to tell the truth

[robert aldrich]

to tell the truth, i am in college right now and i am liveing in a apartment (550$ per month) so i have to watch my money and a vexliar is too expensive and a protable ice house is not fezable because it to large. i been browing a protable ice house when i go ice fishing with a friend and soon the ice will be gone so there is no reason to hurry. i have to buy my ice fishing lures,gear, and rods under the radar of my mom and dad. they will get mad because the money i am useing is for buying ice fishing gear is actuly for college expensive.

[walleyefisher0990]

welcome to college and the broke person fishing scene robert, there are plenty of good deals out there, I am in college as well and although i got most of my stuff when i was in high school non of that matters anymore now that i got a car (cant fit my portable in it), as far as houses go you can pic up a pak shack for under 100 dollars and they work exceptionally well, they are light very portable, and pack up to practically nothing and easy to use, a flasher is another issue, look on the c list, HSO-Classifieds and anywhere else and you can find good deals, fishing although tough when broke can be done, sometimes you gotta scrape pennies for bait ha. The worse part of the whole thing is when you have to sacrifice the sacred beer bucks for fishing gear, kinda tough, have a good one...

[robert aldrich]

read these two threads

every where i look i see a Vexilar flasher and every video i see

i dont need a portable ice house

[jjjohnson]

"Its Gold Jerry, Gold!"

[jwmiller33]

FYI; the best time of year to buy a flasher is just as the ice fishing season is getting over and the open water season is starting (spring). look on the HSO classifieds and I am sure you will be able to find a much better deal then than right now.

[FrontenacPike]

Like other are saying after the season is when you can find the deals. Since you are ok for this season what about getting a summer job and scraping a little off each check.

I would definitely look into a hub style shack, around $100 you be able to get a pretty good one. Another benefit of the hub is you can store it in a closet and it will fit in a car. One place that hasn't been mentioned is, watch your local newspapers for garage sales. Look for adds with listings someone in the family hunts or fishes. Typically the listing will say hunt/fish equipment...deals can be found.

[#1RiverRat]

Everyone will have deals on ice fishing gear once Spring starts rolling around the corner and everyone is gearing up for the open water season. I got a deal on my flasher late season at Gander. I honestly don't even use it much since I have been fishing the same spots since I was a boy and I've only used my portable twice this year due to wind. Other wise I just sit on a bucket. Grin and bear old school style my friend.

[Ed Carlson]

OK..how about you apply for a part time job at a local sporting retail store, or even Wall Mart. Earn some $$$ and qualify for an employee discount at the same time. Retail Sporting loves part time college help.

You may find yourself in another department, not necessarily fishing or hunting, maybe apparel or camping or ..whatever..but who cares..the discount is the same.

Many sportsman/sportswomen in college in your exact situation do this and it keeps them fed and slowly they become better equipped with gear as the deals arise.

[Acemac]

Stop fishing. get your degree and you will have no issue getting the things you want... well that is if you can manage to stay single.

I put fishing on hold for 5 years while I got my degree I was in the same place as you with none of the fancy gear. after I got a good job and started acually making money so i was not living paycheck to paycheck I am able to afford any of the gadgets I need (if the wife lets me buy them lol)

long story short get through college your there to learn you will be glad you did!

[Ed Carlson]

STOP FISHING..Ah come-on....not an option!

Balance is the key.

Fishing is a good respite from school, and there is no reason you can't do both, and do both well.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I took Ed's advice... Well, this was close to 20 years ago.. So I had no clue who Ed was.. But in college I got a part time job at a sporting goods store. As Ed states, I started as a check out clerk, and kept moving up in the company, by my last year of college I was a manager. Some of the best years of my life.

Follow a dream.. Never give up fishing!

[Surface Tension]

Nothing wrong spending time on the ice as long as you keep that nose to the grindstone and finish up collage.

Later you'll be able to afford the toys of the trade.

Keeping purchases off Mom & Dads radar now is a very useful skill later when you get married.

[TruthWalleyes]

I tell ya what man, Forget about spending your parents money that is intended for college on fishing toys...IMO, use it for college!

Go get a part time job and earn some fun money - Put that towards your ice gear.

-I know, I know, you guys are super busy in college and don't have time to work...Yes you do. Many people work full time jobs, and many more work part time jobs during college.

I worked 40hrs/week, took care of my kid, and 18 credits a semester... Granted i was working to pay for the child, but there was plenty left over for fun money. That makes life REal busy, but i never ever worked a weekend either - That was for family and fishing.

Also growing up as a kid, i worked and even though my parents maybe didn't approve of the money i was spending, i earned that money. So ignore the parents radar, and go make some money rob.

Look into an internship for your major. They often can pay well and will benifit you in the future when your looking for a job.

I

[BobT]

This thread illustrates how spoiled we've become. I didn't get my first portable until I was in my 40's. I got my first flasher just 7 years ago and I'm 52 now. I got my first power auger within the last five years.

Suck it up, brave the weather, use trial and error or other means to locate structure or fish, etc. Get your priorities right.

[KG243]

I am 32, a husband, father of two soon to be three, full time college student and work full time. It can be done, you just need your priorities straight! Like a lot have said get a part time job and buy things in the off season as they are less expensive. C list is a good place to start. Studying on the ice is the best place for the mind!

[TooTallTom]

Robert, I agree with BobT that you don't need all the "required" gear to go ice fishing and catch fish. You literally can do it with a license, chisel or hand auger, some line, and some jigs. You really don't even need rods. That said, go get a part time job in a sporting goods store and spend that money how you wish. You earned it, you do with it as you please. But, as others have also said, don't let the job or the play time interfere with your studies. School has to come first.

BobT, I thought you'd like to know that "grammar" is not spelled "grammer".

[TyGuy02]

I like KG243's advice, it can be done. I'm a full-time student and work a full-time job. What I've found is that if you really want to go out fishing, it doesn't matter what you have for equipment and you'll get your schoolwork done earlier if you really want to go fishing. Nothing worse than getting back from the lake at 9, filleting fish until 10 and having to do 4 hours of homework that night AND spend time with the wife. Did that once and I'll never do that again. Stay ahead. I have a rule that I make a list of everything that "I can" do, not that I "have to do", and I cannot go fishing until I have everything done that I "can" do. Good luck

[pulleye16]

College in Duluth...what could be better! I too spent my college years up there and to have someone say put it off, no way! Some of the best walleye fishing right there on the Louis and great hunting for grouse if your into that as well.

We never had Flashers and wouldn't have even dreamed about spending $400 dollars on somehting like that. Rods, hooks and live bait are very cheap ways to get out and enjoy the lakes and rivers. Your not supposed to have those fancy things in college, thats when you learn about finances.

But you can always give plasma like we did!

[BobT]

BobT, I thought you'd like to know that "grammar" is not spelled "grammer".

I figured I'd get caught with something even after proofreading it a couple times.

[mntim]

When I was in college I had 2 poles, a bucket and hand full of jigs and a hand auger. Get me through until I was 28, then I bought the shack and electronics. I would worry more about your school work than ice fishing.

[Grum]

If your schedule is full already and don't have time for a part time job, but still could use some money for fun things, you could always shovel some driveways, mow lawns do some yard work for the neighbors or whatever side jobs they might need help with. Thats how I found the cash for my sporting goods. Don't be shy about what your saving for either, ya never know, that old guy down the street may have what your looking for that he doesn't use anymore. I have a gently used shotgun to prove it. Good luck.

[that_guy]

Garage sales are golden as well. I've even seen some basic equipment at thrift stores. The main thing is to keep your eyes open, there are deals everywhere!

[robert aldrich]

Thanks, I am keeping a eye out for ice fishing gear. College work comes first before ice fishing.

[BLACKJACK]

I'm with the others, college comes first!!! The 4-5 years you spend in college are only a small chunk of your life. Getting thru college will help you get a better paying job, as I a college grad, have a lot more money to spend on toys than my high school graduate brothers. Patience and priorities.

That doesn't mean you can't do a little fishing and hunting on the weekends, or even an occasional evening fishing. When I was in college I bunched up my classes so I had three day weekends in the fall, I would head home and pheasant hunt all weekend, but then it was nose to the grind stone when I got back. You can do both.

[AndRo]

Stop fishing. get your degree and you will have no issue getting the things you want... well that is if you can manage to stay single.

I put fishing on hold for 5 years while I got my degree I was in the same place as you with none of the fancy gear. after I got a good job and started acually making money so i was not living paycheck to paycheck I am able to afford any of the gadgets I need (if the wife lets me buy them lol)

long story short get through college your there to learn you will be glad you did!

I recently got engaged. I promised myself to buy all my toys before I got married. Got the house, the new auger, went from a 1up to 2up sled (mutual decision), got a few extra poles. Next.... the Harley. Then get married ha.