A Thought To Make Or Break Your Day 2024
Preytorien reply :
I mentioned this thought process in another thread I posted on, now I'll ask it in the general forums.
So we all like to spend our money on fishing gear. Whether you succumb only infrequently to the urges pulling you to "just stop in Gander Mountain for a second" or whether the baitmonkey and reelweasel truly have controlled your purchasing habits....admit it, we all like our gear. It's fun, it catches fish, and by golly we can't get enough of it and who knows, that next lure just might "change my life"
I'm a bit too analytical and tend to think of things in cost and return on cost. So I've often wondered (on days the fish seemed to be asleep on me) how much money per fish caught I have spent?
I know a lot of things are factored into the price, but think of all that's factored in. The total cost of your rods, reels, line, terminal gear, lures, boats, marine accessories, motors, licenses, registrations.....the WHOLE nine yards. Then divide that number by the (approximate) number of fish per year you catch, and there you have it....the price you pay to catch each fish. For example, if my total cost of fishing gear is $5000, and I catch about 500 fish per season, I pay about $10 for each fish I catch....even the dinks.
This might make someone's day, or it might just induce feelings of nausea and the insatiable urge to go out there and catch about 300 more fish in the next 24 hrs.
Of course the unseen benefits of fishing aren't able to be tabulated - fishing with best friends, buddies, family, or by yourself, the quiet time on the water, the pure joy of someone catching a PB (way to go Gene) or just acknowledging the pure joy of doing something we love
It's just food for thought.....I know mine was humbling....not because of the cost of my fishing habit in its entirety, but the lack of fish in numbers. That justifies more fishing trips right? Haha
What are your thoughts?
boostr reply :
Great, now I have to find a new hobby... Thanks.
boostr reply :
Turn your brain off, your gonna scare people...
A-Jay reply :
We get one life.
We are extremely fortunate to have been born in a country where we have the freedom to do many things.
How we choose to exercise that freedom is an individual choice.
Being satisfied & content with the path we take goes a long way.
Money is often a means to an end.
Think big picture.
A-Jay
BrownBear reply :
@boostr ...lol
I try not to think about how much something costs me, especially while I am doing it. If I am worried about the cost of it, maybe I shouldn't be doing it. Like they say you can't take it with you and there is no hitch on a hearse!
LuckyGia reply :
Better investment than a coke habit.
Don't drink. Don't smoke. What ya going to do.
The only thing I can say is " Enjoy what you got "
Don't be intimidated by 60k Ranger boats.
Don't worry everyone else has 200 + hp
If what you got floats and allows you to catch fish, enjoy it.
My little aluminum bass boat is bought and paid for.
It was in my price range and no need to go into debt for it.
Would I like a nice shiny new fiberglass bass boat ? Hell yeah !
But I have lots of interests that require my cash.
Could I afford to buy a winter house in Florida with a payment book on a 60k boat ?
Nope.
Just fish and enjoy life.
Choporoz reply :
On 4/16/2015 at 8:42 PM, Preytorien said:.........
Of course the unseen benefits of fishing aren't able to be tabulated - fishing with best friends, buddies, family, or by yourself, the quiet time on the water, the pure joy of someone catching a PB (way to go Gene) or just acknowledging the pure joy of doing something we love
........
What are your thoughts?
Once you wrote that paragraph, I imagine you realized you didn't need the rest, but you'd already typed a bunch, so...why not? 
Cost per fish calculations might be instinctive to a metrics guy, but honestly, the value of bass fishing goes so far WAY beyond number of fish, that the dollar per fish math is irrelevant......now, maybe if you're a tourny angler and only in it for the money, you might want to figure pound per dollar, but even that is a bit silly since except for maybe a couple dozen top guys, no sane angler is in it for the money.
Felix77 reply :
ROI (return of investment) assessments is something I leave at the workplace.
I measure this hobby one way ... enjoyment.
1 - I enjoy tinkering so I make jigs, spinnerbaits etc.
2 - I enjoy trying new lures.
3 - I enjoy fishing
4 - I enjoy catching a lot!
As long as #1 - #4 are there I will keep doing this.
lectricbassman reply :
Interesting way of looking at it. I look at the the end product. I enjoy fishing as much as catching even if it costs an arm and a leg per fish!
KYBassin' reply :
I have like $500 in gear and catch 500 fish/year. So I'm good. Kidding....let's not bring financial math into the ROI of fishing. My ROI comes with the experiences fishing has created in my life.....and the cost is what is....worth every penny.
Preytorien reply :
On 4/16/2015 at 9:21 PM, lectricbassman said:Interesting way of looking at it. I look at the the end product. I enjoy fishing as much as catching even if it costs an arm and a leg per fish!
^^ This
And please remember, my thoughts were just that.....thoughts. Not my purpose. I'm obviously TOO analytical (ask my wife), it's my job, but I know where my true value in fishing lies at....and money definitely can't buy it.
GADawgs reply :
I agree with the other posters, but your math is also too simple. While you may have $5k in equipment I assume you are not turning it over each year and buying brand new rods and reels each year. Therefore if you use your rods and reels for multiple years your CPF (cost per fish haha) drops. If you do buy new equipment each year, would you like to adopt me and give me your 1 year old gear?
That being said, it is an expensive hobby. However like other have noted, the time on the water, the relaxation, enjoyment, life lessons, etc. make the cost worth it to me.
stkbassn reply :
I have thought along those lines but on a simpler scale I would say, never broken it down so much. I do agree it's an expensive sport/hobby whatever someone wants to call it but like you and others have said, the true benefits are intangible.
I've spent thousands on gear, had boats, went on weekend trips, tournaments , you name it. I've spent way more money than fish caught but it's worth every penny to me and I couldn't care or bother to think about it in dollars I won't get back. I'll gladly continue to buy more stuff and hopefully in a few months buy another boat if my discipline holds out. LOL. There's nothing like being out on the water for me. I love the whole deal, pulling the boat to the lake, backing down the ramp and seeing it float off the trailer...starting it up and the smell of the outboard...all of the anticipation to get to that first spot and hoping for an awesome day or night of fishing...once that first fish is hooked all of the effort and money spent is forgotten. a day or night on the lake is hard to put a price on and those that get to do it all of the time are darn lucky. Others think us fisherman are crazy and maybe we are but that green fish or brown fish(whatever your preference) holds sway and we can't do a darn thing about it. I usually only think I wasted my money when I get skunked!! LOL
Oh well, I've spent too much already on the trip for tomorrow and I can't wait to get there....worth it even if we don't have a spectacular day. It's the entire adventure that makes it what it is..getting up at 3, two and a half hour drive to the lake, seeing the sun rise...hitting the water until dark...hopefully we can catch some good fish inbetween! Worth it already and I'm still sitting here at work....very focused of course...
Dogmatic reply :
I did this once for waterfowl hunting...so as it turns out, it's the most expensive meat we eat...suffice to say, I don't perform this mental exercise any longer, because, like the commercial says, price of shotgun shells, $1 a piece, time in the field hunting, or on the water fishing...priceless.
Catt reply :
I stood there watching him skip that jig, saw the realization in his eyes when the bass inhaled his jig, & witnessed the ensuing battle...priceless!
LuckyGia reply :
Nothing compares to getting addicted to Stereo gear. I had over $30,000 into it before I thought I better bail out. I couldn't help myself, it got out of hand quick.
Solid silver, or even gold plated interconnects.
$3,000 cartridge for your turntable.
The problem with stereo gear is new technology will kill you.
What you buy is almost obsolete immediately after purchase.
And don't get me started about hi end Home Theater system.
I'm not talking Best Buy crap.
$10,000 for a used nice projector.
Fishing (after boat purchase) is a bargain.
Alonerankin2 reply :
Years ago I calculated my cost to pursue my greatest outdoor joy of big game hunting..
Long story short.. I could have easily purchased
a small farm and a 100 head of cattle and it may have been cheaper & profitable! But geez, I sure do love to hunt big game.. So I did
Alonerankin2 reply :
On 4/17/2015 at 1:20 AM, LuckyGia said:Nothing compares to getting addicted to Stereo gear. I had over $30,000 into it before I thought I better bail out. I couldn't help myself, it got out of hand quick.
Solid silver, or even gold plated interconnects.
$3,000 cartridge for your turntable.
The problem with stereo gear is new technology will kill you.
What you buy is almost obsolete immediately after purchase.
And don't get me started about hi end Home Theater system.
I'm not talking Best Buy crap.
$10,000 for a used nice projector.
Fishing (after boat purchase) is a bargain.
Loved my Carver amps in the 80's
LuckyGia reply :
On 4/17/2015 at 1:25 AM, Alonerankin2 said:Loved my Carver amps in the 80's
I was running a pair of Rogue Magnum M150 tubed mono blocks.
Nothing compares to vinyl and tubes.
I sold it all and downsized to a ss amp and preamp
Vandersteen 2si speakers.
no more vinyl
just cd
bassinnoobie reply :
On 4/16/2015 at 9:02 PM, LuckyGia said:Better investment than a coke habit.
Don't drink. Don't smoke. What ya going to do.
The only thing I can say is " Enjoy what you got "
Don't be intimidated by 60k Ranger boats.
Don't worry everyone else has 200 + hp
If what you got floats and allows you to catch fish, enjoy it.
My little aluminum bass boat is bought and paid for.
It was in my price range and no need to go into debt for it.
Would I like a nice shiny new fiberglass bass boat ? Hell yeah !
But I have lots of interests that require my cash.
Could I afford to buy a winter house in Florida with a payment book on a 60k boat ?
Nope.
Just fish and enjoy life.
Sniff, sniff I think I just cried inside tears from that beutiful poem
Alonerankin2 reply :
On 4/17/2015 at 1:35 AM, LuckyGia said:I was running a pair of Rogue Magnum M150 tubed mono blocks.
Nothing compares to vinyl and tubes.
I sold it all and downsized to a ss amp and preamp
Vandersteen 2si speakers.
no more vinyl
just cd
Wow! I think metallica still runs carver on their playlist ( jam warm up ) I bought a dat machine back in the day.. Of course, I lost that battle. I still think I was right though, cd just got dumbed down, thin burns, thinner & thinner media.. Aw, the good ole days!! Almost nothing better than hifi
Equipment...I had a solid 12,000 in my system, it felt wrong! Lol..
bassinnoobie reply :
And what do say new lures catch. Ill let u guys post the answer
RanndomUndead reply :
Im trying to find a way to calculate how many lures ive dived for into this equation.
CRANKENSTIEN reply :
If I wanted to keep my cost per fish down. I'd have a row boat, zebco 202 combo, cheap mono and a box of worms. But I wouldn't get much enjoyment from that.
boostr reply :
Our how about dumping 10k hot rodding a car that's only worth 5k... it's all about the results, and enjoyment.
Ratherbfishing reply :
If you factor in JUST the new vehicle I bought this January for the sole purpose of towing my boat, each fish I've caught so far this year would be about 5 thousand dollars. Pretty darn expensive sushi-except I threw them all back.
J Francho reply :
Three Letter Acromyms (TLA) aren't often allowed in fishing, unless it's WOT, FOW, etc. ROI isn't allowed.
K_Mac reply :
My Return On Investment (ROI) related to fishing is very high as I calculate it. The joy I get from fishing is NOT dependent on high numbers of fish, or even monster fish. Those are just icing on the cake. I love the time on the water, the gear, the conversation, the solitude, the communion with nature, and the thrill of the hunt. As A-Jay said, life is short. I do not know or care what my cost per fish is, just like I don't know or care what my cost per meal is. The dollar amounts spent has varied over the years based on income, but fishing and eating are not really optional IMO.
ABW reply :
Your fish may be worth 10 dollars each, but the experience that comes along with catching them is priceless.
Robeng reply :
Very interesting. Im surprised I never thought of the price per fish that way. But, it is a luxury, pleasure, relaxing, enjoying with friends and family, and just true enjoyment.
Though, when I was younger, I had thought of the price per "date" with the girlfriend of the moment, and what "benefits" cost me! LOL.
Thanks for bringing it up.
DogBone_384 reply :
I have nice equipment and don't overspend based on our needs/income. I don't think about my fish to dollar spent on gear ratio: it's a hobby. I just enjoy fishing and try to improve every trip out.
Besides, my wife is an accountant, not me.
EvanT123 reply :
I have thought about this before. I did not break it down by fish caught but by time/days on the water (d**n skunk) For me personally I am happy with my cost to days ratio and in the end that's all that matters.
RSM789 reply :
Since you are analytical, I think it is good for you to look at the ROI of fishing. However, I think you may have chosen the wrong metric to measure it by.
For most of us, fishing is a hobby, which by definition is a pleasurable activity one does in their spare time. Therefore, rather than dividing the number of fish caught per dollar spent, i would suggest dividing the number of hours involved per dollar spent. Include all aspects of the hobby (tinkering with gear, time spent shopping for new equipment, watching MLF, etc) and come up with the total number of hours you spend on your hobby. Once you divide it by the dollars spent, you get a per hour cost of your hobby, which will allow you to compare it against other hobbies such as golf, chasing women, collecting stamps, whatever.
I think fishing may fall somewhere in the middle, not because it is cheap, but because it can consume so much time.
Oregon Native reply :
Does one also think about all the things too that we put into a car or house too that are totally unnecessary. Fishing is a good out that sometimes receives some extra money...but then why do we work....to save it to pass on to others? Will not go on....don't want to analyze what I really love so much.
J Francho reply :
I have a spreadsheet where I calculate per step expenses for all my footwear. Turns out barefoot is the cheapest, though ringworm and the random nail can throw a mokey wrench into the plan!
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