Equipment junkie's

I was just reading about expensive reels and the though occurred to me that doesn't matter what kind of fish you fish for, most fishermen are equipment junkies! Amazing the thing's guy's seem to know about reels, rod's, lure's, hooks line, ect! My expertise into equipment really goes to either I like something or I don't and I am awfully frugal, nice word for cheap! :-) I've got several ABU reels, I like them. But someone was talking about them the other day and mentioned the 6500 C4 I think it was. Have had mine for years and not a clue the difference between a C4 and a regular old 6500! I had to go look and see what mine was. What a surprise, mine say's C3 on it. Haven't a clue what that means! Read about circle hooks and somehow it seem's they move to hook a fish properly? I always though a hook simply held the bait and hooked when you set the hook! I'm 73 yrs old and this stuff is all new to me!

Dug out an old Shakespere level wind last week. have had it for years and don't remember where I got it or what it cost but nice looking reel so that's probably why I got it. Well truth be known it was probably inexpensive;another nice word for cheap! Thing had never even had line put on it but I got it boy! Now this is no ABU but is nice looking and after putting line on it, found out it cast's pretty well also. Had a rod laying around with no reel on it so it found a home. Won't have to sit in the drawer any more. now it can stand in a corner hooked up to a rod that has likely also never been used!

Collecting fishing “stuff” is a big part of the fun of fishing!
Bob

I love my old Ambassadeurs (3 - 5500Cs, 1 6500C3) and Cardinals (3 and 4) from the 60s-70s, even have my old Mitchell 408. I also have a Daiwa Luvias 15 which is the finest spinning reel I have ever turned against a fish. My under $50 Daiwa Regal has 10 bearings and is a very good reel. I've already bought 3 to replace some Shimanos I'll be selling.

My name is Joe, and I am a gear slut. You should see my guitar and amplifier collection which is worth many thousands more.

I don't like high end, I don't like low end. I like GOOD-end.

It does seem to be always something else you want. Be it rods, reels, boats, or electronics

I too am an equipment junkie. I’ve never been high end either but I do have some pretty nice stuff. I believe the difference in the 6500’s is the bearing count, but I may be wrong. 3 bearings in the c3 and 4 in the c4. I use lefty stuff so all of mine end in 01 and cost a little bit more. My prize in the 70’s was a 5001c with black ends. I caught a lot of fish with that reel and a lamiglas custom rod I had made to go with the reel. Until someone stole it. What they wanted with a rod with my name on it is beyond me. Bought another reel and store bought rod. Then Shimano showed up with the bantams that weighed about half as much, and I owned a few of those. I’ve never spent a hundred dollars on a rod, but have for a couple of Shimano Curados. Best I’ve ever owned.

My boats are nice but not high end newest and so on. Electronics the same way. I’m glad that some folks can get the newest and let me know how well it works. Gives me something to look forward to. Frugal and cheap aren’t a bad thing. I have another way of referring to it, and that’s “keeping it in perspective”. I must have pretty good stuff cuz there’s always someone willing to buy it when it goes up for sale. Nowadays I use more spinning reels than anything else and consider a Pflueger President plenty good enough for my purposes. I did have a like new Diawa Capricorn once that sold for about &90 when it was new. Holds the award of the best reel I’ve ever owned. The weight of the handle would cause it to rotate the reel, ultra smooth. I just wore it out. I like the nicer gear, just can’t pull the trigger on it.

It is understandable. I am running a 1998 Stratos boat. New last century :biggrin

Frugal, thrifty, cheap, I’m right there with ya!
A new boat to me is aboat about 10 years old!LOL



Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Redge

Frugal, thrifty, cheap, I’m right there with ya!
A new boat to me is aboat about 10 years old!LOL



Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

---

Kirk, the other woman was an ‘88 and the new to me skiff is a ‘95. I look at the price of a new bass boat and think” do you know how many red neck boats and pickups I could buy with that?” Maybe throw in a mobile home if the deal was right.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

It is understandable. I am running a 1998 Stratos boat. New last century :biggrin

---

I'm rockin' a float tube that's at least 25 years old. Still floats.

My setup is downright cheap by most fishermen standard. $18 rod from Walmart, $30 reel from Dick's, $5 line from Walmart. If I break or lose a rod in the water, I wouldn't feel so bad.
I've thrown plenty of fish in the boat with this setup...crappies, catfish, bluegills, bass, etc. I would love to own more expensive gear but it's hard to justify when I can catch just as much fish with my low end setup. In the future, I may spurge on the St.Croix panfish series rods. Only problem is that I always buy my rods in pair because I fish with twin setup...2 identical rods, 2 identical reels. Mismatched rods or reels caused me to have much angst which is not good for fishing.

I am a new rod junkie, and tons of stuff. I could start a start a store.

If you've ever read my flea market finds you know I find nice Shimano spinning reels!! I have a couple of outfits that cost me a whopping $4-$8 dollars! But I am also a buy two of each!! but I've gotten away from it as I haven't been able to fish much with injuries!! I've got enough stuff to stock a tackle store with jigs and spinners using feathers or fur but have so many tied up it's not a GOTTA TIE now thing!! We're all guilty to a degree, just depends on the cost of our toys!! LOL

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by m2cool

My setup is downright cheap by most fishermen standard. $18 rod from Walmart, $30 reel from Dick's, $5 line from Walmart. If I break or lose a rod in the water, I wouldn't feel so bad.
I've thrown plenty of fish in the boat with this setup...crappies, catfish, bluegills, bass, etc. I would love to own more expensive gear but it's hard to justify when I can catch just as much fish with my low end setup. In the future, I may spurge on the St.Croix panfish series rods. Only problem is that I always buy my rods in pair because I fish with twin setup...2 identical rods, 2 identical reels. Mismatched rods or reels caused me to have much angst which is not good for fishing.

---

You sound like me!

I have less than $2200 in all of my combined fishing gear. Boat and necessary safety items, trailer, rods, reels, fish finder, and tackle. Fishing can be as expensive as you let it be!

I tend to set a price on whatever I intend to buy and then research to find the best quality I can get for the price. Call it frugal, cheap or just hardheaded I try to stay within my means. Hate champagne so I am quite fine sticking with my beer budget.[emoji16]

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

I do the same thing usually. My family say's I'm the most frugal person they know!

Anyone have any experience with this combo?Attachment 362100


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ChrisTownsend

Anyone have any experience with this combo?Attachment 362100


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

---

YES, I won this combo in the BnM contest this last year. They are great. I love fishing with them. Caught my personal best on this combo.

Awesome

Lord please help me, I just bought two more rods and reels. Anyone need any? About to do an online yard sale to make room.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skeetbum

Lord please help me, I just bought two more rods and reels. Anyone need any? About to do an online yard sale to make room.

---

And with Christmas just around the corner, you may be in big trouble!:Rofl
Bob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skeetbum

Lord please help me, I just bought two more rods and reels. Anyone need any? About to do an online yard sale to make room.

---

Same here, except I handed about 20 sets to my daughter and son in law. About to hand them another 10 or so and 3 rods without reels.

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Most important is to match the rod and reel to the lures you cast and the fish you usually expect to catch.
Crappie and panfish in general don't require anything but a light action rod and reel with a 3.5:1 or greater ratio and smooth drag.
Got my Shakespeare rod for under $20 from Walmart, Shimano reels cheap online as well as the cheapest braid. I've caught over 100 fish in a day's time and much of the time over 45 - including some giant catfish. I too have more stuff than I'll ever use in my lifetime - especially bass tackle which I rarely use.
Even my Ranger bass boat is a 1995 and still runs (though only on non-ethanol gas) and my other two small car top boats are at least 15 years old.
Make most of my own lures (posted many on crappie.com) and do very well with them.

Frugal? Well at one time I wasn't'.
Which is why I still nave a couple of Shimano Bantam 100sg's and a Bottom lins Tournament 310.
Frugal? Why yea I'm frugal. I still use the Bantams and the Bottom Line is on my Bass Tender.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skeetbum

I use lefty stuff so all of mine end in 01 and cost a little bit more.
.

---

Your “01” comment brought back memories for me too. All my Garcia’s (501) etc all cost a little more but being left handed I wanted to cast left and not do the hand swap deal-e-o. Now a days just a few minutes and I’m in business. Fly reels are funny that way. I guess that’s the way the old timers liked ‘Em.
Bob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DonaAna1

Frugal? Well at one time I wasn't'.
Which is why I still nave a couple of Shimano Bantam 100sg's and a Bottom lins Tournament 310.
Frugal? Why yea I'm frugal. I still use the Bantams and the Bottom Line is on my Bass Tender.

---

A Shimano Battam 100. Is the the level wind reel? I had a Bantam 100 level wind years ago and boy was that a nice reel!

Yes it was. I had 101’s, 201’s, and 251sg’s. The last was a super reel. Having come from an ambassadeur 5001c I had to go through a completely new learning curve that was almost impossible to look back from. They were all game changers.

I love all of my stuff, just need more. Here is a tip with Ebay, when you see a high priced reel you want for bid- Say a $89 one, I will bid around $20 and forget it- if you do it fairly often, you will get one at that price.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

It does seem to be always something else you want. Be it rods, reels, boats, or electronics

---

True words 🔝

I’m not equipment junkie and I’m not frugal either.
I have two new reels to play with this year.

Sounds like y'all need to learn a little self control ! I gave away 10-15 rods , reels , combo to kids at church . My wife was curious if I intended to replace some ? No I explained , I am going to do my best with the " 16 " set ups I have !

eagle 1 has it figured out! You can always tell - who is a high roller.

I have 32 or 34 and tried hard to whittle it down some more, but if I did it would only be two, maybe three. Each has a personality for a given task that I just can’t part with yet. In my defense, 10 of the rods are a trolling setup, and they’ve been refined over years and replaced over the years. I don’t troll much any more so some of those may one day say goodbye.