Cheapest fishing gear??? 2024
Will1248 reply :
Hi yall,
So I am a college student and my budget is tight(no rods or reels above $60 or so each and never full price for hard plastics)... so needless to say I am in dire need of good quality fishing gear, tackle and lures for dirt cheap. I am talking like 50-90% off. Now I have found the joy of sierra trading post but they are so limited in stock. Sometimes Walmart also produces amazing $12 cranks for $1 quite often (though 15 out of the 17 I have ordered have been "canceled" half way through processing because Walmart sucks and their word means nothing even though your money goes through for 2 days).
So to cut to the chase where in the deep holes of the internet do you guys go to get amazing supplies dirt cheap? I need to get some, about 10 or so, spinnerbaits preferably War Eagle and Strike King in a few colors that are not more than $4 or so a pop. And 2 to 3 good baitcasting reels (I like Lews Laser MG) but every time I find a decent sale on lures Walmart cancels my freaking order and Im frustrated. So can anyone help me with my addiction without breaking the bank?
- Will
ratherbfishin1 reply :
Have you checked out the latest sale thread? People will post all the good deals on there so that’s a great place to look. There is also the fishing flea market on here where people will sell their used stuff and you can get some good deals. Good Luck and welcome to bass resource!
Drew03cmc reply :
Kastking reels, Berkley Amp or clearance rods and baits
haggard reply :
Hi Will, first of all need to figure something out - you mention max $60 for rods/reels and 50-90% discounts but no mention of how many rods, reels, lures you are after. Three combos at that rate could be $360, but a single combo could be $120. If you're on a budget are you talking a fixed amount for a single combo, or are you trying to get multiples?
If you have a true budget you've allocated a certain spend for fishing gear (per year or whatever) and likely want to maximize your bang for that buck. If so, what's the figure, and do you want a single combo or more than one?
Give us a little more info and we can probably zero in on what works.
Personally I'd err on the side of fewer but better quality combos and lures. You can do a lot with a little.
In terms of what gear to buy, I'd focus first on your desired species and techniques and let that drive the decision, rather than price. If it means you end up with a single combo and lure instead of multiples, so be it. Multiple cheap combos won't do you any good if it doesn't work for the species, techniques and conditions that you fish most often.
MIbassyaker reply :
On 3/9/2018 at 10:40 AM, Will1248 said:Hi yall,
So I am a college student and my budget is tight(no rods or reels above $60 or so each and never full price for hard plastics)... so needless to say I am in dire need of good quality fishing gear, tackle and lures for dirt cheap. I am talking like 50-90% off. Now I have found the joy of sierra trading post but they are so limited in stock. Sometimes Walmart also produces amazing $12 cranks for $1 quite often (though 15 out of the 17 I have ordered have been "canceled" half way through processing because Walmart sucks and their word means nothing even though your money goes through for 2 days).
So to cut to the chase where in the deep holes of the internet do you guys go to get amazing supplies dirt cheap? I need to get some, about 10 or so, spinnerbaits preferably War Eagle and Strike King in a few colors that are not more than $4 or so a pop. And 2 to 3 good baitcasting reels (I like Lews Laser MG) but every time I find a decent sale on lures Walmart cancels my freaking order and Im frustrated. So can anyone help me with my addiction without breaking the bank?
- Will
OK, here's your problem: You insist on getting specific items from specific brands for less than their retail value. That's not going to happen unless you luck into a spectacular one-off sale.
The remedy is simple, although not very satisfying: buy cheaper stuff for now and fish with it until you save up enough to get specifically what you want.
For spinnerbaits, just go with whatever cheap ones you can find for a couple bucks. Fish them until you wear them out and buy a few more. People have been catching bass on cheap spinnerbaits for decades.
For reels, consider the Pflueger Trion or Abu Garcia Black Max. Either of these should be good enough to get you by for awhile.
ratherbfishin1 reply :
On 3/9/2018 at 11:31 AM, MIbassyaker said:For spinnerbaits, just go with whatever cheap ones you can find for a couple bucks. Fish them until you wear them out and buy a few more. People have been catching bass on cheap spinnerbaits for decades.
I know what you mean, I caught one of my top 3 biggest bass on the dollar Walmart spinnerbaits in cold prespawn in Missouri last year. Since then I’ve upgraded big time but have never caught a bigger bass on a spinnerbait than that dollar spinnerbait.
MIbassyaker reply :
Oh, and here's one more tip: Google and browse FFO-tackle (Fisherman's Factory Outlet)
This is the factory outlet for the Pure Fishing brands (Berkley, Shakespeare, Pflueger, Abu, Fenwick, Penn, and a few others). They have discontinued and reconditioned models at steep discounts. Inventory comes and goes rapidly, so be sure to check in regularly. You can often find something useful for "pretty cheap", and occasionally get something REALLY nice for dirt cheap.
greentrout reply :
On 3/9/2018 at 11:42 AM, MIbassyaker said:Oh, and here's one more tip: Google and browse FFO-tackle (Fisherman's Factory Outlet)
This is the factory outlet for the Pure Fishing brands (Berkley, Shakespeare, Pflueger, Abu, Fenwick, Penn, and a few others). They have discontinued and reconditioned models at steep discounts. Inventory comes and goes rapidly, so be sure to check in regularly. You can often find something useful for "pretty cheap", and occasionally get something REALLY nice for dirt cheap.
SHAKESPEARE AGILITY RODS ONE OF THE CHEAPEST BEST KEPT SECRETS OUT THERE...
MIbassyaker reply :
Another one: Google Outlet bait and tackle. They don't often have exactly what I need, but they sometimes have something else that's pretty close... and when they do have what I need, the price is right. And sometimes out of the blue you'll hit the motherlode when they get a shipment of high-demand stuff in.
Will1248 reply :
@haggard I work during summers, so I get some play money, I save a couple hundred off of my initial savings for stocks and what not. I have budgeted out my year with little play by myself but again money is pretty tight. But really just looking for a good 7.1:1 and 5.4:1 for around $60 ish bucks for one month at a time, or else I go back to eating spaghetti and raman every night. As for the rod I just need a 7' MH F tip worm/jig rod as my old Abu Blue Max rod is starting to splinter.
I currently have $400 at my disposal but really want to stretch it. I have been waiting for the spring sales this year but have been very dissapointed as not much has popped up this year. I guess Pradco didnt do full scale takeovers this year. In the past I scored a ton of Xcalibur hard baits with this year I only got some Storm Arashi Rattling 3s as they are being discontinued (trying not to cry, the 5 is my main square bill but I get a feeling they will be going away soon and I will have to accept that loss as it comes to that point).
So long story short just one here and there so I can stretch out pay checks every month or so with odd jobs. I prefer lews as they have lasted very well over time in performance, value and abuse, over lets say a walmart reel like a 5 bearing with plastic components. I am looking for a lifelong reel on the upper end for 1/2 off or so $100 reel for $50-60 so the rest can go towards building up and replacing hard baits.
Bait wise I have mastered soft jerks, shakey heads and pretty confident with squares. Looking to get into deep hard jerks ( already have a decent rod, need reel) since I have recently been missing a BUNCH of deeper fish this winter/spring since my soft jerks can only go so far with weights and are difficult to maintain the correct depth and presentation while being a co-angler. But man do I nail them as the water heats up and they get in the right zone, but it is a small window.
Will1248 reply :
Thanks guys! Kastking looks great. FFO and outlet bait and tackle are awesome. FFO has great prices on good rods. You guys helped so much. Please keep em coming if yall dont mind. My wallet will love this
Sifuedition reply :
I wanted to try out a left handed retrieve baitcaster, but I didn't want to throw a lot of money at it in case it just didn't work for me. I bought a $40 Abu Garcia Black Max and put it on a $50 AllStar Classics rod. I even bought a second of these AllStar Classics a few months later and the price on that one was only like $38. AllStar was a great name in rods 20 years ago, although, I rarely hear anything about them anymore. I have been happy with these so far. I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I like this combo. It casts even light baits like a weightless fluke well and it hasn't had any issues with noise or construction. In fact, a number of times I've fouled up the line on my more expensive setups and spent most of an afternoon on this combo and didn't feel like I was down-classing to do it. Got both at Academy.
Have you considered working for a discount? Try a part-time gig at an Academy or similar and see if you can get an employee discount long enough to stock up. Then, if you don't want to keep the job, leave on good terms so you can do it again if you need to later.
My personal plan would be like was described above. I would buy one bargin combo, like the one I mentioned. Buy the Academy brand (H2O Express) lures, just enough to get by. I've been using a lot of them, and so far, these feel like great bargins, to me. They are typically above wal-mart cheapos on quality, but a lot cheaper than name brand. Save up for a higher quality setup as your second one. While saving, keep an eye on the forum here and the outlets mentioned above. If you get lucky, what you are looking for may show up in one of those and you might get the quality combo sooner than you thought if you don't have to save up as much to get it.
Then, with your set of one bargin, one better combos, you can even more easily save up for another quality combo, because you'll have a pretty decent pair to keep a line wet while you "wait".
Will1248 reply :
@Sifuedition I would but you see I am a Biochemist and am currently looking for internships as a chemical manufacturer since I did research for inorganic solar cell chemicals (liquid crystal lattices if you care), and have friends in the business. I would love to get paid on the side as a fisherman but it is more of an expense than a career. But I have been looking for EPA and DNR research scientist positions. EPA is kind of an air ball at the moment with current political agendas though, so sadly I doubt I should pursue that route. Not that you asked, but hey never know who you can network with.
Sifuedition reply :
@Will1248 Would working at Academy two nights a week prevent you from looking for your internship? Most retail places I worked when I was younger gave the employee discount on your first day, although some required you work x hours per week/month. You would only need it long enough to make your first round of purchases. One or two months. Then, you could tell them school/internships are taking too much of your time, and give notice. Save for 4, 6, 12 months and come back when you are ready to buy a higher quality setup.
Just a thought. It might not fit your situation.
Will1248 reply :
@Sifuedition I like the way you think. But with school right now I do the best I can to hit a lake once a month. Its spring break though so Im just gonna be on the lake and camping in the Blue Ridge so I can fly fish for a few days. Not one for the party crowd, fishing is significantly more fun.
Sifuedition reply :
I watched a youtube video last night on the topic and the guy said he worked at Dicks to get some of his gear. He claimed their employee discount was 25%, but that sounds really high to me. On top of that, he had advanced notice of clearance/sell pricing and could put stuff in the back a day or two before it actually went on 50-75% sales so he didn't miss out and they were already gone. I just thought I'd pass it along as an option to consider.
Bluebasser86 reply :
FFO and Overstock are 2 of the places I get my gear for really cheap as well. Was actually just looking at picking up a couple more Lightning Rod Shocks for $27 each with the 20% off purchases over $40 they have going on right now. Their best sale is when they have the buy one, get one 50% off for stocking up on rods and reels for cheap. Most of the rods and reels I have my clients use for guide trips are bought that way.
Also checking retail stores prior to prime season (right now is a good time to be looking) is a good way to find cheap deals. Academy by me has some great deals on all sorts of gear. I scored a bunch of Strike King Perfect Plastic for $4 a bag (probably more expensive than you're looking but cheap for those baits nonetheless), some Red Eye Shads for $3 each, some Chug Bugs for $3, and some Gamakatsu and Owner hooks for $1 a pack.
Watch the Flea Market here as well. You have to be fast, but there's some good deal to be had if you pay attention.
12poundbass reply :
On 3/9/2018 at 11:42 AM, MIbassyaker said:Oh, and here's one more tip: Google and browse FFO-tackle (Fisherman's Factory Outlet)
This is the factory outlet for the Pure Fishing brands (Berkley, Shakespeare, Pflueger, Abu, Fenwick, Penn, and a few others). They have discontinued and reconditioned models at steep discounts. Inventory comes and goes rapidly, so be sure to check in regularly. You can often find something useful for "pretty cheap", and occasionally get something REALLY nice for dirt cheap.
I never knew about this site! Just checked it out and some pretty good prices. Thanks!!
On 3/9/2018 at 2:25 PM, Sifuedition said:I watched a youtube video last night on the topic and the guy said he worked at Dicks to get some of his gear. He claimed their employee discount was 25%, but that sounds really high to me. On top of that, he had advanced notice of clearance/sell pricing and could put stuff in the back a day or two before it actually went on 50-75% sales so he didn't miss out and they were already gone. I just thought I'd pass it along as an option to consider.
Mike Iaconelli worked at Dick's before he became a professional angler and he mentioned in his book that the discounts that Dick's employees got was really good. If I remember correctly he was the manager Of the fishing department and he got his stuff at cost. Of course that was 20 or so years ago but maybe there's truth to what this kid is saying.
scaleface reply :
Nows the time to go shopping for clearance gear . I just got two SK jigs for 40 cents and some Havoc Juice worms for a dollar . Strike king spinnerbaits for two dollars Crankbaits are in the clearance bins , just none that I wanted .Rods are going out .
Will1248 reply :
@Bluebasser86 No fair Chug Bugs are never on sale near me I love those things. I found a few rugby heads for pretty cheap at my academy.
I went ahead and bought the Abu Orra SX combo for $50 bucks at FFO. Figured you cant really beat that and they are good reels.
NYWayfarer reply :
Clearance sales at Walmart are in full swing. If the one near you doesn't have what you want hop to another one. Clearance items differ by store. Berkley Big Game line is on sale for $3.50 for 1500yd spool at mine.
Kastking reels are a good deal. Spinning I would suggest the Sharky III and for Baitcasters the Stealth and Assassin. All of those reels are less than $60
For line Ebay has some great deals. You can get 150yd spools of 20,30 or 40lb Kastking Superpower braid for under $4
As for rods, look for weekly ads in DSG and Field and Stream. Rods like Berkley Lightning rods or Abu Garcia Vengeance rarely go on sale but have pretty good everyday low prices of under $50
Spankey reply :
I hate Wally World. The ones near me suck. On a recent trip there to get bird seed I lucked out on some Rebel pop-r's and wee-craws. $3.17 ea. Not the knock offs they were in the new packaging. And current production colors. Guatty made but whatever. Crapshoot. Buy less but better quality. Not that Rebels are any quality item. But you know what I mean.
Hawkeye21 reply :
Should always check out any local stores for discounted items. You can find some gems occasionally. Tackle warehouse offers some good prices on lures and http://www.ffo-tackle.com/ is a site you should really check out. They offer big discounts and reconditioned items to help get you going on a budget.
Lasher reply :
You are already ahead of the game. I bought the spinning reel version of this exact combo for $99 two years ago.
On 3/9/2018 at 9:15 PM, Will1248 said:@Bluebasser86 No fair Chug Bugs are never on sale near me I love those things. I found a few rugby heads for pretty cheap at my academy.
I went ahead and bought the Abu Orra SX combo for $50 bucks at FFO. Figured you cant really beat that and they are good reels.
BassWhole! reply :
On 3/9/2018 at 10:40 AM, Will1248 said:Sometimes Walmart also produces amazing $12 cranks for $1 quite often (though 15 out of the 17 I have ordered have been "canceled" half way through processing because Walmart sucks and their word means nothing even though your money goes through for 2 days).
I won't go into the ethics of knowingly purchasing something that is clearly mislabeled. But their "word" is there in black and white on their site for everyone to see, just an excerpt below.
B. Pricing Information; Availability
Walmart cannot confirm the price or availability of an item until after your order is placed. Pricing or availability errors may occur on the Walmart Sites or through Marketplace Retailers. The receipt of an order confirmation does not constitute our acceptance of an order or our confirmation of an offer to sell a Product. Walmart reserves the right to cancel any orders containing pricing or availability errors, with no further obligations to you, even after your receipt of an order confirmation or shipping notice from Walmart. Walmart may, at its discretion, either contact you for instructions or cancel your order and notify you of such cancellation. Pricing for products may be different on the Walmart Sites or from prices available in Walmart stores or on Walmart Apps.
2tall79 reply :
Check your local news sources for estate sales...these are great places to get quality gear for cheap.
Choporoz reply :
On 3/9/2018 at 10:40 AM, Will1248 said:I need to get some, about 10 or so, spinnerbaits preferably War Eagle and Strike King in a few colors that are not more than $4 or so a pop.
Just out of curiosity, why do you need 10 spinnerbaits? I had a particularly bad week last summer, losing three, but I have not gone through 10 in a season, I don't think.
Check Walmart. Not War Eagle, but not too many years ago they had a selection of blades and colors for .99 a pop. I'd guess they still sell them. Not as pretty as a MegaStrike Strikeback, but they catch fish and hold up pretty well.
Or, make your own. I like Barlow's, but there's lots of other sources.
https://www.barlowstackle.com/Fishing-Lure-Components-and-Terminal-Tackle-C15.aspx
Jann's Netcraft is another good one:
http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/
J Francho reply :
Dick's Sporting Goods sells a Strike King Premier spinnerbait that is well made, comes pre-rigged with a perfect trailer skirt and trailer hook, is about $4, and most importantly: catches fish.
haggard reply :
On 3/9/2018 at 12:50 PM, Will1248 said:@haggard I work during summers, so I get some play money, I save a couple hundred off of my initial savings for stocks and what not. I have budgeted out my year with little play by myself but again money is pretty tight. But really just looking for a good 7.1:1 and 5.4:1 for around $60 ish bucks for one month at a time, or else I go back to eating spaghetti and raman every night. As for the rod I just need a 7' MH F tip worm/jig rod as my old Abu Blue Max rod is starting to splinter.
I currently have $400 at my disposal but really want to stretch it. I have been waiting for the spring sales this year but have been very dissapointed as not much has popped up this year. I guess Pradco didnt do full scale takeovers this year. In the past I scored a ton of Xcalibur hard baits with this year I only got some Storm Arashi Rattling 3s as they are being discontinued (trying not to cry, the 5 is my main square bill but I get a feeling they will be going away soon and I will have to accept that loss as it comes to that point).
So long story short just one here and there so I can stretch out pay checks every month or so with odd jobs. I prefer lews as they have lasted very well over time in performance, value and abuse, over lets say a walmart reel like a 5 bearing with plastic components. I am looking for a lifelong reel on the upper end for 1/2 off or so $100 reel for $50-60 so the rest can go towards building up and replacing hard baits.
Bait wise I have mastered soft jerks, shakey heads and pretty confident with squares. Looking to get into deep hard jerks ( already have a decent rod, need reel) since I have recently been missing a BUNCH of deeper fish this winter/spring since my soft jerks can only go so far with weights and are difficult to maintain the correct depth and presentation while being a co-angler. But man do I nail them as the water heats up and they get in the right zone, but it is a small window.
It sounds like you're already budgeting and working and know what the gaps are and are familiar with some setups and you know more than I do (I mean that sincerely) - so I don't have a lot to offer here (I'm a newbie) but sounds like you're on the right track 
fishwizzard reply :
I get a lot of good deals on eBay, especially if I'm willing to buy a lot of 10 or so lures at a time. It generally requires a larger initial outlay, but I've managed to get up pretty good stash of smaller Rapala crankbaits for a dollar or three each and Rooster Tails for a buck or so.
You can also just focus more on soft plastics, a pack of 20 Trick Worms can be had for three or four bucks and one could probably get 60 Bass out of them.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 3/9/2018 at 1:01 PM, Will1248 said:Thanks guys! Kastking looks great. FFO and outlet bait and tackle are awesome. FFO has great prices on good rods. You guys helped so much. Please keep em coming if yall dont mind. My wallet will love this
Just be aware that FFO charges a hefty amount for shipping. For example, if you buy a $50 rod from them you’ll pay $11.99 for shipping plus another $10 because it’s “over sized”. So, that $50 rod that looked like a great deal is really going to set you back $72 plus taxes (if applicable). That’s why I’ve never ordered from them. They also can take up to 30 days to ship you your item.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 3/10/2018 at 8:06 PM, BrackishBassin said:Just be aware that FFO charges a hefty amount for shipping. For example, if you buy a $50 rod from them you’ll pay $11.99 for shipping plus another $10 because it’s “over sized”. So, that $50 rod that looked like a great deal is really going to set you back $72 plus taxes (if applicable). That’s why I’ve never ordered from them. They also can take up to 30 days to ship you your item.
Really? I've ordered several rods from them and never paid more than $10 for shipping and never waited more than a week.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 3/10/2018 at 8:30 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Really? I've ordered several rods from them and never paid more than $10 for shipping and never waited more than a week.
According to the information posted on their website, yes.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 3/10/2018 at 8:52 PM, BrackishBassin said:According to the information posted on their website, yes.
That's weird. I even just did a order with a 7' shock and it was $7.99 standard shipping plus a $1.50 oversize charge. Maybe something changed with increased prices from the post office this year. Still doesn't make sense why it wouldn't show on an order unless it adjust after the card information is entered and you get to the last screen to submit the order?
| ORDER SUBTOTAL: | $27.00 |
| SHIPPING: | STANDARD GROUND$7.99 |
| OVERSIZED ITEM SURCHARGE: | + $1.50 |
| SALES TAX: | $0.00 |
NYWayfarer reply :
DSG/Field and Stream has their season opener sale going on this and buy one get one 50% off Z-man baits.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 3/10/2018 at 9:01 PM, Bluebasser86 said:That's weird. I even just did a order with a 7' shock and it was $7.99 standard shipping plus a $1.50 oversize charge. Maybe something changed with increased prices from the post office this year. Still doesn't make sense why it wouldn't show on an order unless it adjust after the card information is entered and you get to the last screen to submit the order?
ORDER SUBTOTAL: $27.00 SHIPPING: STANDARD GROUND$7.99 OVERSIZED ITEM SURCHARGE: + $1.50 SALES TAX: $0.00
It’s been posted that way on their website for quite a while. I was looking at them when I bought my last combo (December of 2016), and the posted prices are the same as they were then. Maybe they need to update them. Those shipping prices and the possible 30 day wait are the reason I didn’t order from them.
http://www.ffo-tackle.com/FFO-shipping.html
MIbassyaker reply :
In my experience, the shipping charge at FFO for one full-length rod between $50-$100 (plus sales tax) has ended up being about equal to at least 2 of the rotating promo discounts -- the 20% off, or the "buy more save more". So I just consider those discounts all to be roughly the same as "free shipping", at least in that range. I don't believe I've ever paid a $10 oversize on top of the shipping charge.
For example, here's what I get on the final screen (just before "place order") for a Fenwick HMG spinning rod with the 20% off discount going right now:
Order Subtotal: $59.77
Order Discount:- $11.95
Shipping: $7.99
Oversized Item Surcharge: + $1.50
Sales Tax: $3.44
Order Total: $60.75
I've also never seen them take longer than a few days to get anything to me. Granted, Iowa is closer to Michigan than Maryland, but nothing like 30 days (!)
Sifuedition reply :
Is it possible that shipping to different states has different rates? Just guessing on why they may post a number so much higher than what you are seeing on an actual order.
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