"Rich mans sport" 2024
Ratherbfishing reply :
My mom, who is now 88 was ACTUALLY perusing through a B.A.S.S. periodical she found on a table in the facility where she now lives (I could tell she was REALLY bored). Anyway, after a few minutes she put it down and proclaimed, "Fishing is a rich man's sport." I wasn't completely surprised by her "I lived through the depression" attitude but I couldn't argue her point either-based on the various advertisements and depictions of high dollar boats, gear, and the like- so I just said, "If you were rich before, you won't be afterwards." On the other hand, if I didn't have fishing to spend my money on, I can't imagine what trouble I might be getting into. Am not sure where I'm going with this except, with a few exceptions, I feel like I've done a pretty good job of keeping my wants and "needs" within reasonable bounds. How do you all feel about your spending habits?
James Frise reply :
What I do is at the beginning of each month I will put change in a piggie bank along with some dollar bills. After about 3 or 4 months I will go out to a Bass Pro or some other fishing shop.
Klebs01 reply :
Fishing is probably the cheapest hobby there is. Get some line, a hook, and a bit of bait and you are participating. So the cost of entry is maybe a dollar. Like any hobby, people will take it much further. If people are willing to spend money, others will fill the market demands.
scaleface reply :
I have spent way to much on fishing but most of it is unnecessary . When I was a kid I used whatever dad had and he didnt have much . Catching fish with the bare essentials develops skills and I am lucky enough to have a lot of good fishing spots available .
roadwarrior reply :
Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
I really got the bug in 1997 when I "discovered" the Senko. For the past 19 years I have built a nice of collection of high end gear. Almost ever rod & reel I have ever owned is still being fished by friends or other BassResource.com members. Although I occasionally buy this year's newest and bestest (sic) lures, most of my collection has been accumulated over the years. Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part I only add one rod & reel a year and try to sell or sometimes give away stuff I am not using or replacing. Be patient and selective and you too can have almost everything you want, it just takes time.
68camaro reply :
For the average layman I don't think bass fishing is expensive, but I do agree we make it expensive on ourselves by our desire for best, newest, shiniest, most tech. laden, and in large quantities.
Like Klebs01 says, at is core it ain't that complicated or expensive.
whitwolf reply :
On 1/23/2016 at 1:36 AM, roadwarrior said:Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
I really got the bug in 1997 when I "discovered" the Senko. For the past 19 years i have built a nice of collection of high end gear. Almost ever rod & reel I have ever owned is still being fished by friends or other BassResource.com members. Although I occasionally buy this year's newest and bestest (sic) lures, most of my collection has been accumulated over the years. Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part I only add one rod & reel a year and try to sell or sometimes give away stuff I am not using or replacing. Be patient and selective and you too can have almost everything ou want, it just takes time.
This is a very solid post!
The only thing I can add Is this: Having "stuff" doesn't make the fisherman, wanting "stuff" doesn't mean It will make you a better fisherman, and needing "stuff" is most always a matter of perception.
It takes years to understand yourself as a person and this applies to your fishing Identity. I used to be all about "stuff" and used maybe 10% of what I thought I really "needed." I made a conscience decision to buy what worked for me, try to buy things on sale(It doesn't always work 
)and I came to this Important realization that, speaking only for me, quality will most always trump quantity. As for expense, as RW quite eloquently states there's no rush.
Mike L reply :
Can't really add much to what was already said except that..I like your Mom! you're a lucky man.
Mike
alzun664 reply :
I agree with whats been said so far. You dont "need" to be rich to enjoy fishing and you certainly don't "need" to spend thousands of dollars to catch fish.
Evan K reply :
It can be as expensive or cheap as you want it to be.
I have a set allowance for any personal spending I do per month. If my focus is on my fishing hobby that month, that's what I'll spend it on.
flyfisher reply :
Pick up any exclusive magazine for a particular sport or hobby and you could say the same thing. As far as gear goes and my spending I am pretty set for a while except for terminal tackle which needs to be replaced every so often. I am currently saving for both a new house and a new trailer to haul my kayaks around with so that takes precedence over any other fishing stuff right now.
A-Jay reply :
I was doing pretty good there for a while.
Then after seeing some pictures here of Mutant Mexican bass, I made the mistake of making that first trip.
Everything's been all kinds of out of hand ever since . . . .
A-Jay
blckshirt98 reply :
It can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it. If you're in it just to catch fish you can buy some cheap Ande's mono, a pack of hooks, wrap it around a plastic water bottle, and make a dough ball or dig some worms out of the ground. If you fish from a pier you don't even need a license.
Unfortunately for myself and I think the majority of us, part of the fun is gearing up - picking out the rods/reels/lures you're going to use for that day and getting your tackle packed up for a day on the water. It's like those action movies where the hero walks into a weapons cache/armory with 100 different types of guns and explosives and he gets to pick and choose what he feels like using to kill some bad guys. We just do it with tackle.
Raul reply :
Fishing can be as expensive as you want to make it.
I have other much more expensive hobbies: breeding show dogs & video gaming
There are more games behind those, actually I own like 5 times more games than those you see in physical form, I have HDDs full of games.
lo n slo reply :
I've always been the frugal sort. As a kid/teen, I walked the banks. When my kids were young and times were lean, I had a 12' johnny and a trolling motor. In '92 I bought a used 16' Sea Nymph /25 hp Johnson and used that old gal for 20 years until I retired from the water works. I now have my '96 Javelin.
Fishing IS the ONLY hobby I have. If I'm not on the water, I'm thinking about it, reading about it, watching it on tv, and like now, talking to you guys about it. I spend my "side money" on tackle and gas, and I can be on the lake in 15 minutes when the urge hits me. Life is good.
tholmes reply :
Any hobby is as expensive as the participant wants it to be. As long as you're not taking food off of your family's table, spend as much as you want. Better than spending it on hookers and coke.
Tom
drew4779 reply :
I first really got into it in college when money was super tight. It was cheap compared to my friends who were always on the links. Some of those same friends and I were talking not long ago about this when I realized their clubs and my combos weren't too far apart cost wise. They're greens fees are similar to the cost of filling up my boat. Based on my golfing skills, I still believe I'm ahead just based on how many balls I typically lose in 18.
Fishing Rhino reply :
On 1/23/2016 at 2:00 AM, whitwolf said:This is a very solid post!
The only thing I can add Is this: Having "stuff" doesn't make the fisherman, wanting "stuff" doesn't mean It will make you a better fisherman, and needing "stuff" is most always a matter of perception.
It takes years to understand yourself as a person and this applies to your fishing Identity. I used to be all about "stuff" and used maybe 10% of what I thought I really "needed." I made a conscience decision to buy what worked for me, try to buy things on sale(It doesn't always work
That's a matter of perspective. For the younger fisherman that might be true. For those of us who have run most of life's marathon, that's another story.
ww2farmer reply :
Expensive is relative, in all hobbies. Get in where you fit in.
Mosster47 reply :
I think if you spend your money in stuff you will actually use then price shouldn't be much of a factor, but spend wisely.
Buy the biggest, fastest, baddest boat you can, once. If you can't outgrow it then you don't need to move up constantly. You can recarpet, repower, rewire, have the gel coat redone, etc. as time goes on. It will be a lot cheaper than buying a new boat every five years realizing you need 21' and 200+ hp. The real difference between my eleven year old TR21x and the new one is the new model is one inch wider and has a cool organizer in the bow compartment. That's not worth $30k more.
Buy equipment once, even if you don't have a lot of money. Be patient, check eBay, check the classifieds on forums, Craigslist, etc. There are a lot of pro fisherman out there that "upgrade" a ton of equipment every year and sell their barely used stuff for 50% or less than the retail price. That's how I built up my rod collection.
For bait just wait for places like Tackle Warehouse to have a mega sale. I just got $800 worth of tackle for $330 during TW's 25 Day sale.
Sam reply :
Try golf if you want a rich man's sport.
primetime reply :
It's only a Rich man's sport if you choose to buy only the most expensive gear. I am pretty happy with all my gear and I rarely buy the latests and greatest, but I will buy the "Best" reels from a few years ago that are on clearance using this rational...
If a reel retailed for $300 in 2012, then I would expect that reel to last 10-15 years. So if I buy it now for $100, then it should still last just as long. I still use the same Bass Pro Extreme Fishing Rods I purchased in the 90's and they work just fine.
Other than buying a Fishing Licence, you only essentially need one rod, one reel, some line, a pack of hooks, pack of weights, and a pack of worms...And you could possibly win some tournaments if you end up finding the fish.
Magazines have to make money from advertising as well as subscriptions. High End tackle seems to get the most press as far as advertisements, so I can see how one would make that conclusion when reading a buyers guide.
Just buy what makes you happy. To each person that will be something different. I would argue that you can buy more high quality lures and equipment for fishing today than ever before. Companies like Strike King, Pradco etc. have stepped up with really nice lures for a very fair price. House brand lures have also become much better in the last few years. I love how much better fishing line has become and the prices are still good for the most part.
corn-on-the-rob reply :
On 1/23/2016 at 5:04 AM, tholmes said:Any hobby is as expensive as the participant wants it to be. As long as you're not taking food off of your family's table, spend as much as you want. Better than spending it on hookers and coke.
Tom
I am more of a Pepsi guy myself...
Back on topic:
I would agree that many fisherman spend a decent amount of money yearly on fishing, but there is a big difference denoting it as an "expensive" sport. As others mentioned, most of what we buy isn't truly necessary and can be expensive. The big difference is here is that those who do spend the money probably don't treat this as a hobby, but more of a passion. When you truly have a passion, you make it work. This isn't something we do because we have money and time on the side. We do it because we live and breath fishing. We do whatever it takes to be in a position to pursue this passion at the expense level we want. If you are being responsible about it, you can't put a price on passion.
tander reply :
On 1/23/2016 at 6:52 AM, Sam said:Try golf if you want a rich man's sport.
I golf and it is expensive. I work at a golf course part time so my golfing green fees, cart, driving range is free. The money I make working there go to my fishing expenses.
Sam reply :
On 1/23/2016 at 11:10 AM, tander said:I golf and it is expensive. I work at a golf course part time so my golfing green fees, cart, driving range is free. The money I make working there go to my fishing expenses.
And Tander, what about the cost of those cow bells that you ring after every birdie? When you wear them out you need to get more and more and more and more, etc.
Lucas Julian reply :
I buy way more stuff than I need but still it is cheaper than some other hobbies.
soflabasser reply :
Bass fishing is a very cheap Sport once you realize what are the best lures that work in the area you fish.
bowhunter63 reply :
Look for sales,I hate to say it but Wal-mart this time of year has there better stuff half price to make way for the new years inventory.
Paul Roberts reply :
Interesting topic. I just returned from 2 years living in SE Asia, a place where one can watch "globalization" occurring at rapid pace: hunter-gatherers meeting the globally wealthy, and everybody in between; the vast majority on the outside of that wealth. A place where a Lamborghini could drive past tribal people at roadside hoping to sell snails, tethered lizards, and various forest goods. There are an awful lot of materially and culturally poor people there, having lost control of their lands and culture, the new generations trying to break into the "1st world".
Then I walk into the picture with high tech fishing tackle, ready to catch-and-release -just for...fun. Holding a rig that could feed a family for 6 months just didn't feel right. And I all but packed my stuff away until I could return home. We are darn lucky that every day of our lives isn't consumed with the very basics of survival, or surrounded by it. Sportsfishing looks like an elite, even ridiculous, endeavor in that context.
roadwarrior reply :
On 1/23/2016 at 10:58 PM, Paul Roberts said:Sportsfishing looks like an elite, even ridiculous, endeavor in that context.
Yes, in that context a lot of things would be included, especially professional sports. Can you imagine trying to explain why a guy would be paid $20MM to "play" for a few hours and only work six months a year?
Catt reply :
Got a buddy who is heavily into offshore fishing!
My boat is a 16' Alweld, his is a 60' Bertram!
My reels cost a couple hundred each, his cost a couple thousand each!
Want talk rich man's sport! 
tander reply :
On 1/23/2016 at 8:12 PM, Sam said:And Tander, what about the cost of those cow bells that you ring after every birdie? When you wear them out you need to get more and more and more and more, etc.
I got a good supply of cow bells, if I ring one after all my birdies, I will never wear them all out, HAIL STATE !!!!
mrmacwvu1 reply :
I have told this story before but for those who do not remember it.
My cousin and I used to fish together about 25 years ago all the time. While I never stopped he went to dental school and just lost any free time that he had. After about ten years in practice he had amassed quiet a networth. Built his mansion and such. One day he comes to me and tells me that he wants to get back into bass fishing and to get his son started and asked me to make a list of what I use and what I think is good.
Needless to say I never stopped "collecting tackle" I say this because oddly enough I probably only use 20 percent of the stuff I buy. Especially jerkbaits, They are just so pretty.
So I make him this list with wonderful Glomis rods shimanno reels, LC megabass and senkos in every color that I have. Not including all of the bandit, rapala norman and cheaper lures.
I am talking thousands of dollars worth of stuff. He had me go clear down to the terminal tackle stuff. Anyway I put this in an excel spreadsheet and sent it to him.
About a month goes by and he calls me and asked me to come to his house about two hours away. I say sure. When I get there he asks me if I could help him organize his new fishing stuff. I said sure. That dummy took that list walked in BPS and told them that he wanted double of everything on that list. The stuff that I collected over the years was bought in one day. He said you should have seen the look on the guys face when he handed him the list.
Then he bought a 30k boat.. So he had about 45k in everything.
He took his son fishing twice and he hated it. The son loved it. So he built a lake on his property and stocked it. He sold his boat, now all of that beautiful tackle only sees a 5 acre lake.
My little cousin is now getting a little older so hopefully I can start taking him on overnight trips so he can see more lakes.
Same cousin did this with me with golf. Took him for a fitting, latest greatest clubs, bag balls.
He has hit one bucket of balls that I know of in three years.
Normally I would be ticked about the waste of money however he gives back so much to the community and the youth in the area. I guess he is allowed to blow money of foolish things every now and then.
brown12687 reply :
My buddy got me into fishing a couple years ago and he told me: be careful fishing gets expensive. One of my other hobbies is guns. Shooting, reloading, collecting; I love them. Compared to guns fishing isn't really all that expensive. It seems like fishing really starts to get expensive when you get a boat and electronics and such. If you're just bank fishing its a pretty affordable hobby. For the price of a box of ammo you can get a couple bags of plastics and some hooks and fish all day. 50 rounds of ammo wont last nearly as long.
Fishinthefish reply :
I own a thousand dollar and change rod and reel setup, I own 300 dollar rod and reel setups. And have spent 30 dollars or more on a single hard bait. It can very easily become a rich mans sport, but so can't almost anything else. I could be just as happy with a few bags of soft plastics, a few bottles of jj magic and some terminal tackle on 130 dollar gander mountian elite series rod, with a BPS pro qualifier reel as I am an nrx and shimano core, and a boat load of tackle.
thomas15 reply :
In terms of numbers of Bass caught, I reeled in more of them when I fished the bank with a $40.00 rod/reel combo and a total of about $150.00 worth of tackle than I do now with many thousands of dollars invested in a boat and thousands more in tackle.
Looking on the bright side, since fishing from a boat I haven't lost a single lure.
thomas15 reply :
On 1/24/2016 at 4:46 AM, brown12687 said:My buddy got me into fishing a couple years ago and he told me: be careful fishing gets expensive. One of my other hobbies is guns. Shooting, reloading, collecting; I love them. Compared to guns fishing isn't really all that expensive. It seems like fishing really starts to get expensive when you get a boat and electronics and such. If you're just bank fishing its a pretty affordable hobby. For the price of a box of ammo you can get a couple bags of plastics and some hooks and fish all day. 50 rounds of ammo wont last nearly as long.
I shoot IDPA, USPSA and some steel. In IDPA, ICORE and USPSA I use production semi-auto rigs with a few upgrades and/or Revolver and have Two G17s, a S&W 686 and a 929 plus all the associated gear and a well appointed handloading bench with three presses and plenty of supplies. But no question about it I have more dollars spent on my very modest 16' tin and the 12 or so rods/reels and assorted tackle.
My marksmanship skills are in the same league as my angling skills, ie: I suck but I managed to win about $350.00 worth of shooting/reloading gear last year in a league I shoot in. And I came in 14th place in my division.
related Fishing Tackle topic
previous topic
next topic
© 2024 - fishing.qciss.net. All Rights Reserved.