Vagabond Persimmon Seed #21 $68.99 Yesterday on Facebook one of my friends wrote:
The economy continues to wreak havoc on the fishing industry but it seems people in the industry just don't get it. Come on $20 crankbaits, $70k boats! The average angler is being hurt the worst.
Several people clicked "Like" or commented in agreement. I ,however, was the lone dissenting voice when I wrote:
Sorry but I disagree, I think at no time in history has it been so easy to get quality equipment at a reasonable price thanks to the very large Internet inspired new and used marketplace.
I think at the outset it might be a good idea to make a distinction between an "average" bass angler and an "average" bass tournament angler because I don't think the Joe average bass fisherman is necessarily a tournament person. To be a tournament fisherman generally is going to require a financial commitment to equipment that is completely unnecessary for the basic task of having a good time by catching a few bass as a hobby.
For the guy that just wants to go out on a regular basis and bust a few bass it most certainly does not require "$20 crankbaits" and "70K boats." Any suggestion that this is the case is ridiculous. There is no doubt in my mind that right now and into the foreseeable future the average fisherman will be able to acquire quality equipment that will bring plenty of bass fishing success even on a tight budget.
I think the same pretty much holds true for Joe average bass tournament fisherman, because Joe average bass tournament fisherman is a club guy fishing for little to nothing beyond bragging rights, a trophy and maybe few hundred up to maybe a couple of thousand dollars at the high end. Bill Ludenia, who is a guy in my bass club, is a perfect example of a guy who has been a very successful bass tournament fisherman who doesn't see a big need to "keep up with the Joneses." He keeps it simple, fishes to his strengths and gets the job done.
To my comment someone replied with this:
Pretty hard to get a used BDS 4 spring craw. Used boats time is now but who has the cash, half price may as well be full price.
(Note a BDS is a Lucky Craft Crankbait that retails for $15-$17 depending on size, spring craw is a color pattern)
Well obviously is someone is dead set on getting a specific Lucky Craft crankbait, finding a good deal on it may not be possible. Heck the notion of "good deal" and Lucky Craft crankbaits is probably an oxymoron to the average Joe bass fishermen who probably gets bye just fine with a few Bandits or Bombers out of the bargain bin.
Owning a boat is nice but not a necessity. With the Internet it is easier than ever to get connected with people who have boats or find out about local opportunities to catch bass where a boat isn't even necessary. If you are in the market for a watercraft as long as you have a couple of hundred bucks you should be able to find something between Craigslist, Ebay, and local fishing forums.
Does bass fishing cost too much? No! Lack of money is not much of an excuse.
Update: Be sure to look at this threads comments as there are some excellent things pointed out.
5 comments:
I have mixed feelings on this one. You already know I'm not a tournament angler. I agree no boat is necessary to catch nice fish. Just look at the 5lber and 6lber I caught a while back off the pier. But having a boat I can stand up in sure makes fishing a lot more enjoyable. Certain reels, baits, and line even make my time on the water much more enjoyable. That's the experience I'm after when I fish.
Forget $70k boats and $20 cranks. We complain about $6 Senkos and $5 rattle traps. It's no surprise that we'd be a little miffed over the cost of "premium" products.
We are being tempted in two very clear directions by the industry. First, we are now expected to shop online for our gear. Second, we're being lead to believe that more expensive is better when that isn't always the case.
In terms of cost, I'm probably different from a lot of these people I'm friends with on Facebook and Twitter. I rarely buy my gear online. That's where cost usually hits me. There are certain things I can't find around here at Academy or in the small shops. Fluorocarbon line has improved my fishing experience tremendously, but because I can't usually find PLine Halo locally, I have to go online to get it AND usually pay shipping on top of that. Meh. Not going to do that unless I know I need to buy multiple items. Gotta make the shipping costs count for something. That's why I've been using Vicious fluorocarbon. It's inexpensive, but still great line. I only hope the store I buy it from keeps the stuff in stock. A V&M product is only available in that very same store and they usually only have a couple packs on the rack. I don't think anyone needs any reminding where V&M is based. (You'd think I'd be swimming in their products.) Buying online only makes sense to me if I end up loading up my online shopping cart in bulk, but again, we're being guided in that direction, aren't we?
Just look at all the lure companies that have Facebook pages now. I probably won't buy anything from most of them unless they push products into the stores where I can get a closer look. But they need our business too, right?
So I'm split. On one hand, I agree. Most of the time, we don't need all this stuff. But it also depends on where you live and where you can shop. Even the inexpensive stuff has to be bought online these days. To make it worthwhile, we have to buy more than what we had originally planned. A $2-$3 pack of plastics is not worth the $6-$10 in shipping.
You also don't see a lot of baits or gear drop in price over time. In other markets, costs frequently go down as a product ages. That's not a common practice in the fishing world. Yes, I opt for the cheaper alternative on a number of things as a result.
Ebay? Yeah. Maybe. There are plenty of deals there.
A recent article in a fishing magazine reminded me that tournament anglers are in the minority. Something to keep in the back of our minds. Regular recreational fishermen won't put up with some of these costs. I think the bass boat industry finally figured that out. Maybe others will follow.
And I just remembered. We should be glad we're not Manabu Kurita. Much more expensive to fish over in Japan.
I'm pretty much in line with you, BP. I think the sport has never been more affordable, but for a reason different than you bring up. 15 -20 years ago, when the average/occasional angler bought "cheap gear" - often pre-mounted combos - they were often barely functional. The same combos now - actually MORE affordable than 20 years ago - are , by and large, pretty good quality products. People can have a good, positive experience with this tackle, and maybe get "hooked for life".
I also believe that advancements in fishing lines have done wonders for the average guy.
Sure , Lucky Craft and Sebile are great lures - they catch fish. I use both. A lot of other baits catch fish, too. Is a Lucky Craft LVR a good bait? Absolutely. Is it so much better than a Bill Lewis RattleTrap (at 1/4 of the price)that you shouldn't even bother going fishing if all you have is 'traps? Of course not.
Fishing product lines have only recently - over the past 15 years - expanded their width to the point that virtually every category now has Good-Better-Best. It didn't used to be that way.
There are Hundai Santa Fe's and Cadillac Escalades. Just because I can't afford an Escalade doesn't mean that driving is too expensive, and I should quit.
My $ .02
Wolfy
As far as the very large Internet inspired new and used marketplace goes (namely ebay), you can possibly use a seller's inability to spell to your advantage to get some good deals and save money. Sites like ebuyersedge.com (typojoe.com, etc) will search ebay for common misspellings of keywords you enter.
Most interested buyers will never see these misspelled listings, reducing the competition and most likely ending price.
Ebuyersedge also gives you the option of saving your favorite searches, then sending you an email when an item is listed matching one your saved searches, giving you a jump on other potential buyers.
This works best with 'Buy It Now's, but is also effective with auctions.
Also, if you bid on an ebay auction, use a sniping service such as hidbid.com to avoid bidding wars, and hopefully save some money by not drawing early attention, and not giving manual 'nibbling' snipers a chance to react.
Some things are very spendy, some things are worth it, maybe some not, but I think places like BassTackleDepot.com and others like it have made it more affordable then ever. They have very competitive prices, good sales and free shipping over $50, plus if you do not live in their state, not tax, plus you don't spend a half a tank of gas trying to find a $6 bag of plastics in the right color.
Not too mention, many rod, lure and line companies are coming out with value brand offerings
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