What's Your Money Saving Tip For Fishing? 2024

lanzbass reply :

My money saving tip for fishing is...

Spend a little extra on your line its worth it in the long run...

tomustang reply :

Research before you buy.

Check the discount bin often.

B-Dozer reply :

^{marry a rich woman}

OntarioFishingGuy reply :

Use mono backing on braided line.

fishballer06 reply :

Never say no whenever an old timer offers to give you an old lure. With how things have been going for a lot of discontinued baits these days, that old lure could be worth something.

BrownBear reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 3:28 AM, tomustang said:

Research before you buy.

Check the discount bin often.

Agreed! Fish can't tell a difference between the $8 and the $1 lures. I found a gem of one in the discount bin not too long ago and its my go to when nothing else is working.

Senko lover reply :

Simple. Yum and Berkley.

Choporoz reply :

My idea of money saving tip for fishing is....Even if I only need a pack of hooks, I make certain that I have at least $50 worth of stuff in my TW cart so I never have to pay for shipping!!!

doyle8218 reply :

Find what works for you and fish it. You really don't need hundreds of baits to catch fish.

gardnerjigman reply :

I use a quality line and always buy quality jigs, jig heads, etc. Plastics are a consumable, can't help that at all. But you can save a ton by buying a quality jig that isn't going to crap out and have the skirt/weed guard fall off.

tbone1993 reply :

zoom baits. Also only buy what you use.

SirSnookalot reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 3:41 AM, doyle8218 said:
Find what works for you and fish it. You really don't need hundreds of baits to catch fish.

^^ I'd pick this ^^

I fish with 5 lures, pretty much the same 5 for saltwater.

gr8outdoorz reply :

Don't buy a boat...

Joedodge reply :

Fish! Put the time in and be patient. It takes time to catch the big guys and learn the waters near you. Always take advice from others, and be polite. And pick techniques to try and perfect!! Be patient!

ww2farmer reply :

Have children. Soon your disposable income will be a distant memory.

grampa1114 reply :

Before you buy new.....think about using the stuff that you gave up on.......but still have.....maybe you know how to use it now........

Choporoz reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 4:17 AM, grampa1114 said:
Before you buy new.....think about using the stuff that you gave up on.......but still have.....maybe you know how to use it now........

Bait Monkey's probably going to have to have a chat with you.

grampa1114 reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 4:35 AM, Choporoz said:
Bait Monkey's probably going to have to have a chat with you.

We chatted.....I showed him my wallet......He left screaming....

DocNsanE reply :

One that has surprisingly worked for me... if you already have a good amount of lures, but you can't help but buy more, try a tackle subscription service such as MTB or LTB or whichever....

Every time I went to the store before I couldn't help but get my fix and I'd always spend at least $80 on lures and plastics. Now that I have a good foundation though, I've found that getting a box in the mail once a month satisfies my addiction and when I go to the store I only buy what I actually need and will seldom spend more than $15-20.

A-Jay reply :

Never go to Mexico ~

A-Jay

Grizzn N Bassin reply :

I try to find discount where ever i go. But rods reel and line i like quality.

ColdSVT reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 4:08 AM, gr8outdoorz said:
Don't buy a boat...

Quoted for truth!

Also dont get into fly fishing!

aceman387 reply :

Before you leave, get out of your truck and double check to make sure you didn't leave anything behind. Not doing so just cost me a carbon fibered kayak paddle,

ABW reply :

Glue for plastics

Catch 22 reply :

Reverse your braid if it shows wear.

Dry your hooks before storing them.[rust]

Remember, because you caught fish on a certain lure doesn`t warrant buying a hundred more of them.[unless they`re on sale]

scaleface reply :

Buy a Bass Baby. It has wheels and will fit inside a full size pickup truck . I load mine by myself. You can fish spots where bass have never seen a bait. Unpressured bass bite much better than the heavily pressured reservoir fish,

Heres one caught in a Missouri irrigation ditch fishing from the Bass Baby.

riverbasser13 reply :

Never pay full retail for anything.

Khan of the Res reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 3:40 AM, Choporoz said:
My idea of money saving tip for fishing is....Even if I only need a pack of hooks, I make certain that I have at least $50 worth of stuff in my TW cart so I never have to pay for shipping!!!

ahhh ya beat me to it! also, don't buy the flashy stuff that costs an arm and a leg when you know you're probably going to lose it on the first cast. Also, bank fishing is always a great money saver and a way to get good exercise.

Dogmatic reply :

When changing line out, never strip all the old line off, just add the new on top.

On 3/27/2015 at 9:33 AM, King of the Res said:
Also, bank fishing is always a great money saver and a way to get good exercise.

Exercise maybe(seen and have consumed many a 12 packs sitting on a bank "fishing".) save money not really. I lost more baits and lures from shore than I have from the water. Choose your watercraft wisely.

Khan of the Res reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 9:55 AM, Dogmatic said:

When changing line out, never strip all the old line off, just add the new on top.

Exercise maybe(seen and have consumed many a 12 packs sitting on a bank.) save money not really. I lost more baits and lures from shore than I have from the water. Choose your watercraft wisely.

you're telling me. I down whiskey like water and just stumble around the woods til i find a good spot to fish and then sip some more! Oh and i'm not talking about the lures - it's the boat thats gonna cost you.

Gotfishyfingers? reply :

EBAY! Buy in BULK!

dolomieu reply :

Mend-it glue and a good lure retriever.

Felix77 reply :

Some already mentioned but worth restating

1 - Look for sales. Try not to buy retail price. WalMart, DSG, eBay etc.

2 - use backing ... get 3 spoolings out of 1 150 yard line instead of 1 or 2.

3 - buy essentials in bulk (hooks, sinkers etc.) Generally cheaper this way.

4 - Do your research! Some things might be more expensive but the quality will reward you well.

5 - Swap with friends ... no cost. get new stuff.

6 - Make a list ... wait for Christmas/birthdays.

Choporoz reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 10:03 PM, dolomieu said:
a good lure retriever.

This is huge. Not only will it save your lures, it will give you confidence to get them into the the cover.

I ALWAYS carry these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BIG-UGLY-Plug-Knocker-Lure-Retriever-Quick-Easy-To-Use-NEW-IMPROVED-/331155075605

I can't recommend them highly enough.

Tsuprum reply :

Build a rod tube out of PVC from home depot or the like. A tube with end caps will cost around $11

Carry a lighter to mend plastics

Reverse fluorocarbon. Yes it can be done. When respooling the fluoro, spray a rag with reel magic and reel the line through the rag. After spooling is complete, spray spool with more reel magic and let it soak over night

Sell unused tackle for whatever you can get for it. It just collecting dust anyway

basshole8190 reply :

Plug knocker or lure retriever invest in a good one

Bankbeater reply :

For Xmas , and birthdays, ask for giftcards. Don't use your points on small purchases. Let the points build up and put them toward a big purchase.

*Hootie reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 4:14 AM, ww2farmer said:
Have children. Soon your disposable income will be a distant memory.

Been there and BOY do I remember those days.

Hootie

RanndomUndead reply :

Do anything i can to not type in amazon or bassresource really...hah

J McRae reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 3:28 AM, tomustang said:

Research before you buy.

Check the discount bin often.

This!!!

There was a time where I would buy tackle every time I went into a store. After going out on numerous trips and not catching fish on everything I bought, I learned to narrow down on my selection. I rarely buy tackle unless it's hooks, weights or I'm needing a soft plastic and I'm down to three or four left in the pack.

I purchased a spinning combo pre-spooled with 8 lb line recently for $12.00 due to it being on sale. Caught a few decent bass on it already this year. I cannot complain at all.

Hyrule Bass reply :

dont buy overpriced gear like spending money on $300 rods and $200 reels, both are unnecessary and not essential to catching fish...

Swampstud reply :

Strike king lures, ***.com, also type the name of product into google, it'll bring up a small section called google shop. You'd be surprised the discounts you can find on anything, well most anything. I'm cheap lol

Swampstud reply :

Www.***.com

Sam reply :

Stay home if the weather is not to your liking.

Patrick Morrow reply :

Don´t just go to tackle shops to check out what they have to offer, I usually end up with buying couple of extra-lures I didn´t actually need.

Ringonu reply :

Check out ollies for $2.00 zoom baits.

Bruce424 reply :

On 3/28/2015 at 7:45 PM, Ringonu said:
Check out ollies for $2.00 zoom baits.

Dang right.

RanndomUndead reply :

On 3/28/2015 at 2:53 AM, Tsuprum said:

Carry a lighter to mend plastics

Mend-It is much much more effective, you should check it out. like 10 bucks will get ya a couple hundred saved plastics

Crank Bait Nut reply :

X3 On Ollies , I Brought Every Green Pumpkin Gator Tail They Had End Of Year Sale Last Year @.99 Per Bag.

I Also Have A Friend That Makes Most Of My Soft Plastic's , At A Great Price.... Bulk.

Mike

papajoe222 reply :

When it comes to purchases always discern need from want.

Shane J reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 3:23 AM, lanzbass said:

Spend a little extra on your line its worth it in the long run...

I'm going to agree with the OP's line of thinking, and expand it to include reels, rods, baits, and basically everything else. You get what you pay for, whether it be enjoyment, longevity, more fish, or all of those, it's worth getting the best you can.

RanndomUndead reply :

On 3/29/2015 at 4:42 AM, Crank Bait Nut said:

X3 On Ollies , I Brought Every Green Pumpkin Gator Tail They Had End Of Year Sale Last Year @.99 Per Bag.

I Also Have A Friend That Makes Most Of My Soft Plastic's , At A Great Price.... Bulk.

Mike

Pouring your own is long term saving...like really long term, especially if you go injection molds....those things run 100-300 bucks. standard molds run under 100 generally....but still. Thats a ton of cash to be putting all your fish into one barrel basically

slonezp reply :

Don't buy a boat

FrogFreak reply :

Use a duffle bag or a normal backpack and stuff it w 3600s or 3700s.

Transfer braid from last years spool to a new spool.

Use regular needle nose pliers that u can get at a hardware store, no need to buy a name brand

SirSnookalot reply :

I don't look to save money, but I see no reason to needlessly spend on items that won't catch me any more fish. If XYZ lure is productive for me I'll buy it over and over again.

If I'm looking to save, I'll dig up worms and use a cane pole.

Kevin Beachy reply :

Don't visit TW a lot......

Lee81592 reply :

Clearance section and eBay

paangler13 reply :

Boat = Break Out Another Thousand!!!!!!

I Just wanted to chime in on the lure retriever too. The only "tool" that i take from my boat to others when i go fishing with them!

My dad made it almost 30 years ago, it's a hound dog style and has saved us HUNDREDS, if not THOUSANDS of dollars in that time! Still lose one now and again, but there have been years were I never lost a crankbait all year!

Thanks for the tips guys,

Jim

Chris at Tech reply :

I've got a few...

If you want a boat, strongly consider going the jonboat route. As far as jonboats go, my rig certainly wasn't cheap but it was a very good bit cheaper than a full-on bass boat. And it seems to me there is much less that can go wrong in an aluminum, electric-powered jonboat than a gas powered fiberglass rig. Don't forget to factor in the gas savings aspect here too! But just make sure you factor safety into this. Don't go driving off into the big waters of Erie with your 12-ft jonboat

Don't be fooled by the "technique-specific" stuff. Yes it's likely true that some power/action/gear ratio etc is better than others in certain situations, but you CAN fish a topwater on the same combo you fish worms on (for example).

Research BEFORE you buy. There are quite a few folks on here who post stuff along the lines of "I just got this rod/reel. Was this a good choice?". Ask these questions before you buy!

Use cheap (but still decent) mono backing on all your reels. Whether the line you're fishing is fluoro, braid or mono, you can still save decent money by filling the first half of the reel with cheaper stuff.

Be patient and wait for sales. Between Dicks, Academy, TW, etc -- chances are you're never more than a month away from SOMEONE having a good sale. And anyone who has been on here a while has seen some smoking deals in the Flea Market.

While it's true across the board, this was especially helpful for me with plastics. Stick to a a collection of a few core colors. With very few exceptions, I stick to GP, watermelon, junebug and a shade of black on all my plastics. Don't feel the need to have every color of every bait.

Resell what you're not using. I'd say that 95%+ of us on this site buy stuff that never gets fished. Use winter to look through your stuff and cull the items that you're just not using.

Take care of your stuff! At least get knowledge of how to do a very basic reel cleaning and lubing. I'm not saying you need to break it down all the way, but know how to take the side plates off, and know the easy-access areas to clean and lube. Rod socks and reel covers are very good investments!

I'm sure more will come to me later.

DogBone_384 reply :

On 3/29/2015 at 7:43 PM, Kevin Beachy said:
Don't visit TW a lot......

X 500 ... I think I spent $2,000+ last year on rods, reels, and stuff the bait monkey made me buy...

wnybassman reply :

Last year I discovered if I fished about a 1/3rd of what I normally would, I could save a bunch of money. That saved money quickly got shuffled to something else though. lol

JeziHogg reply :

Mend-it.

aceman387 reply :

When fishing with friends, always pretend to accidently leave all your tackle bags and binders behind.

aceman387 reply :

Only read the everything else forum on here and avoid all the others.

Frogfather reply :

Bankbeater said it. When ever someone asks me for a present, I tell them BPS gift card. Good years I can hit around $300. Office secret santa, anniversary, X-Mas, you name it. Sorry, I don't want socks for my birthday!

Also, as previously mentioned, when you find something you like buy it in bulk. Doing the math will tell you if you are saving money.

Finally, and most importantly, it cost us $0.00 to have fun and pass down our knowledge to others so listen.

Angry John reply :

Get a kayak. Now you don't need gas or registration or a gym membership. Boom there it is.

Ben Eipert reply :

Buy or make a mold of your favorite bait and remelt old torn up plastics

phototex reply :

Never, but never, go into a tackle shop with a credit card or a checkbook. Carry ONLY a little cash and buy only what what you went in for.

SoFlaBassAddict reply :

Buy what your budget allows.

Applies to every aspect of fishing, and life in general.

Master Bait'r reply :

Keep some Mend-it in the boat and never EVER click on, look at or use a Megabass product. A slipperier slope may not exist.

boostr reply :

I'm not gonna go thru the whole thread now, and somebody might of already brought it up.... Cut your credit cards on half..

SirSnookalot reply :

On 3/31/2015 at 10:59 PM, boostr said:
I'm not gonna go thru the whole thread now, and somebody might of already brought it up.... Cut your credit cards on half..

No reason to if one has self control.

fisherrw reply :

On 3/27/2015 at 3:31 AM, B-Dozer said:
^{marry a rich woman}

x2 except that I'm not marrying any time soon.

bigbill reply :

Don't lose anything. Buy good quality line.

tholmes reply :

My method for saving is to buy used. Reels, rods and hard baits can be had for half (or less) of new price. Shop the Flea Market forum, Ebay, and other forums on a regular basis. There are bargains to be found.

Tom

bigbill reply :

I purchased decent quality rods and reels for 50% off plus free shipping. A one or two year old new model. In my price range I saved money to buy more lures.

Felix77 reply :

On 3/29/2015 at 10:07 PM, Chris at Tech said:
Take care of your stuff!

Amen to this! Treat your stuff right and it will last forever!

Robeng reply :

Reuse torn plastics as trailers or panfish baits. Reuse storage containers like from coffee.

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