It's A Disease

[JohnF]

This syndrom is only cured when a purchase is made, a significant amount of buyers remorse has set in and you realize that you probably could have gotten away without buying said gear.

Who am I kidding, G.A.S. is not cureable!

HH

 

Yer right. What does a man do after he buys something he absolutely doesn't need, but it's so damned purty he just had to have it?

 

He gets to work on creating a need for it. We're pitiful.

 

I sincerely have no interest in standing out in a cold creek at 5 am on a snowy spring morning but watch me right after I buy my first float rod.

 

JF

[solopaddler]

The day we see you with an ear missing we'll know you've gone over the edge.

 

JF

 

 

Either that or I take Mike Tyson fishin' with me and he snaps.

[JohnF]

Either that or I take Mike Tyson fishin' with me and he snaps.

 

Did Vincent hang out with Tyson?

 

JF

[Raf]

he drank a lotta absinthe

[JohnF]

he drank a lotta absinthe

 

There was a time I thought drinking absinthe was the coolest, not that we could get it here in Canada, but then I learned what it was made from..... bleah!

 

I figger van Gogh's ear just fell off from absinthe abuse.

 

JF

[Guest gbfisher]

that nasty green stuff..................maybe I shouldnt have drank that bottle way back when....

[JohnF]

that nasty green stuff..................maybe I shouldnt have drank that bottle way back when....

 

Why? Did ya lose an ear?

 

JF

[Raf]

There was a time I thought drinking absinthe was the coolest, not that we could get it here in Canada, but then I learned what it was made from..... bleah!

 

I figger van Gogh's ear just fell off from absinthe abuse.

 

JF

 

you can now buy absinthe legally in Canada and the US. select LCBOs carry it. it was re-legalized in the last few years and yes, it's the real deal. with thujone content. although i've yet to "see" anything (or go blind), paint a masterpiece and/or lop an ear off.

 

Edited June 16, 2009 by Raf

[Guest gbfisher]

Why? Did ya lose an ear?

 

JF

 

 

Nope..... what was between them.....

[JohnF]

Not sure how we got to this from the fishing sickness but -

 

 

I think I'll stick with Famous Grouse straight up.

 

JF

[solopaddler]

Did Vincent hang out with Tyson?

 

JF

 

Not Tyson but an angry Gauguin. Some say it was him who lopped off Vincents lobe.

[Raf]

Not sure how we got to this from the fishing sickness but -

 

they're both diseases!

[anders]

I will let you know in a couple weeks...have three more rods coming in ....

[JohnF]

Not Tyson but an angry Gauguin. Some say it was him who lopped off Vincents lobe.

 

That whole era was pretty interesting. I got interested in it while in university and did a lot of reading, too much of it when I should have been studying. Gauguin was out there on the edge too. They shared an abode before Gauguin took off for the south Pacific.

 

There's a book about the impressionist artists that I wish I could find again. It was pretty interesting reading recounting the adversity of being an artist of that discipline (or lack thereof) in Paris and how they eventually found acceptance and led the way for the post-impressionists like Gauguin. They were a wild and crazy bunch.

 

JF

[Jonny]

I'm of the opinion that it's your terminal tackle, and where you put it, and how you work it, that determines fishing success much more than the gear you fish with... once you have satisfied the basics of a good reel with a good drag, a decent rod, and good line. With of course some allowance for the species of fish you are targeting.

 

Despite that, I have the same liking for shiny, expensive things that most other fishermen do.

[bigugli]

Almost every combo I posess falls in the $100-150 range. There are lots of wonderful reels and rods out there. Some with outrageous price tags. Regretably, few would survive a season of bush beating, stumbling and falling down As a result, my bush rods are mostly Uglysticks and a Lewes. All have lasted several years. I still fish with a 40 year old glass rod.

 

Reels tend to be middle of the road for the same reason. Quantum, Pfleuger, Mitchell ultralite310. Lost faith in Shimano years back with such problems as reel reverse and weak bails. I will be using a 300A soon. Found it at a yard sale for $5. Only thing wrong was the finger grip on the handle was gone. Easy to cure with a little maple or oak. ( Yeah, I'm cheap )

 

All the toys in the world will not make a good angler. I've known a few tackle junkies who have every new hot item, bring a dozen preloaded rods, have $2-3000 in the latest bells and whistles on the boat, and they still can't catch fish worth a darn. Their fave excuse; "the lake's been fished out"

Edited June 17, 2009 by bigugli

[Fishnwire]

When I was younger I felt the need to spend a lot of money on high-end gear...I've gotten away from that. I still own a couple of Loomis rods and a really nice Fenwick and I like using them, but I'm just as happy using one of my $50 Abu Garcia combos from Canadian Tire. Also I think about it this way...most of the gear I paid top dollar for 10 or 15 years back is not really of any higher quality than the reasonably priced stuff available today. Technology is constantly improving. Today's revolutionary breakthrough is tomorrow's standard feature.

 

Where I am prepared to spend top dollar is on things like line, hooks, swivels, snaps, leaders, jigs and plastic, etc. I also wouldn't waste too much time on cheap knock-off crank baits or spinners.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[Jonny]

I'm pretty much of the same mind as the last two posts. Earlier I mentioned my liking for shiny, expensive things; that doesn't necessarily mean I buy them.

 

A couple of days ago I dug out my old Mitchell 301 and 301A. I'm going to strip, clean, oil and lube them, and give them another workout. Those two reels between them have accounted for hundreds of pickerel, pike, bass, lakers and specks. Spooled up with Power Pro or Fireline they should be fun to fish with again.

Edited June 17, 2009 by Jocko

[crappieperchhunter]

When I was younger I felt the need to spend a lot of money on high-end gear...I've gotten away from that. I still own a couple of Loomis rods and a really nice Fenwick and I like using them, but I'm just as happy using one of my $50 Abu Garcia combos from Canadian Tire. Also I think about it this way...most of the gear I paid top dollar for 10 or 15 years back is not really of any higher quality than the reasonably priced stuff available today. Technology is constantly improving. Today's revolutionary breakthrough is tomorrow's standard feature.

 

Pretty much 100% agree with the above statement when it comes to rods and reels, but I still buy the top quality I can afford when it comes to outdoor clothing, footwear and rainwear.

[Fang]

I just sold 14 rods to clear out some room down stairs

 

Team Diawa 6'6" and Diawa SS1300

Extreme Woo Davies 7'2" M Trigger and Extreme LH high speed

Fenwick XTR Downrigger and Abu 7000

7'6 Fig Rig H and Shimon Corvalus 401

 

I can catch em all on these 4 rods. OK I cheated to add another set up but that always seems to be the case with me.

[Bly]

John,

 

I only have 8 rods total for all types of fishing that I do

 

Shimano Clarus 7ft Heavy/extra fast paired with a pflueger trion GX7 about $160.00

 

Fenwick HMXS 6'6 Md/fast with another pflueger trion GX7 about $110.00 (did have a 7ft Fen 1 piece that I preferred but it was stolen)

 

Abu Garcia Specialist 6'6 Md with a Diawa Regal 2500-51A. Not sure what the retail on this would be, the rod cost me a Horton's Lg DD and the reel was free Maybe $60

 

 

The other 5 ........

 

One trolling rod and reel ....pd $90-$100

 

Float setup.......Raven Matrix 12'6 $100.00, used with one of the above pfluegers

 

Carp setup.....Okuma Diezel Combo $40 I have also used this to troll with, casting and surf fishing

 

Ice fishing......CT rod and regular Guide Series reel...maybe $35.00

 

Last, I have a Zebco baitcast setup that a friend gave me to learn/practice on.

 

Do I qualify as being "still sufficiently in control of our impulses and our faculties to resist the lure of multi-digit priced rods and even more expensive reels"?

[JohnF]

Do I qualify as being "still sufficiently in control of our impulses and our faculties to resist the lure of multi-digit priced rods and even more expensive reels"?

 

You 'fessed up to way too many sticks there. And we all know you sneak Cliff's stuff when he ain't lookin'. You therefore do not qualify as one who has resisted the gear allure. You are a lady gearpig.

 

JF

[Spiel]

You know you have a sickness when it leaves you so poor you can't afford to go anywhere to use it.

[Radnine]

Hi JohnF and all,

I have two identical set-ups for Walleye. They are 6'6" Med-light/fast St Croix Triumphs with 1500 Daiwa Excelers. They are new this year and have worked very well thus far.

For smallies I use a 7' Cabelas Tourney Trail, med/fast, with a 2500 Exceler. For trolling I have a 7' Bionic Blade from Bass Pro. It is advertised as Med/fast but is stiffer than the tourney (thus the use as a troller). It also is paired with a 2500 Exceler (when I find something that I am comfortable with I tend to stick with it).

The rods are all between $55 and $70 and the reels are all around the $75 mark.

Jim

[Bly]

You 'fessed up to way too many sticks there. And we all know you sneak Cliff's stuff when he ain't lookin'. You therefore do not qualify as one who has resisted the gear allure. You are a lady gearpig.

 

JF

 

No way would I "borrow" Cliff's, my stuff is better LOL