I have had a few instances where I had a hard time not laughing as my friends with the "High End" gear couldn't fish while I was catching quite a few on my cheap gear. I can't afford the "High End" stuff so I do my best to get a good value. I remember a Guide in Alaska laughing his head off as my son was catching fish on the $50 reel I had bought him, while some others in the group had their $500 reels pulled apart trying to fix them in the field.