seals out the moisture... I don't know if I believe that, but not one rusty hook!
FatBoy reply :
QuoteWait... I haven't had any issues with the renegade jigs... I have had them for quite a while, and none of them have rusted?! Maybe it's just me, and my care to close my box when I fish... Even the ones I have used are still like new... I basically use the bloodline renegade jigs, but not a one has rusted... I have zerust boxes by flambeau, and the supposedly let off a gas when you close the lid, that seals out the moisture... I don't know if I believe that, but not one rusty hook!
Not jigs, jig HEADS. I'm not talking about a jig with a skirt and weed guard. I'm talking about just the lead head and hook like you'd rig a grub or something on.
sal669 reply :
Speaking of BARGAINS...
Bargain doesn't mean "cheap" !!!!!!!!
I don't buy stuff because it's cheap. I buy stuff if it's a bargain !!!!
For example:
-I bught 2 medium/ moderate IM6 grafit trigger rods (made on pfluger blanks, quality cork handles, fuji guides) for light and medium duty cranckbaiting. The original price was $49.99. Was discontinued and there was a "sale" on top of that so it cost me $14+tax each.
-Yo-zuri cranckbaits, minowbaits,poppers,walk-the-dog stile for $3.99 each(about $7 originally)
-Daiwa Capricorn spinning reels at about $70 each(different sizes)
-Daiwa TD-S baitcasters for $65-80
.......................................................................
Cabelas has The TDZs for $199. It's a bargain, but I'm not willing to spend that kind of money for a reel, when my TD-Ss work just fine
I dont buy apiece of cr@p just because " it's cheap".
DON'T SPEND ON BAD PRODUCT ONLY BECAUSE "IT'S CHEAP". LOOK FOR BARGAINS !!!
What would you buy: a 3 year old Dodge Neon for$5,000 or a 3 year old Lexus for $10,000?
The Dodge is cheaper, but the Lexus is the bargain
Just my $0.02
wickyman reply :
QuoteQuoteWait... I haven't had any issues with the renegade jigs... I have had them for quite a while, and none of them have rusted?! Maybe it's just me, and my care to close my box when I fish... Even the ones I have used are still like new... I basically use the bloodline renegade jigs, but not a one has rusted... I have zerust boxes by flambeau, and the supposedly let off a gas when you close the lid, that seals out the moisture... I don't know if I believe that, but not one rusty hook!Not jigs, jig HEADS. I'm not talking about a jig with a skirt and weed guard. I'm talking about just the lead head and hook like you'd rig a grub or something on.
That's what I mean... I got like 6 different jig heads at wal-mart, all of which were renegade... I have the ones with the bloodline red hooks, and I got the original hooks... They all seem really sharp, and were really a good price... I use them mainly for crappie, and smaller fish, but I have my Luck-E-Strike jigs in 1/4 oz for the larger fish... They happen to have Gamakatsu hooks, and were roughly the same price, for better quality hooks... I agree that the quality of the renegade jigs could be better, but they aren't bad for what they are intended for... If you set the hook properly, you shouldn't have to worry about which jigs you use... Set it hard, and reel it in! JMHO, and this is the end of my $.02.
Hookemdown. reply :
QuoteSpeaking of BARGAINS...Bargain doesn't mean "cheap" !!!!!!!!
I don't buy stuff because it's cheap. I buy stuff if it's a bargain !!!!
For example:
-I bught 2 medium/ moderate IM6 grafit trigger rods (made on pfluger blanks, quality cork handles, fuji guides) for light and medium duty cranckbaiting. The original price was $49.99. Was discontinued and there was a "sale" on top of that so it cost me $14+tax each.
-Yo-zuri cranckbaits, minowbaits,poppers,walk-the-dog stile for $3.99 each(about $7 originally)
-Daiwa Capricorn spinning reels at about $70 each(different sizes)
-Daiwa TD-S baitcasters for $65-80
.......................................................................
Cabelas has The TDZs for $199. It's a bargain, but I'm not willing to spend that kind of money for a reel, when my TD-Ss work just fine
I dont buy apiece of cr@p just because " it's cheap".
DON'T SPEND ON BAD PRODUCT ONLY BECAUSE "IT'S CHEAP". LOOK FOR BARGAINS !!!
What would you buy: a 3 year old Dodge Neon for$5,000 or a 3 year old Lexus for $10,000?
The Dodge is cheaper, but the Lexus is the bargain
Just my $0.02
Exactly
Bud reply :
QuoteYea 150 less to spend at the track
To each his own.
wickyman reply :
I don't care what other people are gonna say, I think my little Abu Garcia 6500 is good enough. Only 75 out the door at wal-mart... It looks great, and no backlash! I opted for the special edition orange! I don't fish tournaments, so what's the point of having a 200+ dollar reel?!
guest reply :
Hey Wicky you worked for the money, you bought it it really Aint nobody's business but your own Enjoy the reel 8-)
gopherbass reply :
If you want to get some nice stuff, look no further than accrual accounting. Tweak the definition of an asset to, "Probable future recreational benefits owned by yourself as a result of past transactions." Now, the $200 reel you just bought is a capital asset with a useful life of 7 years and a salvage value of $25. Depreciate the reel over its useful life and your costs related to reel are only $25 per year. Your wives will never know what hit them.
wickyman reply :
QuoteHey Wicky you worked for the money, you bought it it really Aint nobody's business but your own Enjoy the reel 8-)
Yeah, no kidding, huh? I love this reel, I just can't wait to see it in action! Weekend after this... Got a trout derby this weekend... WOOT!
MyKeyBe reply :
QuoteAs far as jigs go...there is no substitute for quality. FLW and Renegade jigs just don't cut it for me...at all. My list of good jigs include Booyah, Strike King, and Mann's.
There is a big difference between being/buying cheap and being/buying thrifty.
FLW jigs are made by Mann's. Mann's makes all of the FLW stuff I have seen.
Are the jigs really that bad? I just bought a bunch for 50 cents. They seem like real nice jigs for the money. I don't really know as I have not used them yet.
Since I bought my green Curado BU-200 last year for $60.00 it must be junk?
Fenwick Venture for $20.00? Must be cheap garbage.
Kinami Flashes for a buck? Worst lures ever!
I have quite a few Riverside lures. 99 cents for some Yum! rejects? I'll buy the good ones all day long. Craw Papi's, Dinger's, Vibra King tubes, and Buzz Frogs 5 for a dollar? Grubs 10 for a dollar? Yep, I'm all over them.
There can be and is a huge difference between being cheap and being a bargain hunter.
Stringjam reply :
One of the best "bargains" available is making your own stuff.
I pour my own jigs in an Eakins-style mold, and make my own spinnerbaits and buzzbaits (sometimes poured, sometimes with pre-made frames). My father fishes blade baits a lot and saves a TON pouring his own Silver Buddy's (I would guess he goes through at least 100 a year).
I prefer the lures I make to anything I've bought yet, and at a fraction of the cost. There is a lot you can improve or experiment with (wire diameters, hooks, frame designs, components...etc...)
If you have a local tackle store that caters to the tournament crowd, they'll have all the stuff and advice you need.
bassman1282 reply :
QuoteWell, I have a slightly different suggestion to save a lot of money. I have a lot of tackle, not nearly as much as some, but much more than others. I'm NOT getting rid of it, but if I had it all to do over, I might own less than half. Most of my tackle has either never been used or fished just a time or two. For example, over the past two years I think I have fished six different jerkbaits. I'm not sure exactly when I'm going to fish the other forty-two. Maybe I'll find the right water to fish one of those other colors I "needed" when I bought them.I think you would be miles ahead if you bought three or four high quality lures (over time) within a given class rather than a dozen cheap baits all at once. With a little effort and a good lure retriever, most lures (hard baits) last indefinitely.
And one other suggestion:
Keep a list of lures HIGHLY recommended by people you trust. Add those baits to your tackle collection over time and when on sale. Don't buy stuff just 'cause it looks cool. Jumping on lures in the bargin bin isn't a good deal unless the bait is actually effective.
THis is the best post of the whole thread. It is not very hard to see that most of you guys are not "hardcore" bass anglers...meaning you dont fish a lot of tournaments and/or spend a large part of your time on the water. Thats fine. But I would agree with this post that you should not just buy stuff because it is cheap and it LOOKS ALMOST as good as everything else. Guess what...it isnt. And someday if you get more serious about your fishing you will realize this and be dissapointed at how much you spent on crap you will never use. The guys you watch on TV dont use the very best stuff because they get most of it for free, because you can bet they dont get a lot of it for free. They use the best because it is the best....period.
liquidsoap reply :
QuoteWell, I have a slightly different suggestion to save a lot of money. I have a lot of tackle, not nearly as much as some, but much more than others. I'm NOT getting rid of it, but if I had it all to do over, I might own less than half. Most of my tackle has either never been used or fished just a time or two. For example, over the past two years I think I have fished six different jerkbaits. I'm not sure exactly when I'm going to fish the other forty-two. Maybe I'll find the right water to fish one of those other colors I "needed" when I bought them.I think you would be miles ahead if you bought three or four high quality lures (over time) within a given class rather than a dozen cheap baits all at once. With a little effort and a good lure retriever, most lures (hard baits) last indefinitely.
And one other suggestion:
Keep a list of lures HIGHLY recommended by people you trust. Add those baits to your tackle collection over time and when on sale. Don't buy stuff just 'cause it looks cool. Jumping on lures in the bargin bin isn't a good deal unless the bait is actually effective.
Excellent post!
I practice what RR preeches!
Baconstrip reply :
If I could take it all back, I probably would own my wastepack tacklebox and the 2 small trays that came with it. Inside, I would have probably around 40 booyah bed bug jigs ($2.29 each) and matching paca chunk trailers, and THAT IS IT. Everything else to date has been a total waste of money to me. Yes, I catch fish on spinners, yes I catch fish on cranks and worms, but I catch bigger ones on jigs, and for the life of me, I cannot remember the last time I was skunked on one of those jigs.
As far as rod and reels, the best I can afford and have never regetted any of them.
And for cranks, I get more luck with excaliber or storm hardbaits than I do with LC. I am too afraid to toss a $15 dollar crank into stumps or downed trees, whereas I have no problem risking a $2 dollar lure.
wickyman reply :
Inferiority is only half of it, when it comes to buying good lures. Yes I have some cheap lures, and yes, they catch fish very well. But if you are willing to spend 5 times the money, on something that you can tweak to meet really close, to the same standards, wouldn't you? I have a couple cheap, really cheap, lures that I have tweaked. Some just with hooks, and landed fish, or some that I had to slightly bend the eyelets to make it swim better. Sometimes both. Still, I find that they work as well as my rapala, and LC baits... I can't see spending money, that someone told me to spend on a lure, and not catch any fish... It's all in the beholder's eye!
Driving by anglers that fish near the shore, I stopped and asked what they were using. You know what they said? "Some cheap little lure I bought last night at Wal-mart." They showed me what they had, and it was nothing more than a renegade rattle... I asked how many, and what size fish they caught, and both of them said that they had a couple decent lunkers, in the 8lb range. One of the guys pulled out a monster 10.5lb bass out of their tank! My jaw dropped! Seriously, it's not the price of the lure that catches the fish, it's how well you know how to make it move in the water!
Red reply :
i guess if i was in a tournament and big money was on the line or somethin..i can maybe see spending the extra money for that...but for me, i just want to fish!! i have a very small amount of tackle...like 6 cranks...2 spinnerbaits...and a handful of different plastics and the terminal tackle to rig them..thats it....if i can be on the water and cast my stuff, i am happy
Cliff
bassman1282 reply :
first off, i want to take issue with the fact that a triton will outperform a bass tracker, but this may be because i think tritons are the biggest pieces of s#$t on the water. ;D Anyway, im not saying that you gotta go lucky craft for all your hardbaits and stuff like that. But how much sense does it make to buy a crappy renegade hardbait that 1), you have to spend forever tuning, 2) you have to change the hooks on and, 3) doesnt look nearly as good and still will probably not run right anyway, when you can spend 5-6 for a rapala or another brand that at least tests and tunes and puts good hooks on a bait. It doesnt make any sense to do that.
wickyman reply :
That is a very valid point tex! Glad someone finally said that! It seems that companies are taking advantage of us, so that they can produce colors, that are looked into by their R&D... What the hell?! Why do we spend the extra money for something, that we can get, and paint ourselves, and spend a fraction of that cost?! It's so pointless to me. I can see a bass boat being different, as some are inferior to others, but in tackle, it makes no sense... We are just paying for colors... If you know someone whom can airbrush from pictures, have them paint your cheaper rapala lure... It's the same thing!
Stringjam reply :
QuoteLucky Craft makes crankbaits...and so does Bomber, Bagley, Mann's, and Bandit. The only real difference that I can see between the LC baits and others is the paint job. All have rattles, all have VERY SIMILIAR actions in their models, and all make a great variety of fish catching baits. Where is the -REAL- difference at, other than the eye candy? They come tuned out of the box and come with really sharp hooks....so does Rapala.
None of those companies make a Pointer.... Seriously, though....I live in a place where suspending jerkbaits win 90% of the money in the pre-spawn - Pointers simply have an action that cannot be obtained by jerkbaits from any of the companies listed there.......and try casting a Rogue in a 20 mph wind.
For me, $15 isn't expensive for a lure that flat out performs, and especially one I'll rarely or never lose.
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
I still buy them but the key is too look on the back of the package if it says made in USA grab um they are way better hooks then the ones made in china .They are all starting to be made in china hard to find made in USA anymore!!!QuoteTo get back to the original point of this thread...I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RECOMMEND any of Walmart's Renegade jig heads. I bought a few packs of those last summer. Within 2-3 weeks in my box every hook was rusted. And I mean thoroughly rusted, even through the painted head.
These days I keep a couple of those silica gel packs that you can get in shoes or whatever in each of my boxes (got that tip right here on BassResource.com!!!) So rusting stuff is not so much of a problem any more. But still, you should avoid those Renegade jig heads like the plague.
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
All baits have a diff action .Because its 15 bucks dont mean its the only action that will catch fish.The fact of the matter is if you spend 15 bucks on a lure its in your bones u just spent a whole lot of money on a simple design and it BETTER catch fish>If i painted my own RAps it dont mean im catching more fish ONLY if i no for sure they will bite this color will i know it was worth painting .But serious all jokes aside>Why is it a lot of people are downing AMERICAN products when BASS Fishing was the brainchild of americans who FOUNDED bass fishing as sport worldwide>We cant say creme,manns, bagleys,storm or anyother ROOTS manufactor dont no what they are doin when they been doin it the longest FOR us to have fun and catch fishQuoteThat's the kind of response I'm looking for. If the LC Pointer has a different action that unattainable with any other bait, then it is indeed, unique and deserving of costing a bit more. I used some sort of LC Crankbait (med depth) and it looked like a pretty Bomber to me. That's the point I'm making.
bassman1282 reply :
QuoteThat is a very valid point tex! Glad someone finally said that!It seems that companies are taking advantage of us, so that they can produce colors, that are looked into by their R&D... What the hell?! Why do we spend the extra money for something, that we can get, and paint ourselves, and spend a fraction of that cost?! It's so pointless to me. I can see a bass boat being different, as some are inferior to others, but in tackle, it makes no sense... We are just paying for colors... If you know someone whom can airbrush from pictures, have them paint your cheaper rapala lure... It's the same thing!
I love the claim that you can paint your own or get someone to paint your baits so they look just as good without it costing as much as the high end stuff. You are either A) insane, full of it or C) you know something or someone i dont.
MyKeyBe reply :
Well I guess this will be a little off topic but... ;D
Does it really matter?
Did you have fun catching fish on your $6.00 Senkos?
I had a great time catching fish on my .99 cent Riverside knock offs.
Someone else's budget might not be the same as mine but at least we both had fun, caught a few fish, and enjoyed nature.
That's what it's all about.
Mattlures reply :
All of you guys will come to the realization tha RW is right. The problem is by the time you figure this out you will have already collected a ton of stuff you will never use. I used to buy anything that was decent and cheap. Now I only use high end gear. Is a $200 reel worth that much more than a $50 one? actualy its worth about $2000 if you compare it like that. I wouldnt trade any of my good reels for a hundred Abus. Will thay catch more fish? No. Will you get more distance and less backlashes? Maybe but most likley it wont matter too much. Then what makes a high priced reel worth it? The experience!!! It just feels good. They are so much more enjoyeble to use. They are so much smoother and they feel like $200. A $50 reel feels like one. I bet in "regular" fishing I would catch the same amount of fish with a cheap rod and reel as I would with good gear but I wouldnt enjoy the trip as much. There are some actual advantages to higherpriced gear especialy reels. The DRAG is usualy the most noticable upgade. It may never come into play for you but if it ever does you will be sorry you bought that cheap reel. If your drag is just a little sticky and you loose a monster because of it you will hate your prized reel that you got such a great bargin on. Also since I fish a lot of big swimbaits and saltwater I can tell you that the lesser reels cant take the same abuse.
There is a reason people always say " you get what you pay for"
cause its true. The real bargin is to buy it right the first time and you wont need to upgrade.
Now with all that said ther are definatly bargins out there. I own 2 calias and 2 calcutta te's. I paid $200 or less for each one. 3 of them I bought from board members in the clasified section on my home board. the 4th I bought on Ebay. I actualy had to send that one to Shimano but now ita as good as new. wait for a sale or a deal on Qaulity gear and you will save money.
Stringjam reply :
QuoteAll baits have a diff action .Because its 15 bucks dont mean its the only action that will catch fish.The fact of the matter is if you spend 15 bucks on a lure its in your bones u just spent a whole lot of money on a simple design and it BETTER catch fish>If i painted my own RAps it dont mean im catching more fish ONLY if i no for sure they will bite this color will i know it was worth painting .But serious all jokes aside>Why is it a lot of people are downing AMERICAN products when BASS Fishing was the brainchild of americans who FOUNDED bass fishing as sport worldwide>We cant say creme,manns, bagleys,storm or anyother ROOTS manufactor dont no what they are doin when they been doin it the longest FOR us to have fun and catch fish
No one is saying American manufacturers don't know what they're doing - but their whole purpose, as any business, is to make money. That's why Bandit took their quality made US product line and shipped production to China. It wasn't so we would have more fun and catch more fish. Bagley did the same thing - that company has changed hands a half dozen times.
They don't care about Americans, they care about getting bigger bank accounts, and they'll sell out the quality of their product and the American workers to stay competitive and do it (obviously there are still some who haven't......good on em!)
Poe's made a killer cedar crankbait line up out in California through the late 80's (I still have several of these from that production period). Then they sold out and sent production to Mexico, and the quality went right with it.
My only point it, I could care less anymore what brand the lure is or who makes it - I only care if it is EFFECTIVE in my home waters.
Some people pay $15 to go get drunk every weekend - - I pay $15 for a lure that helps me enjoy one of the most rewarding pastimes in life......worth every penny to me.
guest reply :
Hey bassman 1282 its good to have such a pro and fisheman as yourself here to straighten the rest of us amatuers out. No I dont fish competition and I do fish a lot of hours. My Rapala baits and alurring plastics keep me busy with a lot of fish And You take exception that a Triton is better than a Tracker. I have been in both boats , both are great products but a Trion is EONS better then any traker. Its like comparing a Chevy Impala to a Cadillac both great cars but a Caddy is well a Caddy.
wickyman reply :
QuoteQuoteThat is a very valid point tex! Glad someone finally said that!I love the claim that you can paint your own or get someone to paint your baits so they look just as good without it costing as much as the high end stuff. You are either A) insane,
Yes, I do know someone you don't... Myself! I also know that I am not insane, nor that I am full of it. I also know several people whom can produce paint jobs that are phenomenal compared to mine, but mine are good. You can do it, you just have to understand what a real fish looks like, which is why you look at the pictures... I know, that most companies cannot produce a perfect fish either, and I don't claim that. I just said that you can have them painted just as good, for a lot less! I have a friend who usually paints flames on cars, and skulls. But I know for a fact, given the chance, that he could produce a fish with no problems... I will have him air one up on paper for me. Then I will show you!
Bud reply :
QuoteAll of you guys will come to the realization tha RW is right. The problem is by the time you figure this out you will have already collected a ton of stuff you will never use. I used to buy anything that was decent and cheap. Now I only use high end gear. Is a $200 reel worth that much more than a $50 one? actualy its worth about $2000 if you compare it like that. I wouldnt trade any of my good reels for a hundred Abus. Will thay catch more fish? No. Will you get more distance and less backlashes? Maybe but most likley it wont matter too much. Then what makes a high priced reel worth it? The experience!!! It just feels good. They are so much more enjoyeble to use. They are so much smoother and they feel like $200. A $50 reel feels like one. I bet in "regular" fishing I would catch the same amount of fish with a cheap rod and reel as I would with good gear but I wouldnt enjoy the trip as much. There are some actual advantages to higherpriced gear especialy reels. The DRAG is usualy the most noticable upgade. It may never come into play for you but if it ever does you will be sorry you bought that cheap reel. If your drag is just a little sticky and you loose a monster because of it you will hate your prized reel that you got such a great bargin on. Also since I fish a lot of big swimbaits and saltwater I can tell you that the lesser reels cant take the same abuse.There is a reason people always say " you get what you pay for"
cause its true. The real bargin is to buy it right the first time and you wont need to upgrade.
Now with all that said ther are definatly bargins out there. I own 2 calias and 2 calcutta te's. I paid $200 or less for each one. 3 of them I bought from board members in the clasified section on my home board. the 4th I bought on Ebay. I actualy had to send that one to Shimano but now ita as good as new. wait for a sale or a deal on Qaulity gear and you will save money.
Mattlures that so true. You and RW are correct. That is what I was trying to say in a early post but it didn't work.
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