Who can afford

[ikeslayer]

i was just looking in the glass case at cabelas you know the one that really sparkles with the bling reels and i thought to myself who can afford these. For example

Diawa STEEZ - $450

Shimano CORE - $380

Abu Revo Premier $260

Quantum Tour Edition PT- $240

And many more not to mention spinning reels and also i walked past the high end rods $300+ and some of them had dust on them.

So my question is does anyone besides an elite pro buy this stuff? Is there a market for it say for the average guy like you and i cruising the interenet. I just cannot imagine dropping that much $$$ on my fishing equipment, maybe on a trip but on one reel i can just hear my wife giggling and then proceding to ask," You are not serious are you"

Just wondering

ike

[Duffman]

I'm sure there are plenty of "hack" golfers out there that have hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of clubs in their bags. And then it costs them $50-$100 to enjoy three hours of their hobby. There's plenty of people out there with money to spend, I don't think the average joe is going to drop that kind of ching on a reel, but you never know. You don't have to be a pro to enjoy the finer equipment, you just have to fork over the cash.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'm not an elite pro by any means.. not even a pro... But I have some high end stuff and plan on adding at least one Core to my collection. I fish a lot.. and enjoy using good equipment. I dont golf any more... fishing is my one addiction... I work hard for my money, and feel I spend it wisely.

[ikeslayer]

Well deitz my next question for you is how big is the difference between the working man class stuff and big money stuff. Is it so redicously noticable that you will never go back or is it just a little nicer. ike

[Fluker]

Hey Ike,

I'll chime in here. I too own some higher end stuff. Similar to what Deitz says, I try to fish a lot (not nearly as much as double D of course) and I like having good equipment. Like Deitz said, I work hard for my money and I do spend it wisely. I also have a family, so my spending on higher end equipment no is where I can find the best deals. If you search long enough, you can find them.

Is the higher end stuff that much different? I think it all depends on the situation. Is a 6 oz reel that much better than a 9 oz reel? Well for those that don't fish a ton, probably not. For those that fish a lot, and in tournaments a lot, it's nice. Less fatigue, etc. Most reels out there that have the essential bearing will suffice most anyone. Rods are the same. Lighter rods are nicer when you're spending 10+ hours a day on the water. The ligher, higher end rods are usually more sensitive which is nice.

With anything though, there is some really nice stuff just before the "high end". The old green Curado was the SYMBOL item of these back in the day.

And to answer your question, no way would I pay that kind of money for a Steez. My guess is they have to sell 4 of there mid range reels to make the profit they make on 1 of these reels. So there is a market niche for these reels and it's not to sell a butt load of then.

Chuck

[Fluker]

Let me add one more thing... I've took a many of whoopins from guys with lesser ($ wise) gear than I. High end gear is not the silver bullet.

If a Zebcoe and a Ugly Stick is your thing, and your comfy with it, maybe that is the best thing for you. (Not you specifically, just in general. You know what I mean).

[Deitz Dittrich]

 Originally Posted By: ikeslayer

Well deitz my next question for you is how big is the difference between the working man class stuff and big money stuff. Is it so redicously noticable that you will never go back or is it just a little nicer. ike

Ike- thats hard to answer...Could I go back.. probably. Do I need to use Chronarch and Cores?... No. I culd get by with a Citica, they are a very good reel.. Can I tell the difference?.. .Yes..And I can tell the difference in Rods even more. I'm lucky that I dont have to make that decision in my life right now.

[HellaBass]

I do have some of this stuff, you can definitely tell a difference, but I would say when starting you are better of having 2-3 good combos than 1 high end combio

[ocf1]

I agree with rich, using his rods and reels were about 90% better than mine, but, i still caught fish with my ugly stick combo...

[cjac]

 Quote:

And I can tell the difference in Rods even more.

I agree, I could be happy for a lifetime with the old Green Curados but with rods it's hard to step back once you step forward in quality. Feel, comfort, sensitivity, cast distance, and so on.

Made the mistake of trying one custom muskie rod, now that's all I have, and I wouldn't trade them! Purposely avoiding touching a bass custom for that very reason.

Chris

Chris

[Daze Off]

I'm with Deitz on this one - in fact I thought I was talking there for a minute about "one addiction", "work hard", "spend wisely", etc. I have a number of high end reels (Quantums) and some nice sticks (mid-range $100-$200 or so) and in my opinion they make a huge difference in my enjoyment factor but they don't tell me where the fish are and what to throw to get them to bite. I find that I cast better (distance/accuracy) with them and the feel is better on the rods. Beyond that - no difference.

I guess it it just like those who drive a Tahoe vs. those who drive an Escalade - both get you there but one with a bit more comfort and options. For some people that is important and others think it is nuts to spend that kind of money on a ride.

The only thing I would add is that I have always watched for special deals and sales and have never paid anything close to full retail for any of my better equipment with the exception of a St. Croix rod. I also do not replace them annually - I have a Quantum baitcaster that I use as a back-up that I bought in 1985 so I get my money's worth. Several other reels and rods have come and gone of course.

Daze Off

[lookincalifornia]

great question ike. you must be reading my mind. get out of my head!

i wouldn't feel right dropping that kind of money on a reel. i am in bad need of a gear update and upgrade. checking prices, i'm not sure what i can afford and still get quality. i think i'll pass on the steez combos.

[primetime49]

We sat around Saturday playing with different rods and reels and commented to each other what a great difference between reels and rods

The guy that brought these out to show us sells a dozen reels every day of the year[really does]and quite a few rods

One of the guys showed us several differant rod blanks shared by several different names and boy was the difference shown when it came to the kind of handle,eyes etc,same blanks hundred dollar difference in finishing

The fishing reels showed no comparison when played with and inspected side by side.

I do not buy the top end stuff but wish after comparing it to product I use that it was in my needs.But i did find stuff inbetween,

Go to one of these stores and put several different price ranges of equipment on counter and have several persons compare and the difference is quickly appreciated.

I looked up his product and customer rating for 8500 and some sales over years[ ninety nine point 79 percent approval rating] on this many sales,and when he could show me middle ranged stuff his customers were happy to purchase I figured he treated me right'Gave my old gear to my kids.

I would rather have a nicer boat than nicer tackle,but I fish every day and can only afford one of two wishesNow i am part way to my second wish but would like to go all the way one season.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I basicly echo what has already been said by most. There is a noticeable difference between low, mid, and high end equipment.

Everybody has that point in which they dont think they get much more bang for their buck. Personally for me I dont think a baitcaster in the $250 dollar range is outrageous. Expensive sure but not outrageous. On the other hand for me $250 is getting way, way up their when talking spinning reels.

I think it comes down to doing your research regardless of what you will be spending. Look at the reels on paper as well as play with them and think about how much you fish and what you can justify spending.

[RK]

Hiya -

I'm kind of a curmudgeon when it comes to this kind of stuff. I know what I like for different things, but very rarely is it what most would consider "top of the line." I do insist though that it be quality and that it last. Crankbait reels are a good example. I use Lews BB-1s and BB-19s. Those are reels from the 1980s and early 1990s, but to this day I haven't found a reel that I like better for cranks (and not for lack of trying). Most of the rest of my reels are Chronarch As and a Scorpion or green Curado here and there. I think the Chronarch A came out in 1993... They still do what I need them to and won't die. My pitching and flipping reels are Garcia 4600s (for the way I flip a round reel works better). Those reels are all of about 45 bucks... But they're durable and they do what I need them to do. To me, a $400 reel is pointless if it doesn't do the job I need it to do in the way I want it to. I'll take a 15 year old Chronarch instead.

I'm even more bloody-minded about spinning reels. I backreel, so I couldn't care less about the drag on a spinning reel. They're locked down as tight as they go. I want a metal frame for durability (graphite frame reels that flex drive me batty), and it has to be at least fairly smooth, but if you set those two requirements aside, I could wrap line around a stick for all I need out of a spinning reel. (And keep in mind I fish smallies a lot, so 75% of my bass fishing is with a spinning reel...) I bet every spinning reel I own retails for under $75. I suppose some may be able to tell the difference between 6 ball bearings and 12, but I can't. Once you get above the basic requirements I have, going higher means more cost for minimal gain in performance in the categories I value. I'd probably set the bar far differently though if I ever used the drag.

Rods are a different deal somewhat. I'm pretty picky about rods, and I really like customs for a lot of stuff because I can't find what I want in a production rod. It's a particular problem because of all the smallmouth fishing I do. When you want a 7'6" ML fast action spinning rod for grubs, or a crankbait rod for throwing #7 shad raps or Moonsaults, it's hard to find them in any production rod. (Cjac - you're scared about getting into custom rods for bass. You're probably not scared enough. Wait'll you see what Keith is coming out with ) For finesse stuff like jigs, pretty high end is necessary and often it takes a custom rod to get what I want. For spinnerbaits, flipping, etc., where it's more of a power fishing deal, not so much.

None of this is to say I am ok with cheap junk. I've tried reels that torque out of alignment on a hookset, or spinning reels that wobble - they go on hsolist immediately, if not in the trash. I insist that things work and be durable. That doesn't have to mean high cost (or even brand new for that matter - see the BB-19). I can't stand rods that have too few guides, crappy reel seats or dead, sloppy blanks.

I know a lot of very good anglers, bass guys, muskie guys, and multi-species guys. One thing I think all of them have in common is they all use equipment that is NOT the very high priced stuff, but is good quality and durable.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[blackdog1101]

I own some fairly expensive fly fishing gear. $300 for a rod, $200 for a reel, $50 for line, $200 for waders, is not uncommon for fly fishing gear. I just tell my wife it's cheaper than a bass boat.

I've learned that you can find some pretty good deals on hsolist, if you're comfortable buying stuff there. There's lots of guys who buy new gear pretty regularly and sell off "last year's" stuff. Or guys who buy gear for a "one time" trip and then sell the gear afterwards. One of my reels was used for a few days like this and I bought it for about half price.

Someone above hit the nail on the head, though. Good gear doesn't tell you where to cast, what bait to use, or put the hook in the fish's mouth. That's skill, and you can't buy that. And the fish don't care if you've got a Loomis IMX or a Snoopy pole.

[cjac]

 Quote:

Wait'll you see what Keith is coming out with

Hey Rob,

Actually talked to Keith last night and got a little teaser of what's coming. All I can say is thanks alot......there goes my "no custom bass rod" theory!

Sounds awesome, cool stuff you guys are working on!

Chris

[HellaBass]

 Originally Posted By: ocf1

I agree with rich, using his rods and reels were about 90% better than mine, but, i still caught fish with my ugly stick combo...

And I did not even let you use the nice ones

[Hammer Handle]

I only used "cheap stuff". And, I was happy with it and I fish a lot.

Then, I went "high tech" and bought a high $$ reel and pole. To be honest, it didn't perform much better for me.

Then, last year, it was stolen.

Back to the cheap stuff for me!

[NBR]

Ike, I agree. My current top price for a bait casting combo is about $150 and for a spinning outfit much less. I must admit I have aged to the geezer class and have a lot of rods and reels. I found a green Curado marked way down 2 or 3 years ago and I don't find it performs any better than some of my older Quantums, Daiwas, Pfluegers, Or BPS reels.

[prov1900]

This is an awesome topic. You can really see both sides. Take a Pflueger President and side by side compare it to a Shimano Stradic. I own both. I would give the edge to the Stradic for smoothness, but it would be very, very slight. The Stradic is pretty much my top end for spinning reels. It is about twice the amount of the Presidents. Now, IMO, if you take a Stradic and compare it to a Stella, there isn't enough of a difference to justify the price difference, roughly 4X of the Stradic.

I have the old green Curado, the last one they came out with prior to switching to the nuclear powered magnesium ones. Love that reel.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I never understood who would spend $500 on a spinning reel (stella). I couldnt even justify stepping up to a stradic from the symetre, which I believe is the best bang for you buck. The new Saros might make me dig deeper in my wallet though.

Shimanos sales would go through the roof if they brought back those green curados. fisherman love/loved them!

[turn_in_poachers]

You get what you pay for, and I learned that the hard way. I do tend to spend a little more for my gear, but Its way nicer to fish with and I enjoy it more. Like everybody here, I work hard for my money and I should be spoiled once in a while. I bought my round baitcaster for $330, but I just cant seem to justify spending a little more for a Steez, or any reel over $400.

[JP Z]

Great bang for the buck rods are the Shimano Clarus' I own 3-4 and love them and at $50-60 they aren't that spendy.

Reels most are now Pfluegers either Presidents or Medalists on the Spinning side and then some Higher End Baitcasting. I was able to get mine via a discount so that is why I have this type.........I still think I would have the moderate expensive stuff if I didn't get the deals......it would just be a lot fewer.

[jalberg]

I am considering the Revo Premier. It's a lot of money, but is exactly what I want. Super lightweight, very small, and tough. Perfect for pitching all day long. It's all about your priorities. You spend money on things that are important to you.