"bargin bin" just as good? 2024
basspimple reply :
so recently ive been "trial testing" numerous presentations.(shaky head, split shottin, jigs, ect) now, i dont have a huge budget to work with, and was looking for a cheap way to try em out, as buying a bunch of random plastics in every color of the rainbow is not an option. thus i turned to the bargin bin at the local wally world. what i discovered was a smorgasboard of lures that i thought i would never even think of buying, let alone using. but, alas, bein the cheap a** i am, i broke down and bought a couple of packs of em. i could never had made a better choice. now, like most of you br members, i am fairly brand biased. my qeustion to you is: how many of you do just as well with the "generic" brand of baits, or are willing to admit it? i hate to, but i do. :'( oh well, the fish dont seem to care 
roadwarrior reply :
Never.
My #1 suggestion to help everyone save money is to only buy lures/ baits that are highly recommended by people you know or trust.
Here is my suggestion for a "complete" tackle box:
Soft Plastics:
GYCB Senko, Fat Ika, Kreature, Kut-Tail & 8" worm, double tail and single tail grubs and Hula Grub. Micro Munch Tackle El Gordo, 3 1/2" Mizmo tube. Slug-Go. Roboworm, 6" Shakin' Zipper.
Top water: Zara Spook, Lucky Craft Sammy, Chug Bug and Cavitron Buzzbait.
Crankbaits:
0-2' Bomber Square A, Norman Fat Boy, Mann's -1
2-4' Bagley BII
4-6' Lucky Craft Rick Clunn 2.5 & 3.5
5-10' Rat-L-Trap, Lucky Craft LV-300
10-15' Lucky Craft LV-Max-500. New to me, Yo-Zuri Rattl'N Vibe
15-20' Norman DD22, Mann's 20+
Deep Mann's 25+
Jerkbaits:
Lucky Craft Pointer 128, 100 & 78 and Staysee 95 SP, Rapala Husky Jerk & X-Rap (4").
Jig & trailer
3/8 oz Evolution jig
Micro Munch Tackle 3/8 & 1/2 oz jigs
GMAN 1/2 oz jigs
Shak-E2 jig heads, 1/4 & 3/8 oz
GYCB Fat Baby Craw, Kreature, Flappin' Hog and Net Bait Baby Paca Craw.
Spinnerbaits:
Terminator (one chartreuse and one white), Ledgebuster 3/4 oz single willow blade
Small swimbait: GYCB Swimming Senko
Medium swimbait: Mattlures Baby Bass
8-)
Aaron reply :
I always look in the bargain bins and usually end up buying stuff. Two of my most productive lures have come out of the bargain bins at Gander Mt.: an orange and black crankbait and a white Gary Yamamoto jig.
For the most part I buy name brand stuff but I still get outfished by my friend that uses "generic" stuff from wally world.
Just use what you can, fish when you can, and have fun.
Raul reply :
Wanna hear something from somebody that usually has more money to burn in tackle than brains ?
I own hundreds of bags of soft plastic baits in almost every color and the truth is that I don 't need all the colors, with only a couple: watermelon & green pumpkin you can catch fish most of the times; neither do you need a bunch of different baits, I swear to you that 80% of the time I catch fish with straight tail worms, used to fish with Jelly Worms but I traded them for Trickworms when I ran out of Jelly Worms. Add 5 inch grubs to your list in pretty much the same colors, a couple of bags of curlytail worms like Zoom 's SS-Utale and a pack of flukes and you are ready to go and catch some feesh.
The important part on a bait effectiveness is not how many types of baits you have or which colors you own, it 's knowing many ways to rigs soft plastic baits and how you fish them.
I 'm going to quote Catt:
"Catching fish is between your ears, not between the folds of your wallet"
Even though I 'm a tackle junkie I must say that the sentence is quite accurate. If I knew back then over three decades away when I began the habit of purchasing tackle what I know now rigging methods and fishing techniques the ammount of tackle I now own would be a lot smaller, when I say a lot I do mean a lot.
Infidel. reply :
Quote"Catching fish is between your ears, not between the folds of your wallet"
Wow Catt. I like that (Even though the jig setup I posted on the other thread cost over $500). Someone should go post that that on Tackle Tour ;D
bait__Monkey reply :
"Even though I 'm a tackle junkie I must say that the sentence is quite accurate. If I knew back then over three decades away when I began the habit of purchasing tackle what I know now rigging methods and fishing techniques the ammount of tackle I now own would be a lot smaller, when I say a lot I do mean a lot." -Raul
wat!
raul, u mi frend...dont talk lik dat...u mak me cry...
u got sum mor monie, yes?
i hep u, we go by sumpin.
mike bat reply :
i always look in the bargin bins ,,, sometimes theres good stuff in there ,,, pluse i spent so much money on gear ( reels and rods ) i have no other way to baits ....
theres good stuff in there ... i picked all my tru tungston outta a gander mt bargin bin ,,, as well as stone jigs ,,, manns cranks ,, spro cugging mino ,,, 10inch power worms ,,, the list gos on .... ;D
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
Quoteso recently ive been "trial testing" numerous presentations.(shaky head, split shottin, jigs, ect) now, i dont have a huge budget to work with, and was looking for a cheap way to try em out, as buying a bunch of random plastics in every color of the rainbow is not an option. thus i turned to the bargin bin at the local wally world. what i discovered was a smorgasboard of lures that i thought i would never even think of buying, let alone using. but, alas, bein the cheap a** i am, i broke down and bought a couple of packs of em. i could never had made a better choice. now, like most of you br members, i am fairly brand biased. my qeustion to you is: how many of you do just as well with the "generic" brand of baits, or are willing to admit it? i hate to, but i do. :'( oh well, the fish dont seem to care
Absolutely, but it depends on the product.
Some things are just a basic rip off. like the Yamamoto stuff. designed to be quickly replaced even, a marketing genius.
Unlike you, I am PROUD to not be sucked in to hype. I WILL pay for quality, but I will HUNT for value.
Some bargain savers of mine are
*** plastics
Eagle claw hooks
Just about any rod above the Ugly stick level.
Ande line
My numbers and size speak for themselves.
Swimbaits are next, I'm hooked, unfortunately, there is no middle ground here,.....
Boogey Man reply :
Bargain bin, that's debatable. Some times you can find good quality name brand lures on sale/clearance. I have bought some off brand soft plastics and done OK, but as far as hard baits like cranks, topwater, etc, the "off brand" is probably going to be a less quality lure as far as paint job, hooks and so on. But, that doesn't mean the fish won't bite 'em. Big thing is, have fun whatever you're throwin'!! Remember, the fish don't care what you pay.
basspimple reply :
yea, i was talking about plastics. i dont skimp om quality when it comes to hardbaits. rapala is my main plug brand, awsome quality to price ratio, handle a lot of abuse and still run more true than any brand ive used.
CRFisher reply :
if you're boatless and fishing rivers you can't go wrong with Wally world cheapies (Renegade, etc.), the lack of quality doesn't matter as sunken branches, rocks, and in my neck of the woods, sunken tires, bicycles and shopping carriages do a number on your lures. The fact that the hooks will quickly dull and the paint wear off doesn't matter much, as the lures quickly disappear. The cheapies still catch fish. That being said, I'll only use the name brand stuff if I know the area and the likelihood of losing a lure is low.
I noticed the cheap plastics actually hold up better as they have less salt and have not noticed a difference in bite and hook ratios.
The Rooster reply :
I have bought some of the cheap hardbaits before. Ended up giving almost all of them away cause they run crooked as a dog's leg right out of the box. I tuned a few but my heart wasn't into fishing them. Only ones I have now are the hard jerkbaits that float. I can catch fish on those and they don't run crooked, but it doesn't matter cause the way I fish them they don't run at all anyway. Just get the snot jerked out of them or twitched softly on top of the water. I have one I've caught so many fish on I figure it's paid for all the rest of them I gave away.
Then I have a bunch of the Renegade twirl tail worms too. Rarely used them and just recently I took them all out of my tacklebag to make room for Zoom U-tales in more colors. ;D I did catch fish on them before though. Just don't like them cause of the way they bag them up, sitting in the bags they are all bent up and come out with a permanent crook in the length of the worm that causes line twist so I don't use them anymore. Zooms don't have that problem. I'm a Zoom man now. ;D
JayDub reply :
QuoteNever.My #1 suggestion to help everyone save money is to only buy lures/ baits that are highly recommended by people you know or trust.
Trying suggested baits will usually catch you some fish. BUT..
Use what YOU have proven to work, and don't let anyone else tell you any different. If you try something that someone suggests, and it works, and you want to use it, then use that. If you tried something different and found that IT worked and you liked it, then use it.
The people who are one step ahead, who try something different, something other than the same thing THOUSANDS of anglers are using, will alot of times catch the most, biggest, and even win tournaments.
The_Natural reply :
QuoteQuoteso recently ive been "trial testing" numerous presentations.(shaky head, split shottin, jigs, ect) now, i dont have a huge budget to work with, and was looking for a cheap way to try em out, as buying a bunch of random plastics in every color of the rainbow :Pis not an option. thus i turned to the bargin bin at the local wally world. what i discovered was a smorgasboard of lures that i thought i would never even think of buying, let alone using. but, alas, bein the cheap a** i am, i broke down and bought a couple of packs of em. i could never had made a better choice. now, like most of you br members, i am fairly brand biased. my qeustion to you is: how many of you do just as well with the "generic" brand of baits, or are willing to admit it? i hate to, but i do. :'( oh well, the fish dont seem to careAbsolutely, but it depends on the product.
Some things are just a basic rip off. like the Yamamoto stuff. designed to be quickly replaced even, a marketing genius.
Unlike you, I am PROUD to not be sucked in to hype. I WILL pay for quality, but I will HUNT for value.
Some bargain savers of mine are
*** plastics
Eagle claw hooks
Just about any rod above the Ugly stick level.
Ande line
My numbers and size speak for themselves.
Swimbaits are next, I'm hooked, unfortunately, there is no middle ground here,.....
I love 'ya low budget, and you obviously aren't wrong (opinions can't be wrong ). You should be the ambassador of the low budget demographic . So you brought up the question...are Yamamoto baits ridiculously soft because they are trying to mimic the softness and action that only hand poured baits can achieve, or are they making them super soft to simply sell more product? I guess it could be the latter, with Yamamoto getting miraculous stroke of luck when their super-soft baits that need constant replenishment actually out produced their injection molded, mass produced rivals. I personally don't think Gary Yamamoto is that vindictive. I think his marketing plan was simply to create the highest quality plastic baits out there. I seek out the softest soft plastics I can find... I guess you could say I actually buy Yamamoto's because they tear easily 8-).
On another note I am a sale junkie...no one on the planet hits Cabelas bargain cave more than I do. I love a good sale, and that is the reason I have literally a few thousand bags of soft plastics. I think the key is knowing when to spend the money and when not to. JMHO of course 8-)
Catt reply :
Having a mechanical and engineering back ground I tend to look at how a product is made regardless of price.
I'm a firm believer that you can either have bass in your live well or lures in you tackle box but you can't have both.
I am an absolute master at pinning plastic baits together with my hook to catch one more fish.
Price does not make a lure productive; I will take all your money with Wal/Marts Renegade Jigs or Renegade 6 hook tail worms.
SimonSays reply :
Sometimes the bargin bins have great deals on yamamoto's and other brand name plastics. My recent trip to Gander mnt produced bags on Mann's 4in Hardnose tubes .82 a pack! in black/blue black/red and pumpkin! Dead on colors for cheap.
So go bargain bin diving you might come up with some gold!
Stringjam reply :
If you really want to save money - buy a lead pot and start pouring your own jigs and making your own spinnerbaits.
You'll wonder why you ever paid so much money in the first place for all that stuff - - it's so easy a 5 year-old could do it.
I pay a premium for crankbaits - because cheaper baits (for the applications I use them for) aren't even in the same league....and life's too short to use something that doesn't work right.
There are a few exceptions (Cordell Spot, Storm Wiggle Wart, etc.)
basspimple reply :
anyone ever use those riverside baits in the dollar bin at wal-mart? they really arnt bad baits. i bought out these 5 inch straight tail worms they had:
and they work! lol
jvox reply :
If Berkeley or Yamamoto aint in that bin, LEAVE IT ALONE.
Paul Roberts reply :
If you look through a fishing catalog you'll see hundreds, even thousands of concoctions developed to catch bass. Should tell you something -lotsof things work.
For plastic baits I'm not, at all, faithful to brand. Glad people are out there makin' stuff, but I can adapt a lot of plastics to do the trick. A few are hard to duplicate, like the density (Senko/Flash) or the buoyancy of some plastics (Trickworm). But most plastics are nearly interchangeable.
Hardbaits can be something else though. Many bargain topwaters and crankbaits are truly poor. I'm a tackle tinkerer so I may buy knock-offs, but often have to nearly re-build them to get them to operate really well.
Don't let the hype (and sometimes downright BS) get to you. View lures as tools and bend them to your will if need be. It what you do, rather than what the lure does, that often matters most.
As to the Yamamoto question: What makes Senkos and Ikas crumble is the amount of salt, which is integral to it's fast-sinking design.
I do find almost all plastic baits are too stiff out of the package, so I boil the important parts before I fish them. I want that worm to wiggle and I want those appendages to jiggle and I want those swimming tails to swim, even at very slow speed. I dip boil almost everything.
QuoteI am an absolute master at pinning plastic baits together with my hook to catch one more fish.
Me too! ;D
The Rooster reply :
Dip boil?? You mean just dunk it in boiling water for a second or so?? Might have to try that one. Does the plastic retain it's newly gained softness indefinitely or will it stiffen up again later on??
rondef reply :
I don't shop the bargin bins. I usually only buy lures that have been recommended or ones I know produce results.
hercdoc reply :
"When was the last time you regretted buying the best!"
Chad. reply :
Quote"When was the last time you regretted buying the best!"
Darn long time ago depend what you consider the best, i consider the best the most exotic expensive stuff. Which wont always catch you more fish
I got some strike king plastics form the bargain bin which was pretty good.
Little Luey reply :
You can usually always catch a sale somewhere, and buy the brand name stuff, but as long as you are catching fish with the cheap stuff, who cares? bass don't know what you paid for the stuff!!
Little Luey reply :
I should add that it is ok to buy inexpensive plastics but always buy quality hooks, they are worth the extra $$.
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
Natural- Ambassador? It's not a job,...it's a way of life! lol
As for softness,....which food do they eat that is that soft? What food do they eat that is the softness of a knock-off? What makes ANYONE think they can tell the difference?
Remember, their diet is primarily based on spiney, boney, or shelled critters. I honestly don't think the bass can tell the difference softness version 1 over softness version 2. Soft is soft, hard is hard. The bass in our lake don't care which one you bought,...they'll eat them both. They also don't care how much you spent (or didn't spend) on them,....they'll still eat them both,lol.
the ONLY advantage I can see with a softer bait is you might get a hair more wiggle out of the ends on a wacky rig. The wiggle on the knock off is more than "enough" to trick a large class sized fish. It's certainly not worth paying more than double.
but heck,...it's only $$,lol.
RandySBreth reply :
It also depends on what "bargain bin" you're talking about. My personal one is the Bass Pro Outlet store. Lots of returns, overstocks, etc. They recently had an entire bin full of either the real "Smallie Beaver" or the best knock off I've seen, in green pumpkin. I bought the entire bin, I think it was 11.80$ for what may be a ten year supply.
I've loaded up on 5" pumpking Kalin grubs, Yum Dingers, and many others the same way.
And hey, those 4" Renegade worms in motor oil are awesome little dropshot worms, so don't be hatin' ;D
Paul Roberts reply :
Roostertails,
Boiling softens plastics permanently. (As I remember it vinegar can harden it -but I don't remember the results -try it).
I boil virtually all my plastics, especially worms. The key to wacky, shaky, and flick-shake, is wiggle. Need I say more?
I dip the tail end of a worm in boiling water (rolling) for about a minute, or a bit more, holding the head with bamboo tongs. I dip because I don't want to soften the head (T-rigging). I dip the ends of wacky baits, holding the center (where the hook will go) with the tongs.
I also dip-boil swimming-tail worms and grubs. The difference is enormous, especially when using light jigheads or bullet weights and slow retrieves. I want my worm tails to writhe, even on the fall, and many, if not most, won't on a 1/16oz weight. I want my baits to look alive, and that's hard to do with lures most of the time (they just aren't live food).
Fifteen seconds or so is enough to straighten a warped bait -important for certain things, like Slug-Go's. Or to warp a straight bait -to enhance the flick-shake "roll".
The_Natural reply :
QuoteNatural- Ambassador? It's not a job,...it's a way of life! lolAs for softness,....which food do they eat that is that soft? What food do they eat that is the softness of a knock-off? What makes ANYONE think they can tell the difference?
Remember, their diet is primarily based on spiney, boney, or shelled critters. I honestly don't think the bass can tell the difference softness version 1 over softness version 2. Soft is soft, hard is hard. The bass in our lake don't care which one you bought,...they'll eat them both. They also don't care how much you spent (or didn't spend) on them,....they'll still eat them both,lol.
the ONLY advantage I can see with a softer bait is you might get a hair more wiggle out of the ends on a wacky rig. The wiggle on the knock off is more than "enough" to trick a large class sized fish. It's certainly not worth paying more than double.
but heck,...it's only $$,lol.
Good point; albeit worms are soft . I guess it's just a confidence thing...isn't it always? I wish my only confidence soft plastics were the renegade worms from Wal-mart...I could probably buy a new boat by now.
S I G M A reply :
I find some older bomber model a's in the bargain bin at walmart sometimes. I'll usually buy those and swap out the trebles... but thats to the extent of it. I don't ever touch those soft plastics, as I don't need to clutter up my tacklebox with more soft plastics that i won't ever get around to using
FishTank reply :
I always look through the bargin bins at Wal-Mart, Dick's, Gander Mountian, etc. I have never found anything at any Wal-Mart that was worth it and very little at Gander Mountain but Dick's is a different story. They will mark good baits (Yum, Excalibur Lures, Lucky Craft, Rapala, GYCB, just to name a few) on clearance and then they will mark all clearance either at 50% or 25% off. Finally I will use a $10 off if you buy $50 coupon. That's about as cheap as you can get it.
One thing about bargin bin baits and lures> If it doesn't work, it aint a bargin, just a waist of money. So be selective.
There are times when fish will just bite on just about anything. This is the time to through that flouresent purple and pink swirled bargin bin plastic worm that you bought at a $1.00 for a pack of 20.
roadwarrior reply :
Quote"When was the last time you regretted buying the best!"
Experiment with "identical" baits and run you own test. Buy just one bag of GYCB Senko and the cheaper baits, both in watermelon with black flakes. Fish them back to back so your general time frame, location and bite are close to the same. If there is no difference, the less expensive option is the ticket and you have proven to yourself that "these things work!" That should give you some confidence in your selection.
I started fishing GYCB products in 1997 and they are still working for me.
8-)
S I G M A reply :
QuoteI always look through the bargin bins at Wal-Mart, Dick's, Gander Mountian, etc. I have never found anything at any Wal-Mart that was worth it and very little at Gander Mountain but Dick's is a different story. They will mark good baits (Yum, Excalibur Lures, Lucky Craft, Rapala, GYCB, just to name a few) on clearance and then they will mark all clearance either at 50% or 25% off. Finally I will use a $10 off if you buy $50 coupon. That's about as cheap as you can get it.
Very true... I was at dicks today and they had some berkley power shaky worms at 25% off. There wasn't too many left when i got there, and none left after i checked out
FishingBuds reply :
QuoteNever.My #1 suggestion to help everyone save money is to only buy lures/ baits that are highly recommended by people you know or trust.
Here is my suggestion for a "complete" tackle box:
Soft Plastics:
GYCB Senko, Fat Ika, Kreature, Kut-Tail & 8" worm, double tail and single tail grubs and Hula Grub. Micro Munch Tackle El Gordo, 3 1/2" Mizmo tube. Slug-Go. Roboworm, 6" Shakin' Zipper.
Top water: Zara Spook, Lucky Craft Sammy, Chug Bug and Cavitron Buzzbait.
Crankbaits:
0-2' Bomber Square A, Norman Fat Boy, Mann's -1
2-4' Bagley BII
4-6' Lucky Craft Rick Clunn 2.5 & 3.5
5-10' Rat-L-Trap, Lucky Craft LV-300
10-15' Lucky Craft LV-Max-500. New to me, Yo-Zuri Rattl'N Vibe
15-20' Norman DD22, Mann's 20+
Deep Mann's 25+
Jerkbaits:
Lucky Craft Pointer 128, 100 & 78 and Staysee 95 SP, Rapala Husky Jerk & X-Rap (4").
Jig & trailer
3/8 oz Evolution jig
Micro Munch Tackle 3/8 & 1/2 oz jigs
GMAN 1/2 oz jigs
Shak-E2 jig heads, 1/4 & 3/8 oz
GYCB Fat Baby Craw, Kreature, Flappin' Hog and Net Bait Baby Paca Craw.
Spinnerbaits:
Terminator (one chartreuse and one white), Ledgebuster 3/4 oz single willow blade
Small swimbaits: GYCB Swimming Senko
8-)
PICS Please ;D
I'd like to take the advice and look into some of these a little further, heck some of them I've never heard of
jerk baits, swim baits, crankin baits-where does a man start at to buy them recomendations :-?
roadwarrior reply :
Ain't it somethin'?
If I had this advice a decade ago, I'd have a few hundred dollars invested and a few thousand in my pocket!
:
Micro reply :
RW's list is very comprehensive and I agree with a lot of it. The best part about it is is that much of the stuff he lists doesn't come with a premium price. Bombers, Manns, Heddon, Rat-L-Trap, etc are very reasonably priced. Rapalas carry a moderate price. LC was sort of premium, but there are more expensive baits.
You should expect to pay something for good tackle, but it doesn't have to cost you the farm.
FishingBuds reply :
QuoteYou should expect to pay something for good tackle, but it doesn't have to cost you the farm.
Agree,
But I will say that what I've learned also and this has been a very big learning issue (I call it hidden cost) is LINE, I've learned from the BR is pay attention to your line you use and I now know don't go cheap, My catches have increased sense I've purchased better line not just good baits alone, a matter of fact I'd almost bet I could contribute most of my success on good line. I have in the past paid no attention to line and now see the importance of a good tool. I have yet been able to find good pricing on good quality line :
roadwarrior reply :
QuoteQuoteYou should expect to pay something for good tackle, but it doesn't have to cost you the farm.Agree,
But I will say that what I've learned also and this has been a very big learning issue (I call it hidden cost) is LINE, I've learned from the BR is pay attention to your line you use and I now know don't go cheap, My catches have increased sense I've purchased better line not just good baits alone, a matter of fact I'd almost bet I could contribute most of my success on good line. I have in the past paid no attention to line and now see the importance of a good tool. I have yet been able to find good pricing on good quality line :
The best deal going:
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10201217____SearchResults
Save money on other gear, but don't skimp on line or hooks. In addition to Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft, I think the Gamma Copolymer and P-Line CX Premium might be options to try. Hooks with a solid reputation include Gamakatsu, XPoint, Owner, Mustad and VMC.
8-)
FishingBuds reply :
Thanks RW
I'm a gamakatsu hook man, I'll have to look at the others and also thats three times I've heard about Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft, I'll try it
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