Irony of Durable Gear

[k-bob]

I am fine with spending money on gear, but imho there really are some bargains out there. And (particularly for lines and rods), different people like different stuff... if you buy less expensive things, you get to try more of them for same spend, maybe find one that works very well for you. or works for one type of stream you fish.

I have more expensive things, but my all-time favorite fly line (rio gold wf3f) was on sale for $40 in the fall and I stocked up. And one of my favorite fly rods, the cabela 6'6" PT 2 wt (US made and very nice), occaisonally shows up on ebay for less than $100. very similar rods from say st croix cost more, and st croix never sold a 6'6" 2 wt, only 6ft 2 wt & 7ft 3wt imperials.

redington waders, rio lines on sale, echo carbon fly rods, good fly rods on ebay... some bargains out there imho ... also I am not a glass guy, but those cabelas cgrs seem pretty nice and a deal for the $ (they were $60 in the fall). and they'd let you try glass and if you like it, maybe spend more later...

gear names can be weird also... the new patagonia ultralight boots are much heavier than their old riverwalker ones (part. when wet)...

as kray mentions, reels for big fish (or in my case, superlight reels for 6' rods) may be just thing and maybe you can get them on sale ... i bought some superlight 1.7 oz wychwood reels from UK once they went on sale for about $125...

 

[tomitrout]

As Kray mentioned, $400 for a reel is just scratching the surface....

http://www.vintageflytackle.com/collections/reels

If you have the means, then who am I to judge?

 

[salmonoid]

I believe the OP is pointing out the irony of a manufacturing selling "durable gear" at $400 a pop, then turning around and releasing a new piece of "durable gear" a few years later. If the gear is durable, the original purchaser would not need to purchase the new piece of durable gear. We all have our value judgments of how much is too much to spend and how much perceived value a piece of gear lends itself to improving our fishing performance.

Spending more on gear doesn't always result in increased value either. There is some crappy high priced gear available, for sure. Spending less on gear doesn't always result in a dud purchase either. I'd guess that generally speaking, spending more on a piece of gear results in a higher quality piece of gear. But it's not a guarantee.

I tend to think that on the rod and reel and line side, the limiting factor in my fishing success is not the gear. It's the angler holding the gear.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

Well put Salmonoid

 

[k-bob]

"I tend to think that on the rod and reel and line side, the limiting factor in my fishing success is not the gear. It's the angler holding the gear."

hmm ... sure, the angler is usually a greater limiting factor than the rod, reel, or line. but the angler is not the only limiting factor.

imho, many of us, if we could try several different rod/ reel/ line combinations, find ones that work for us, and use them on different sizes or types of streams, would do better at fishing... and combinations we like would not necessarily involve the most expensive gear...

 

[FarmerDave]

BrookieChaser wrote:
Why do you care so much about what others spend their money on?

So we can make fun of them? :lol:

I agree with Sylvaneous, but be careful to not go too cheap, which was Ryan's point. Been there, done that.

Bought a cheap reel from Cabela's once. It was probably $20 something. Drag broke right off the bad. Sent it back and got a replacement. It broke first time out. Stopped at a little shop and bought a Cortland Crown II. Still have it and that was probably 20 years ago. Tried to buy a second one, or at least another spool to change lines. Doscontinued. Off to Ebay I went and bought another one complete with extra spool.

I don't think I've ever paid more than $100 for a fly rod, or $50 for a reel. I have some rods that are probably worth more than that, but I didn't pay that. With people like Sylvaneous described, there is always used stuff out there that is still like new.;-)

For me, a trout reel is just a place to store unused line, but when the drag breaks, it doesn't even do that anymore.

Works well on my old St. Croix which I've had for a very long time and bought it for $50 used. I'm sure it would work on my Loomis as well which was actually a gift, but bought used.

I am however lacking in the lighter reel department. I have at least 1 4 weight, one two weight, and maybe a 1 wt. Can't remember. for sure. Never used them. A couple were gifts, but also purchased used. I bought two of the 2 weights used, both like new. Gave one away as a gift. Kept the one that had a little dirt on the grip.;-)

I do need a new steelhead reel though. I want a large arbor, so I will likely have to spend more for that. Current disk drag reel is not large arbor. That one I did buy new for about $50. But since my bamboo steelhead rod is broke, I've been using the old work horse St. Croix 5/6 for that too, coupled with one of those Cortland Crown IIs.

BTW, that bamboo steelhead rod I mentioned. I think I figured out how much I had into that once. I think it was $26. But I did have a lot of hours into it, stripping it down and rebuilding and refinishing it. But I enjoyed doing it, and it does look pretty good if I do say so myself.

For the record, I really don't care what others spend. Many of my friends are gear heads and I don't dislike them any more for it. ;-)

 

[Bamboozle]

My motto since the time I was cutting grass & shoveling snow for money to buy fishing tackle was to buy the best that I could afford and take care of it.

As a result, I always seemed to have better stuff than many of fishing buddies which wasn't my intention. They just didn't follow my logic. I'm also not talking about $400 reels, or even $100 dollar reels marked up for inflation.

I have to believe it's no coincidence I still have my first spinning reels, fly reels, rods and other stuff which are way older than a lot of the posters on this board, all in excellent condition BTW.

Which makes me think...

...when I hear the words "reel rash", see banged up stuff on eBay and see photos of rods and reels lying on rocks for a photo-op, I have to believe the manufacturers do too.

I also believe they market right into that "disposable" mentality with new annual offerings at whatever price point the market will bear.

Durability...?

Nothing is durable if you don't give a $#!+.

 

[krayfish2]

Sal wrote:
Spending more on gear doesn't always result in increased value either. There is some crappy high priced gear available, for sure.

Yep... Sage TCX and Sage One fit that description pretty well

 

[Mike]

Right on Bamboozle. The moderately priced equipment works great when you take care of it. Care of equipment was drilled into me as soon as I learned to fish, and those lessons have served me well. And...by moderately priced, I mean that I have never paid more than $39 for any fly, spin, or casting reel, including ocean gear, and never more than $67 for a spinning rod...and only then because I was at the St Croix outlet store. My go to fly rod is my first fly rod, a Tru Temper glass rod, given to me in 1961. My wife tells me to use her Temple Fork or her custom rod in the basement, but I just stick with the old timer. The Cortland line has started to crack at the end, so it will eventually be time for some new line, but what do you want for 1976 fly line. Like many other things today, they probably don't make it to last like they used to.

 

[RCFetter]

I googled "top end fly fishing equipment" and found this Forbes Magazine article from 2010:

The Best Fly-Fishing Gear

In Pictures: The Best Fly-Fishing Gear

An interesting example - not too expensive:

René Harrop Trout Flies - $60 for an assortment of 24

 

[FarmerDave]

Bamboozle wrote:
My motto since the time I was cutting grass & shoveling snow for money to buy fishing tackle was to buy the best that I could afford and take care of it.

Me too I guess, and BTW, well said.

I was more into hunting back then as was my dad (the fishing kind of sucked where I grew up). So I bought my first new shotgun when I was 14 or 15. Had a paper route and also took odd and seasonal jobs. It was/is a Rem 870 Wingmaster. Sure there were way more expensive guns out there at the time, but hard to beat the quality and durability of a Remington pump at the time. A year or two after, I bought a 760 Gamemaster 30.06. I still have both. Oh wait, I have no guns. Nevermind.

My interpretation of what the OP was talking about is why would people buy an $1000 over an under for hunting when you can buy a Remington 870 Wingmaster for $135 ( Early 70s price).

Great quality back then. I could have spent more. I also could have spent less and not have the quality.

I'm actually surprised so many were defensive of the question.

The best answer to a question like. "why would you spend $400 on a fly reel," is: Because I can.;-)

 

[FarmerDave]

Mike wrote:
Right on Bamboozle. The moderately priced equipment works great when you take care of it. Care of equipment was drilled into me as soon as I learned to fish, and those lessons have served me well. And...by moderately priced, I mean that I have never paid more than $39 for any fly, spin, or casting reel, including ocean gear, and never more than $67 for a spinning rod...and only then because I was at the St Croix outlet store. My go to fly rod is my first fly rod, a Tru Temper glass rod, given to me in 1961. My wife tells me to use her Temple Fork or her custom rod in the basement, but I just stick with the old timer. The Cortland line has started to crack at the end, so it will eventually be time for some new line, but what do you want for 1976 fly line. Like many other things today, they probably don't make it to last like they used to.

Wait. still using 1976 fly line? You win.

Also, if I was old enough to use a rod in 1961, I'd be retired now, ... or dead. Where do I send my Resume'. ;-)

I'm guessing that line is an old green Cortland 333.

Care is the key, but in my experience, it is hard to beat St. Croix rods for durability, even if you abuse it.

 

[redietz]

F
Also, if I was old enough to use a rod in 1961, I'd be retired now, ... or dead. Where do I send my Resume'. ;-)

I resemble that remark

 

[jifigz]

I can more than get by with a Featherlight by Eagle Claw and an Okuma Sierra. My Double L reel is a few years old and has seen tons of abuse and is still my favorite. I can't imagine ever needing to spend more than the $100 I gave to L.L. Bean for that reel.

 

[Bamboozle]

FarmerDave wrote:

Mike wrote:
The Cortland line has started to crack at the end, so it will eventually be time for some new line, but what do you want for 1976 fly line. Like many other things today, they probably don't make it to last like they used to.

Wait. still using 1976 fly line? You win.

I have it on good authority (his own mouth) that Mike spin fishes more than he fly fishes.

However, if he's got a Garcia Mitchell 308 spooled up with 1976 Berkley Trilene, I'd really be impressed! ;-)

 

[Tack-L-Tyer]

Then again when it comes to reels and the prices stick in your craw you can always tool up and have at it. /forums/thread25678html. Under great threads select how to make a fly reel.

 

[tomitrout]

There's also this option:

http://www.eclecticangler.com/fly-reel-kits/

I built one a few years ago as a gift to my dad for his bookshelf, fun little d.i.y. project.

 

[coachbarak]

I always feel that you purchase what you can afford (or not) based on your preferences. I for one have traded or sold off other gear in order to purchase rods that I particularly like. That being Scott rods and mainly Ross reels. It started when I purchased an A4 and then an F2 and before you know it I have 8 Scott rods that I use for my fishing outings. Are they more expensive than Redington...yes...are they better quality...yes...would I own a Redington down the road? Sure!! My preference at the time tho is Scott and I sure do love the way they are made, feel and fish. But everyone has there preferences, Does not make me a better fly fisher but I am learning every day with to me what is great equipment that will last a very long time.

 

[pcray1231]

Most of us have some high end, medium end, and low end equipment. It's all about what your priorities are.

For me, reels generally are down the list a ways. For most trout fishing in PA it just doesn't matter. But if you are into steelhead, salmon, saltwater, etc, then it's a different ballgame, although even then perhaps only needed on the rods you use for those species. If you are into tarpon, I get it, but that doesn't mean you need a high end reel on your brookie rod..

As for rods, the cheap ones are crap, but the mid grade stuff is generally just fine. High end very rarely catches you more fish.

Waders, well, high end lasts longer. Comes out about even in cost per hour used. So I'm not sure what high end means exactly. It's a case where durability is pretty much the only measuring stick.

But I find advantages of going high end on flies/materials and sunglasses! Every year I buy a load of flies at fly shack at the show, and end up regretting it. They fall apart so quick, and when you thought you were stocked for a long weekend trip, suddenly you are out of what you need early on day 1. Now you lose more fishing time cause you gotta tie or get to a shop. Meanwhile, I've had well tied quality flies last multiple days and dozens of toothy fish.

And sunglasses. Even if you can't see fish all the time, this is still a sight game. You are reading structure and subtle currents to put your fly where it needs to be, watching tiny flies or even line in a sea of bubbles for tiny signs of drag or takes. Looking for subtle rise forms at distance in already rippled water. Trying to pick up every flash or movement below water. Even a marginal increase in visual acuity is huge.