I buy what fits my budget, i dont criticize those who buy high dollar gear and i dont look down on those that buy budget gear. I would just be a hypocrite if I did because i have a mix of both.
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I buy what fits my budget, i dont criticize those who buy high dollar gear and i dont look down on those that buy budget gear. I would just be a hypocrite if I did because i have a mix of both.
Me and my Pastor are tightwads. We will watch Ebay for months and months trying to save 15-20$. I have had some of the trips of my life using my 100$ or less rigs with my Southern Ingenuity Flies made of Flip Flop foam and Dollar Store Materials. What it all comes down to is we all enjoy a tight line (that isn't hung up) and the peaceful surroundings when fishing in a quiet natural area.
Many people don't realize until later in life that it was never the fish they were after.
I'm guilty of paying lots of money for some equipment, some purchases really dented my budget. I've sold off some of it and made money doing so. As previously mentioned I sold a glass Fenwick rod that I gave $22 for for $125. A few reels I have have doubled in value (according to ebay prices). If a $15 rod doubles in value you haven't made much. If a $175 reel doubles you've done better IMO. But if you're buying um to fish um....who cares?
My favorite piece of cheap equipment is the Cabela's Three Forks 3 wt. At $40 ($50 the last time I checked) its a true bargain. It casts like a rod costing much more.
I get a huge kick out of having someone tell me, "Wow, that's a nice looking rod. Is it a Sage (or Orvis, or T&T, or whatever)?" And I can say, "No, it's a Hiner" Always sets them back! Especially after they see it in action!! Very few are over the $100 mark.
A $600 rod won't catch you any more trout than a $50 rod. It ain't the uniform that makes the player. I doubt that an ugly uniform would have made much difference in Hank Aaron's homerun total.
By the way, as long as we're talking frugal here, I'm looking for a 10' 5 WT. to fish nymphs. Anyone have ideas for a moderately priced blank?
Betty,
I would think that anyone who has ever met you would be very proud to fish a "Hiner"...Just because of who made it!
I own a Sage...won it here. I have a dandy vintage 'boo...gifted to me, as was the restoration. I have a custom built 2 wt...gifted to me.....BTW, ALL as a result of my affiliation with FAOL & the friends I have made here.....Thanks JC, LF, Jerry, Joe & Leo! My other rods are certainly not high end...I can't afford them, but seems to me I stood & watched JC cast the entire line with a $79.95 OUTFIT from WalMart. We all have different toys, desires, needs, & pocketbooks. I'll just continue to enjoy the stuff I have & trust that others will do the same. It really doesn't matter WHAT we use, it's that we enjoy using it & hopefully sharing what we have learned from the experience.
It's not the size of a pocketbook or wallet that matters, it's the size of one's character. There are many wonderful examples of rich character here on FAOL. Sorry for the rant.
Mike
Mike,
You can rant on one of my posts anytime you want to. You and I pretty much share the same feelings on this. Remember we just talked about it on the phone the other night. The elite attitude. We were right.
I have to be honest with you folks. I do have one higher end rig. Forgive me for not disclosing that earlier. It is an Orvis 9', 8wt Clear Water Rod with their Rocky Mountain large arbor reel, spare spool, lines/leaders and backing on both. Our very own Mike Flanagan gave it to me. It is my "Special" rod. I guess we all have one of those.
I tell everyone I try to help get a start in fly fishing to come to this site because it is family and elite attitudes are not tolerated here. I think the world of all of you. I appreciate you responses, yea or nae.:)
I must confess to LOOKING like one of the holier than thou's. When I go fishing I am typically wearing about $1500 worth of gear with another $1500-$2000 sitting in the truck. I own 2 Pairs of G4's, two or three sets of Simms boots, lots and lots of other simms crap (shirts, jackets, fleece's, etc. etc.). But I am almost always fishing with my $100 TFO rod to the exclusion of my Winstons. The gear that I have I got at a HUGE discount so that doesnt count against me hopefully, and I would fish my girlfriends 40 year old fenwick glass exclusively if I could (if she would let me :-().
I have had people laugh at my rod before when they see everything else I have on. I have had people laugh at my casting before as well. I know very well that I look like a yuppy. I also know that when my poor casting, inexpensive rod, and poorly tied flies manage to catch me a fish (happens more often than I deserve) none of that matters.
My winston doesnt catch me more fish. It doesnt make me cast better. One of the best fisherman I have ever seen caught more fish than anyone else that day (at least 20 when everyone else got skunked on the same fly rig) with $50 waders and maybe $100 worth of other gear.
I tend to laugh off the people that laugh at me for my poor skills or cheap rods because what I have often cost me less in time and money than the cheapest thing they own. One of the ways to measure wealth, in my estimation, is how long you have to work to buy the things you have. The few hours it took me to make enough money to buy my TFO is most likely MUCH less than it took "that guy" to buy his Sage. This allows me to spend more time reading something good, more time to fish, or more time to spend with people that I love. Nothing is more important to me than time, it is the only thing on Earth that we cannot make more of.
This thread is one of the reasons that I love this site. It shows people (read: ME) that you dont have to have the "best" of everything t catch fish and that you can still be an amazing fisherman and person on a budget. So for that I have to thank all of you here for being the people that you are.
Geoff
Geoff,
You can have the best of everything ... your budget can afford! As long as you're happy with it, and it does what you want it to do, GO FISH! HAVE FUN!! Life's too short to get hung up on the stuff.
Hey Geoff,
It's the attitude presented about the gear that makes them Holier than thou. Somehow I have trouble picturing you with that sort of attitude. Judging from your posts on this board I think you are very far from Holier than thou.:D
Betty,
Well said!
I really do not care how much or how little a person pays for their gear so long as they do not look down their noses at others. However, it really infuriates me when those that can afford high end gear look down upon those that cannot.