# Expensive tackle - life time investment?



## Feral (Oct 18, 2008)

Noted the thread about expensive rods, I'm interested in the other side of expensive tackle - If I buy it, I consider it a lifetime investment (or at least until it falls overboard or gets the car door treatment).

Yet I notice an awful lot of young fella's buy top shelf gear, only to have it up for sale within 6 months, often to get the loot to put towards the next bit of top shelf gear they want to buy.

Why is it so? To me forking out for a bit of top end gear means careful consideration, weighing the pro's and cons (admittedly mostly how will I hide it from SWMBO ) and expecting I will then use it basically for ever. I would never consider selling it once I had made the decision to buy.

Is it a generational thing, am I just a tight arse, or do the young fella's of today really have that much disposable income!


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## kritter67 (May 17, 2009)

I am with you on this mate , i think they have no brains too much money no resposibilities and not enough parental guidance. When i buy i make a carefull informed decision and buy the very best i can afford and then look after it the best i can, if that makes me a tight ass i can live with it. :lol:


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## kritter67 (May 17, 2009)

I agree with that , but i would never buy a cheap/nasty reel .I bought a tica surf reel gh800 i think and it cost me $80, 6-7 years ago ,it is a very good surf reel and better than the $280 tica dolphin i bought by far. The drag on it would stop a small truck.


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## kritter67 (May 17, 2009)

All very true , by cheap and nasty i meant the $20 type surf reels and such that flex like all hell and strip drags on the first decent fish . Brand name products can definately be matched by the lesser knowns often at 1/2 the price and are definately worth the money. As long as the drag is decent and it feels smooth and robust with anti reverse you will probably not be dissapointed.


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## mangajack (Jul 23, 2007)

I am a strong advocate for buying a reel that is firstly within your budget and preferably under $200 and matching it with an off the shelf 100-150 rod of good quality. The last ten years have seen nearly all the majors and a lot of unknowns produce decent quality cheap rods that are quite easily replaced when they get broken. In the 2-4kg 7' graphite spin rods there is probably about 50 common comparative rods on offer with less than half that number being inferior quality amongst them.

Having thrown a rod overboard this morning by accident I will soon be fronting the local tacklos looking for a replacement.

Jack.


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## wongus (Feb 12, 2006)

I would stay away from cheap and nasty but get reasonable quality gear that is functional without breaking the bank ie around $200 to $300 for a rod & reel outfit spooled with fireline. I'm referring to 1-3kg and 2-4kg outfits primarily used for luring. Of course smart shopping stretches the budget further.

Of course everyone is entitled to splurge every now and then for that 'special outfit' but I personally wouldn't need to have the top shelf tackle with the big $$$$ for all my outfits. Really horses for couses... quite happy to continue using my 20 year old Alvey filled with mono for my surf fishing needs but you will quickly get frustrated throwing the light poppers or jigheads unless your gear is suitable for the task.

I don't think there is such a thing as a 'life time investment' because technology moves so quickly....

Remember when the Ugly Stik was all the rage and now if you still have one (remember they're meant to be virtually unbreakable), you probably leave it collecting dust somewhere whilst you reach for your lightweight graphite stick. Who knows what we will be using in the next 10 years.

Secondly, when fishing off a yak, your reels will inevitably get soaked in saltwater... much better to get an affordable replacement reel every 5 or so years and keep the outfit that has seen better days for your kids or visitors who don't seem to understand why you get agitated when they leave reels lying on the sand after they get sick of holding the rod.


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## AndyC (Feb 29, 2008)

G'day, Feral & All,

Having heroically resisted the urge to shoot my keyboard off over that 'expensive rods' thread, I log on today to find THIS one. Ohhh horrors, a fella can only be strong for so long!

Let me start by admitting that I don't own any of that top shelf gear and never have. This means that the guys who do, can immediately nod sagely and condescendingly and point out that I couldn't possibly know what they are talking about. When they are extolling the virtues of that $1,000 rod and $600 reel, they can do so, secure in the knowledge that I can't refute what I haven't experienced.

So now, let me talk about what I DO have. Up in my loft is something like 30 fishing rods .... fly rods for salt and fresh, stillwaters and rivers and creeks, spin, baitcast and jigging sticks, boat rods, surf rods and some superb coarse fishing type rods. I have at least one to suit (very precisely) every kind of fishing experience that I am privileged to enjoy. Reels? I don't know how many I have around the place. I have fly reels and spinning reels, bait-casters and a few 'collectables' that I keep for nostalgia's sake.

I suppose my best 'brand' bit of tackle is an Abu Garcia 6500C baitcaster, matched to a hollow glass Abu garcia Baitcast rod. Just beautiful. I bought it from the local second hand dealer for $60 and its almost mint. But almost all of the rest is 'no brand' tackle. Names like Kandji, Melaluka, Saratoga, Pelagic, Lemax ..... these 'brand names' are probably meaningless to anyone who doesn't do their shopping online on auction sites.

Most of this tackle has seen at least three years of fishing and much of it has seen far more. Its all still as near to 'as new' as I could make it. I sew bags for my rods and reels, if they don't come with the product. Everything is carefully returned to said bags for transport and rods are, where possible, stored in rod tubes as well. Gear is carefully rinsed (rods too) after any exposure to salt water. Its all cleaned and lubricated regularly. The fact is, I get an enormous amount of pleasure from my gear. The quality of the workmanship is a delight and my outfits are a pleasure to use.

Most of my rods and reels probably cost me around the $30 - $40 mark each, delivered So I suppose my total investment in fishing gear wouldn't add up to what some blokes would spend on a single outfit. But it is quality gear in my opinion, each piece carefully selected for its intended purpose. There really is no such a thing as a general purpose fishing outfit, when you think about the variety of fishing experiences available. Whilst the constant advances in technology incline me to add to my collection from time to time, I would feel confident to say that most of my gear will outlast me.

So what is it that the big brand guys get for their extra $$$$'s??? Well, quality is its own justification and there are a few rare individuals who have an acute appreciation of quality engineering. They are the ones who can drift off into sublime bliss, just from cranking a quality fishing reel or swishing a lovely rod through the air. But those people are rare in my opinion. And I reckon most of them would be able to acknowledge the quality of some of the cheaper brands. That's because their passion is quality and not something else.

But there is no denying that, amongst the big brand population there is more going on than just the fishing. What you also get with big brand gear is prestige. And with so-called custom gear, you get it in spades. And with all that clever advertising, constantly telling you how superior your gear actually is, you might even pay extra money for some stickers to put on your car, or on the side of your boat, giving you the privilege of making certain that everyone KNOWS you are a brand-name person .... not just a nobody! Gees, in case you have to stray too far from the car or boat, they'll even sell you clothing items embellished with their advertising. How amazing ... that YOU pay THEM for the privilege of advertising their products.

But then, there's also the club membership. Once you lay out your cash for brand name gear, you become a member of the enlightened ones. You get to make posts about the gear you have, or have experienced and hand out sagely advice on what the newcomers should be buying, if they want to be taken seriously. Why, I even suspect that the brand name people probably have a secret handshake so's they can recognise each other, even if the advertising baseball cap has been left at home!!

What I don't believe, is that big name gear will make you a better, more proficient angler. If you can't cast straight and accurately with a $100 outfit, I'd wager that you can't do it with an expensive one either. If your reel isn't suited to your particular rod, then your outfit is never going to be 'balanced', no matter whether its top shelf or bottom. A good fly caster can cast a fly line, using a broomstick. And a poor caster won't manage to be better, just because of the brand (or not!) on his fly rod.

Finally, if you don't look after what you have, it won't last. And I don't care how much money you spent. If you do look after the things that you have, chances are, they will serve you well and faithfully. I am not saying there isn't rubbish gear out there, but its getting thin on the ground. I reckon modern fishing tackle is faithful to the 80/20 rule .... where you get 80% of what you need for 20% of the investment. If you want the 'trimmings' .... prestige, club membership, advertising participation etc ..... that will cost you the other 80%.

The wonderful thing is, no matter which side of the fence you sit, there is gear out there to keep everyone happy and contented. Now I must dash. I want to make up some 'Kandji' stickers for the side of my boat. Where's that contact vinyl?

Cheers all,

AndyC


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

About 2 years ago now when the aussie dollar was comparable to the US dollar - I managed to get several top shelf reels pretty much 40% cheaper than what they are today. I'm glad to say that for the price I paid for them I was very happy with the reels - but I'm not sure If I would pay the top dollar that they are now asking. Quality and a good price and you cant go wrong....... so I'm pretty happy with what Ive got now and rarely sneak a look at the new fancy stuff !!! I'm hoping as long as they still do spares for them I'll have them a long time - a bit like a classic camera. They just need servicing every now and then !!!


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Feral I'm an old tight arse and hate to spend any more on gear than I have to. Unfortunately with cheap rods, I tend to break them and surveying a small pile of 10 broken rods, ranging from cheap Ebay models to $120 pfluegers and Strudwick, I've come to the conclusion there is no point in wasting money on cheap rods. The added advantage of buying quality, is they usually cast better and plays the fish out better. Same goes with reels, I would rather buy something that will last than have to replace one every 6mths......and again better quality reels are smoother, cast better, less likely to get wind knots and backlash and less likely to fail when you hook up with a good fish. Same can be said with lures, if a more expensive one will catch me more fish than a cheapy, I'll spend money on the dear one.

I spend a great deal of time researching a product, if its expensive and wont buy anything just because its new and flashy (except maybe a new f/g fishing ski  ......mind you thats only because my third hand battered and bruised Swing is on its last legs and I've finally found sumptin I like....I hope)......I think those Shimano Firebloods are a wank. :twisted:


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

To same degree you do pay for the name with flash gear, but I've got cheap Daiwa & expensive Daiwa & there's no comparison.

With expensive reels, my justification comes down to serviceability - with metal cases that are tough & durable, I can restore them to as-new condition with a cheap service, for less than the cost of another disposable reel. When in perfect working order (difficult to maintain with my dubious maintenance regime, coupled with the rigours of yak fishing), the performance, smoothness & reliability of the fancy reels make the cheap ones look cheap. A quick trip to Daiwa once a year & I've effectively got new high performance reels for around $40 a throw.

Most of my fancy rods have a cheaper than purchase replace option. I've already broken one Loomis (cost around $450 new), and was delighted to replace it with an identical model for $150. Money well spent for the performance of the name brand stick as far as I'm concerned, and replacements cost the same as a lower performance equivalent.


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## Rstanek (Nov 5, 2007)

sbd said:


> To same degree you do pay for the name with flash gear, but I've got cheap Daiwa & expensive Daiwa & there's no comparison.
> 
> With expensive reels, my justification comes down to serviceability - with metal cases that are tough & durable, I can restore them to as-new condition with a cheap service, for less than the cost of another disposable reel. When in perfect working order (difficult to maintain with my dubious maintenance regime, coupled with the rigours of yak fishing), the performance, smoothness & reliability of the fancy reels make the cheap ones look cheap. A quick trip to Daiwa once a year & I've effectively got new high performance reels for around $40 a throw.
> 
> Most of my fancy rods have a cheaper than purchase replace option. I've already broken one Loomis (cost around $450 new), and was delighted to replace it with an identical model for $150. Money well spent for the performance of the name brand stick as far as I'm concerned, and replacements cost the same as a lower performance equivalent.


I agree with AWTY and SBD's points  .

I spend as much as I can on gear, because with the best quality gear, you get the best warranties and (generally) customer service. This is especially true with my fly gear. At the moment, I'm lucky in that like most people my age (18) 90% of my income is more or less disposable, so I've chosen to build up an arsenal of the best gear I believe I can get. Most of this gear comes with a lifetime warranty (with the exception of my Daiwa reels) so while the initial outlay might seem a bit much on paper, they are in theory the last rod I will need to buy. If a Nitro breaks, it costs $60 to replace the section, no questions asked. If a series is discontinued, I'd say the rod would be upgraded to the modern equivalent (as with my fly rods). I'm sure that in the long run, the number of cheaper rods or reels that I might go through in a lifetime would be far more expensive than forking out several hundreds or more for a quality bit of gear now, which will be quickly replaced or upgraded for a small fee if anything ever happens.

Aside from that, better gear is a pleasure to use - They generally last longer, are better to cast, better to fight fish with and lighter materials create more comfortable & enjoyable fishing, and I have no doubt that I fish better with quality gear. As AWTY also mentioned, it's better for the fish, which swim off in much better condition if they're brought in relatively quickly.

While I spend a lot on my gear, I look after it all way better than I look after my car, or any of my other possessions for that matter. I don't buy my gear to sell it on in a few months, I research everything thoroughly before I buy, and if I decide I want something else I simply save up for it. The only bit of gear that I would consider an investment is the Mako 9550 I have on order, which with little use may well be able to fund my retirement by the time I'm 65, but I won't be selling it unless both my arms drop off :lol: .

Rowan


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

again it gets back to the fact that nicer gear will be nicer to use but the jury is still out on whether it catches you more fish.

I play a bit of golf and it's the same thing with golfers. I see guys who 'have' to change their gear every 6 months when the latest Ping/Callaway/TaylorMade club comes out. These guys are usually crappy golfers who think that the technology will make them an instant Tiger Woods. Reality is that never happens.. Ever.... Most pro's I know use their 'favourite' clubs and may have a set of irons or a putter that's 10-15 years old and a bag that's falling apart..... So the moral is that these blokes who know what they are doing can play better than you and I with supposedly 'inferior' equipment. Hand Tiger Woods a set of KMart golf clubs and I bet he'll still break par. The average punter would be far better off spending $50 on a lesson with a golf pro (or even better a few hundred bucks for an ongoing series of lessons) rather than looking for a quick fix in the way of technology to help them. Technology can't help you if your golf swing looks like an epileptic cat stuck in a washing machine.. :shock:

In a similar way, I wonder how many fishos have ever actually had a fishing lesson or hired the services of a local guide?. It's probably never ever crossed 99% of our minds. However I'd guarantee that if you spent an hour getting guided around your local waterway that your fishing skills and knowledge would improve 10 fold.......

But I bet that if 99% of us had to toss up between a new rod/reel/lure and a fishing lesson we'd take the shiny stuff. 8)


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## Dan23 (Jan 7, 2008)

Feral mate,

I used to be a proponent that you didn't "need" high end tackle. If truth be told no you don't. Hundreds if not thousands of amazing fish are caught on cheap gear every year.

But, I fish a lot,

To be crude, a hell of a lot.

The more I fish the more I can nit pick any tiny flaw in whatever gear I am currently using. I think a lot of it can be down to ignorance is bliss. Not to be offensive to anyone but before I owned a Certate I thought my Daiwa advantage reels were pretty good. Every piece of gear I own gets fished as hard as possible and I find out exactly what it can and can't handle. I can confidently say that my $800rrp price Certate is worth every cent because that every cast, every crank and every fish I hook on it feels great and never ever lets me down. I can't say the same about my $270rrp Daiwa Advantage spinning reels.

Now there are exceptions to the rule.

I was very very happy with the HSTLA reel that you know own  It caught you and me some fish we will both remember the rest of our lives. However once I bought an Alphas R edition I simply couldn't bring myself to fish the HSTLA. Sure the cheaper reel did the job and was an awesome reel but the Alphas was just out of this world performance wise and the difference was enough to make me want to use it exclusively.

So in summary, no you don't "need" high end gear, if fishing is what you love most and you have the means to have the best tackle you can get your hands on then go for it as you will appreciate the confidence it gives you that when you do hook up to that fish of a lifetime everything is in your favor.


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## Feral (Oct 18, 2008)

I think I have not got across what I meant very well!

I dont have a problem with people buying high end gear, just amazed at the turn over rate of some of the younger fella's who buy it!

I know your gear gets well used Dan (and well treated), but quite a few young blokes seem to buy the high end gear, use it very little, then turn it over within months.

When I buy good gear, for me it is a lifetime investment. I will have that reel I got off you for many years, unless I lose it, or pass it on to my kids, for ever. Even if it sits in the shed being unused !


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## Buff (Dec 31, 2005)

I know what your getting at ;-) 
I'm a member on Bream Master and remember all the young guns were waiting with baited breath for the Streez and the Exist to be released and now the same ones are putting them up for sale and looking for the next "be all and end all" craze :? 
For me its save up for some good gear, do my homework so I get something that will last and do what I want for a long time (Me Lov my Airity"s Long Time :twisted: :lol: )


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## Ranger (May 31, 2008)

I know a few guys who take their fishing very seriously (tournament fisho's) who buy the latest and greatest, use it for one season, then sell it while it's still relatively new and in good condition, so that they get a good resale price, and they then put that money towards the new seasons tackle releases (always adding a little extra from their pocket).

This way every season they always have the latest and greatest in newly released tackle, and it's the only way they can afford to keep upgrading each and every year as new models are released.

Myself, I appreciate quality tackle. I can't always afford the BEST, but I do reach for the top shelf in my purchases so I purchase high quality tackle whilst still remaining within my budget.

What I have found is the quality of after sales service I now receive based on my previous purchases.

For instance, I recently broke a rod. A well used Daiwa Zero (hardly top of the range, and definately not custom made, but an expensive piece of kit nonetheless) which I'd had for well over 12 months. I called the tacklestore to enquire as to the price of a replacement, and he asked me to bring the broken rod in for him to have a look at.

A call to the Daiwa rep saw a replacement rod heading out free of charge, simply because they were told I'm a good customer who buys quality tackle, owns plenty of Daiwa kit, fishes often and looks after my stuff.

I've had issues with a coupla different reel parts which have been replaced free of charge, and I've also been loaned gear just to try out for the weekend, to help me make a decision if I wanna purchase or not.

I'm not here to tell you that you need to spend exorbitant amounts on tackle, and I'm not here to tell you that you need to restrict your budget when you buy gear, coz really I don't care what you prefer to use or what your budget is. Whether you wanna spend $20 at K-Mart, or $2000 having something specially designed for you.

The choice is there for all of us to make, and we're all capable of making our own decisions. I like my expensive mid to top end gear, and I get a lot of use and enjoyment from it. I wont knock you on your choice of gear, be it expensive or cheap, and in return, how about you don't knock me on mine.

At the end of the day, it's all about the fishing, not how much money you spend! That pretty much goes for any sport or hobby! It doesn't matter what you get involved in, you will find some operating on a shoestring budget, and others with all the latest and greatest, they ALL enjoy their sport though.


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

Feral said:


> Noted the thread about expensive rods, I'm interested in the other side of expensive tackle - If I buy it, I consider it a lifetime investment (or at least until it falls overboard or gets the car door treatment).


Expensive gear can be a lifetime investment if you look after it well, espcecially considering most expensive gear comes with lifttime replacement warrenty for the original owner.



Feral said:


> Yet I notice an awful lot of young fella's buy top shelf gear, only to have it up for sale within 6 months, often to get the loot to put towards the next bit of top shelf gear they want to buy.
> 
> Why is it so? To me forking out for a bit of top end gear means careful consideration, weighing the pro's and cons (admittedly mostly how will I hide it from SWMBO ) and expecting I will then use it basically for ever. I would never consider selling it once I had made the decision to buy.


It's about the word investment.

Which fishing gear isn't. It's a depreciating asset. You don't buy one car for your entire life. You sell it before it loses too much value and you upgrade to a newer model.



Feral said:


> Is it a generational thing, am I just a tight arse, or do the young fella's of today really have that much disposable income!


No, we are just wiser with money.


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## mbp (Jul 25, 2008)

Having read through this thread I'm going to go out on a bit of a limb here with a qualified response. I'm what you might call a 'collector junkie' of high end fishing tackle & gear and to me this is just something that 'cooks my particular chook'. No right or wrong - it's something I do when I can afford it because I get a charge out owning and using high quality, well engineered gear that I know won't let me down when I need it to work. Yes - it represents a big investment so naturally I look after it religiously. No - it dosent make me a better fisherman - 40+ years of experience & knowledge coupled with 'putting the hours in' makes me a better fisherman. But I do get enjoyment out of using quality gear &, if your serious about modern lureing techniques you'll know that it requires the gear to do a lot more work. (I.E soaking a bait for hours does not equal the same time spent doing cast & retrieve with lures in terms of wear & tear on gear) Naturally you don't spend big $$s without doing a lot of homework and research to get what you want - in the same way that when I was interested in takeing up Kayak fishing I did the research and bought a quality Hobbie product and not just $600.00 bucks worth of plastic from BCF.
Look - at the end of the day you can still get down to the shops in a Datto 180 B or a Porche 911... if you can afford it one ride's just got a bit more class than the other, not to mention a better re-sale value ;-) Paul


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## Nativeman (Sep 6, 2005)

Yeah I must admit I only by expensive reels lately, you can certainly tell the difference over the cheaper stuff. The reels I have bought I intend to hold onto and I can see them lasting me a very long time with a bit of T&C from time to time.

I've had a Shimano Curado bait caster for close to five years now and back them when I bought it I got it for $180 on sale and I thought that was dear then, but the thing is it's still going strong and works like the day I bought it even though it has a few scratches now. I can see myself keeping it for ages

I can say similar things about my Daiwa Sol 2500, Shimano Stradic 1000.

I even weakened today and went out and bought a Daiwa Fuego Baitcaster and after owning it for less than a day I can tell you now It will be a keeper, very impressive.

Cheers


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Feral said:


> I think I have not got across what I meant very well!
> 
> I dont have a problem with people buying high end gear, just amazed at the turn over rate of some of the younger fella's who buy it!
> 
> ...


Oh I thought you might of been picking on me, but if it is the younger generation your having a go at, then I agree totally......the lazy buggers should go out, get married (or not), have kids then they would be too damn broke to buy fishin gear. :twisted: .....just like it was when I was 21 

Only joking, it helps the economy.......in fact I think the government should have given the entire stimulus package to the under 25's (and my wife), they would have spent the entire amount in less than a week and have absolutely nothing to show for it. ;-)


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