High End Tackle (Is it just forTackle Snobs?)

[Milan]

The Jack combo inspired this poll, I personally can't justify spending an absolute fortune on a combo and draw the line at around $250/$300 . I don't like cheap and nasty and can see the value in some of those mega $$ combo's.

Your thoughts?

[Jords]

Mate I think the step up from a $100 combo to a 150/200 combo is enormous. After that, the gear certainly does get better the more you spend, but that difference is minimal. Good fish can still be caught on cheap gear, most people just find 'better' gear easier, more reliable and more enjoyable

[pancakes_and_haggis]

I dont see the vast difference between a reel worth 250 and a reel worth 700 maybe cos I've never use one! I do see the value in the better branded lures that swim better with better components.

As for Rods if your paying 200 extra to lose weight then surely the more u used a heavier cheaper rod then the lighter it becomes in time.

Mid range all the way!!!

[reef_raider]

personally i find it well worth the money.. i started off with $100 combos and worked my way up... the biggest thing for me is a nice smooth drag and something that casts well, i guess it all depends on the style of fishing you are doing and how often you use the gear as you need to be able to justify the money being spent

[Cheyne_jones]

I love nice stuff, maybe not daiwa exist nice (would certainly buy one if I could afford it), but I have no problem spending 300-500 on a reel and the same for a rod. I notice a difference in the quality between the cheaper stuff and my gear. Its also a matter of ergonomics with the more expensive gear, can be alot easier to fish a whole session with a nice light rod and a really smooth reel compared to some cheaper stuff (this is probably the biggest thing I have noticed as I have stepped up in quality).

In the end its horses for courses, if you can afford it and want to spend the money, why not? And if you dont want to spend the money dont. You will certainly hook just as many fish as the next guy no matter what you have, weather your gear stands up to it and your skill level can land the fish in a whole other topic.

[51MPL]

Ahhh I was wondering how long it'd be before this debate kicked up again.

I love the way Henry answers this, it's something along the lines of "... Would you rather drive a Ferrari or a Commodore? ..." If you have the money then why not spoil yourself and splash out on good quality gear with years of R&D behind them? Same goes for the car example, if money was no object would you rather let's not say a Ferrari but something more suited to city driving like i don't know BMW M5 or something? 4 doors for your family, luxurious interior & features but a v10 under the hood?

You can use cheaper gear and catch fish no worries but it comes down to personal preference I believe.. Are you happy using that gear or would you rather spend more on blinged up reels from Megabass etc? Also the fact that if you spent a decent amount on a reel $500+ then you would expect that it performs extremely well, super smooth drag system and will last you years and years and years if you take care of it?

Not sure if i made my point clear so maybe i'll try to think about it and re-word it later.

I'm sorry though I don't agree with the last part of your post at all pancakes. If you are paying $200 extra from one rod to the next, your not only paying to lose weight - you are paying for added sensitivity, better quality components (guides, reel seat, handle etc). Personally when using my duff i can feel even the tiniest nudges from bream which can be pretty annoying when they just wont commit and hit a hardbody

[nathan05]

I dont see the vast difference between a reel worth 250 and a reel worth 700 maybe cos I've never use one! I do see the value in the better branded lures that swim better with better components.

As for Rods if your paying 200 extra to lose weight then surely the more u used a heavier cheaper rod then the lighter it becomes in time.

Mid range all the way!!!

Trust me the difference between a Tierra and something worth 700 like a Steez is massive but if your not using it every week numerous times then yeah maybe not worth it. When it comes to rods im not sure too many people spend the extra to get lighter? My first rod was some 2-4kg gladiator worth around $100 and compared to my GLX im currently using its worlds apart but once again only worth the extra if you actually use them.

[distrojunkie]

the difference between high end, midrange,entry level is the technical aspect of the reels and rods. the reels in particular, you need to look at the components used for and in the main body, the materials used in the drag stack, ie: stainless,ceramic, carbon fibre or just plain fibre, are the metal washers machined or punched.punched washers make for poor drag quality, jerky being the best description. then there is the bearings, the number of, and materials they are made from. spool design is also important to look at as well, again the materials used in the spool make a difference to cating and line management. i look at all this when looking into reels in the price range i can afford.

[Surfingant]

Khoi that's probably not a great example, I mean I think most would rather drive a Commodore over a Ferrari wouldn't they?

You can certainly catch good fish on cheaper gear but using higher end stuff does make it more enjoyable, like mentioned above you are paying for more r&d and added features. Buy what you can afford, I have gone from using 20-30 dollar reels and now pretty much use Stradics exclusively because I enjoy using them and they feel a lot better, they're not stellas but they are enough for me. Having said that my two favourite plastics rods are from big w and only cost about $80 each. At the end of the day it is personal preference, buy what you can afford and are comfortable paying.

[madmullet]

and it also comes down to what you are chaseing. for eg i chase alot of sharks over the 3m+ mark some up to 4.5m and their is no point buying a ebay special reel for 500 bucks, cause you will destroy it in afew trips, thats why i go the big $$$$$$$$ their.

but when it comes down to bream, whiting, flathead, squire ect people are spending up to $1000 bucks a combo, for what reson. a 200 buck combo will do the same thing.yes they are a smidge lighter for the price but if you broke it it hurts alot more.

my mate spends 500 bucks min on a reel and 500 bucks min on a rod, yes it feels lighter and it handle spins for afew rotations more but it does the same thing as a cheaper rod and reel.

i have bought g-loomas when i was working at tackle world and you have to treat them with care, if you bump them to hard, it fractures the fibres and when you load it up bang, they break.

on a nother note i got a custom 8ft 37kg game rod built that has a life time warinty on workmanship and manufacture fauls and i have used it 10 time and thats it in the past 10yrs that i have had it. i am to scared to loose or break it and i can not afford $1500 to replace it.

so you can see where i am coming from.

[madmullet]

ow and another aspect. if the drag is what you want on a 200 buck reel, get some drag washers made up or it

[sharklady]

mid range..........my thorts

[Cheyne_jones]

and it also comes down to what you are chaseing. for eg i chase alot of sharks over the 3m+ mark some up to 4.5m and their is no point buying a ebay special reel for 500 bucks, cause you will destroy it in afew trips, thats why i go the big $$$$$$$$ their.

but when it comes down to bream, whiting, flathead, squire ect people are spending up to $1000 bucks a combo, for what reson. a 200 buck combo will do the same thing.yes they are a smidge lighter for the price but if you broke it it hurts alot more.

my mate spends 500 bucks min on a reel and 500 bucks min on a rod, yes it feels lighter and it handle spins for afew rotations more but it does the same thing as a cheaper rod and reel.

i have bought g-loomas when i was working at tackle world and you have to treat them with care, if you bump them to hard, it fractures the fibres and when you load it up bang, they break.

on a nother note i got a custom 8ft 37kg game rod built that has a life time warinty on workmanship and manufacture fauls and i have used it 10 time and thats it in the past 10yrs that i have had it. i am to scared to loose or break it and i can not afford $1500 to replace it.

so you can see where i am coming from.

A $500 rod more of than not has an expediter warranty, another reason to go for the pricier stuff if you can. Another advantage is casting distance and accuracy you will get with better graphite quality, they might only be bream at the end of the day, but you may aswell have everything on your side if you can justify the expense.

[aussie123]

There is a number of ways look at it.

If you can afford expensive gear go for it as it is always nice to have and use great gear.

On the other hand the cheaper rods and reels these days are good quality in most cases and most do contain good components that will last a number of years if well looked after.

Certain types of fishing like game and pelagic fishing,jigging,bottom bashing with heavy leads ect do require the better gear or you will destroy reels very quickly but in reality the ones fishing for Bass,Flathead,Bream ect do not need expensive gear to catch fish and to get longevity out of their gear.

A lot of the cheaper reels these days were once the flagship of these companies.

If you look at the Shimano Stradics as an example,many years ago a Stradic was the top of the line reel and were very expensive to buy compared to other reels of that era.

Nowadays they are close to the bottom in the Shimano stable yet once were state of the art reels that everyone had to have.

Your mid range of reels these days are great reels and will land any fish that you will ever want to catch and last many years with a bit of TLC.

The 2 main components of any outfit is the line and the drag.

In the end the only thing keeping you connected to any fish is the line and bad line will render even the most expensive outfit useless.

Drags on cheaper reels can be replaced or honed properly to make a superb smooth drag system that is comparable to far more expensive reels.

Keep them both maintained and you should never have a problem.

Another thing to remember is you can buy maybe 10 cheaper reels for the price of one expensive reel so in reality cheaper reels will often work out more economical on the pocket in the long run,especially if you are getting a year or 2 out of a reel.

[pancakes_and_haggis]

Yeh point taken u can see that there is more to Rod than weight alone,

Personally I've had my fair share of low range Rods and reels and have started to upgrade in recent months to fishing stradics and with samaki zing, raiders and dropshots so I wouldn't say im fishing low range any longer but obv I'm no where near your Stella's

I think another point to raise is I your honest with yourself how much care do you take with them like Kurt mentioned about Rods breaking when under strain if they have been knocked bout I know I'm bad for maintanence and care!!

Last point is how good you are at getting a 900 dollar tackle warehouse past your partners nose haha

[madmullet]

and it also comes down to what you are chaseing. for eg i chase alot of sharks over the 3m+ mark some up to 4.5m and their is no point buying a ebay special reel for 500 bucks, cause you will destroy it in afew trips, thats why i go the big $$$$$$$$ their.

but when it comes down to bream, whiting, flathead, squire ect people are spending up to $1000 bucks a combo, for what reson. a 200 buck combo will do the same thing.yes they are a smidge lighter for the price but if you broke it it hurts alot more.

my mate spends 500 bucks min on a reel and 500 bucks min on a rod, yes it feels lighter and it handle spins for afew rotations more but it does the same thing as a cheaper rod and reel.

i have bought g-loomas when i was working at tackle world and you have to treat them with care, if you bump them to hard, it fractures the fibres and when you load it up bang, they break.

on a nother note i got a custom 8ft 37kg game rod built that has a life time warinty on workmanship and manufacture fauls and i have used it 10 time and thats it in the past 10yrs that i have had it. i am to scared to loose or break it and i can not afford $1500 to replace it.

so you can see where i am coming from.

A $500 rod more of than not has an expediter warranty, another reason to go for the pricier stuff if you can. Another advantage is casting distance and accuracy you will get with better graphite quality, they might only be bream at the end of the day, but you may aswell have everything on your side if you can justify the expense.

mmmmmmmmm. so so on that line. i own a Heartland Z Saegake

rod $ 750 worth and i gave it to the misses cause i ended up not liking it. i also had a g/l dsr820 i think it was, sold it to a mate 2 weeks ago for 300 use 5 times cause i ended up not liking it.i think for the money dropshots,samaki ect are well worth the $$$$$$$ and i prefer to use as they do the same thing

[Do$tylz]

Ferrari all the way homey.

Is it worth it? we could do this till the cows come home

To me personally, its worth it. I'm just one of those guys that when I buy something, I'll try and buy the best to get the most out of it. I could just buy a normal vacuum cleaner but damn a Dyson is pretty awesome. That's why I have the stand up and am about to buy the hand held.

Technically - if you are that into the sport and are a person that wants to increase your marginal chances that little bit more then yes its worth it. If you're gonna push the limits of your gear then yes its necessary. Like Madmullet pointed out, when chasing big sharks, he needs top gear to handle it day in, day out. Anything less and he'll either fail landing the shark or he'll have to replace his gear more often.

On my bream gear I absolutely push the limits.... and love it. High speed chrome spinning off the rocks on a 1000 stella trying to catch 60cm tailor and GTs?? you betcha. You try that with an average reel in a 1000 size and you can say goodbye to your reel pretty quickly.

High end rods - I've been doing some research into rods and the process of making blanks and the rods themselves and by golly. The amount of effort that goes into a single rod of a decent calibre is insane. Are they worth it? yep. Do you have to treat it like a glass child? yep. Do they do the job better than average? yep.

Ask DKW83 (whatever the numbers are) what happened to his $400 reel when he pushed its limits.

[Do$tylz]

and it also comes down to what you are chaseing. for eg i chase alot of sharks over the 3m+ mark some up to 4.5m and their is no point buying a ebay special reel for 500 bucks, cause you will destroy it in afew trips, thats why i go the big $$$$$$$$ their.

but when it comes down to bream, whiting, flathead, squire ect people are spending up to $1000 bucks a combo, for what reson. a 200 buck combo will do the same thing.yes they are a smidge lighter for the price but if you broke it it hurts alot more.

my mate spends 500 bucks min on a reel and 500 bucks min on a rod, yes it feels lighter and it handle spins for afew rotations more but it does the same thing as a cheaper rod and reel.

i have bought g-loomas when i was working at tackle world and you have to treat them with care, if you bump them to hard, it fractures the fibres and when you load it up bang, they break.

on a nother note i got a custom 8ft 37kg game rod built that has a life time warinty on workmanship and manufacture fauls and i have used it 10 time and thats it in the past 10yrs that i have had it. i am to scared to loose or break it and i can not afford $1500 to replace it.

so you can see where i am coming from.

A $500 rod more of than not has an expediter warranty, another reason to go for the pricier stuff if you can. Another advantage is casting distance and accuracy you will get with better graphite quality, they might only be bream at the end of the day, but you may aswell have everything on your side if you can justify the expense.

mmmmmmmmm. so so on that line. i own a Heartland Z Saegake

rod $ 750 worth and i gave it to the misses cause i ended up not liking it. i also had a g/l dsr820 i think it was, sold it to a mate 2 weeks ago for 300 use 5 times cause i ended up not liking it.i think for the money dropshots,samaki ect are well worth the $$$$$$$ and i prefer to use as they do the same thing

^^^ I'm so-so on that

Price doesn't mean you'll like it. Personal preference plays a big part in it and for people who are just starting to get into the higher end of stuff, understanding and applying the use of the gear is needed as well. Using a flats rod for dropshotting will have you thinking the rod is crap.

I'm not saying that's your scenario MM, but its something to consider for others.

[Milan]

Hahaha I think I've opened a bit of a can of worms here.. I can definatly see both points and its what lead to put the question to you guys. I'd have a ferrari if someone gave me one but cause of the $$ I'll have to stick to my realiable astra haha

[PlasticFantastic]

My vote is with the expensive gear for sure, I fish with Onthechew alot offshore and if you saw the gear that gets taken out it would equal the cost of some peoples boat. But the fish we catch warrants it, I'm only using what most people would class as a medium snapper outfit but am able to land close to 30kg of Gt on it because I paid for good gear that can handle it. I'd love to to see a cheap combo with a stickbait on the end and see how long it lasts.

Cheers

Mark

[Jords]

My vote is with the expensive gear for sure, I fish with Onthechew alot offshore and if you saw the gear that gets taken out it would equal the cost of some peoples boat. But the fish we catch warrants it, I'm only using what most people would class as a medium snapper outfit but am able to land close to 30kg of Gt on it because I paid for good gear that can handle it. I'd love to to see a cheap combo with a stickbait on the end and see how long it lasts.

Cheers

Mark

Give me a date and I will bring my cheap combo out to fish with you guys any day

may have to bring something decent for the subsequent casts though

[Eug]

should also keep in mind that it's the r&d technology from high end gear that filters down through to the low end gear.

[ellicat]

Anything more than a plastic hand reel with 80lb mono is simply cheating.

[Keen-as-fisho]

Definitely high end gear, from a tourny point of view, to get that edge over the rest (although thats hard enough). I use a custom built Duff rod with a Certate higear on the end 2LB braid, I feel the slightest tap and I'm on. I have a couple of samurais as well with certates on them, by no means high end they are more mid range but in a tournament when the fish aren't fireing, you need every little advantage in your favor to connect, it just doesn't happen with a basic combo.

[billp]

If I could justify it, I would love to have some nice stuff. But when you fish from a yak 99.9% of the time there is just to much chance of something happening, which would end in tears.

Like KAF said, in a tourny, I will probably feel less than half the bites he would, which is why I never finish in the top 20, but I still can't justify more than my Sienna combo :cheer: .

[max pwr]

couple hundred bucks for a combo is my usual spend, bought a $300 reel 6 months ago and my cheap shimanos are better I reckon.I like a fizzy drink when I fish and get a bit careless with my gear......snapped a rod tip off a 3 week old rod day before yesterday didn't see it cos it's a camo stick . I wasn't too fazed cos I bought three rods all the same and it didn't cost me a fortune.

As for feeling bites better with high end gear that's a useless feature cos I can't find where the hell the bloody fish are anyway.

[makaira71]

My opinion has always been... buy the best you can afford.I scrimp and save to buy good quality gear, and by doing that I know it's going to last. Iv'e caught plenty of fish that if taken on cheaper gear just wouldn't have allowed me to land them. I work along side a fella that swears blind that if it costs more than $100 it's too much.Iv'e seen his gear and personally it's excrement. So as to answer ferrari or commodore....you choose!!

[Whiskers]

I'm just starting to expand my "mid range" gear and am enjoying having betterish gear,

With kids and a average job the high end gear is just out of reach.

I own a Great Wall, would I like a Amarook? Hells yeh! but just simply can't afford it, Do I love my GW any less? Hell no that truck is a troopa!

I don't get caught up in the whole "if I had this" thing.

The best thing about fishing is anyone on any budget can go out and have a great day and catch any fish.

There will always be someone with something better, Enjoy what you can afford and be grateful we live in a country where we actually have these options.

Cam

[elops]

I love tackle snobs have bought some nice gear off them for a good price when they upgrade to the latest bling. Usually in perfect condition only ever having caught a few SWC or flappys at token drag settings. Latest bargain a JDM Airity 2506 S.W. Light Game Special for $160 only ever caught mexican SWC, in very nice condition.

[cookie_7]

I love digging up old threads and reading them.

[rinkerdink]

My $11 +$15 shipping 15ft pelagic surf smasher rod is on it's last legs, caught another stack load of fat catfish at Redcliffe on Sunday arvo and I think it's almost toast. The bottom ring of the reel seat came away on the first run out, this could be counteracted by tightening it up hard, unfortunately this led to the entire reel seat rotating on the rod shaft on the second outing. Now the reel seat is increasingly floppy with each landed fish. The

JW reel anti reverse was screwed after 2 trips and managed to convince the BCF till operator that it probably wasn't worth sending the $20 piece of sh@t back to JW for repair, managed to convince them to let me upgrade to a slightly larger JW piece of sh@t instead. The 1 ball bearing system as advertised on the box did make me laugh though.

In hindsight I can't help thinking a few extra $ might have gone a long way :-D

[mick2me]

Yep I would say top end gear worth it, I just wish I had the money to throw at it, and when and if I get the cash I hope my misses lets me spend it on it... :silly:

[motu]

and it also comes down to what you are chaseing. for eg i chase alot of sharks over the 3m+ mark some up to 4.5m and their is no point buying a ebay special reel for 500 bucks, cause you will destroy it in afew trips, thats why i go the big $$$$$$$$ their.

but when it comes down to bream, whiting, flathead, squire ect people are spending up to $1000 bucks a combo, for what reson. a 200 buck combo will do the same thing.yes they are a smidge lighter for the price but if you broke it it hurts alot more.

my mate spends 500 bucks min on a reel and 500 bucks min on a rod, yes it feels lighter and it handle spins for afew rotations more but it does the same thing as a cheaper rod and reel.

i have bought g-loomas when i was working at tackle world and you have to treat them with care, if you bump them to hard, it fractures the fibres and when you load it up bang, they break.

on a nother note i got a custom 8ft 37kg game rod built that has a life time warinty on workmanship and manufacture fauls and i have used it 10 time and thats it in the past 10yrs that i have had it. i am to scared to loose or break it and i can not afford $1500 to replace it.

so you can see where i am coming from.

yep sure can kurt like when we went fishing ! you had all the flash gear and well set up . and i only had my $10 ebay outfit and neither of us cought anything haha but it was still a good day out

[tazzy.]

My $11 +$15 shipping 15ft pelagic surf smasher rod is on it's last legs, caught another stack load of fat catfish at Redcliffe on Sunday arvo and I think it's almost toast. The bottom ring of the reel seat came away on the first run out, this could be counteracted by tightening it up hard, unfortunately this led to the entire reel seat rotating on the rod shaft on the second outing. Now the reel seat is increasingly floppy with each landed fish. The

JW reel anti reverse was screwed after 2 trips and managed to convince the BCF till operator that it probably wasn't worth sending the $20 piece of sh@t back to JW for repair, managed to convince them to let me upgrade to a slightly larger JW piece of sh@t instead. The 1 ball bearing system as advertised on the box did make me laugh though.

In hindsight I can't help thinking a few extra $ might have gone a long way :-D

That's the funniest thing i've ever read!! Especially in the context of all the other posts...classic I nearly wet myself.

[Gregpen]

Although it's never a hard and fast rule, I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for... but that doesn't mean you can't catch great fish on cheaper gear. All the tools and no skill also plays into the outcome.

[rinkerdink]

Well, I've learnt my lesson. Just ordered a 13ft Daiwa Theory multiplier (overhead) rod to go with my Shimano speedmaster VI. I'll be attracting strange looks at Redcliffe next time out with my snazzy overhead surf rod, shock leader and big weight. I must practice as I don't want a big blow up on my first cast in anger!

[Angus]

Thanks for resurrecting this post cookie it is interesting.

Well surprise surprise I am going to weigh in in favor of the high end gear here.

Low end gear: Not for me. Not because I am a snob just because I do not see the point in replacing gear more often that has a higher fail rate anyway with the way I push light gear.

Medium End: Depending on what you consider medium there is an argument in its favor for sure. For example a Shimano twin power or Daiwa freams reel will surely suit most anglers all day.

So why the high end gear?

I am going to quote myself from an article I have recently written for Fish Head's online magazine as I think these two paragraphs answer the question (at least from my point of view) precisely.

"The emphasis on quality gear is far more pronounced when engaging in finesse fishing than per norm. High end gear is not always a justifiable expense. Let us face it, $1000 dollar reels are just not (despite what some tackle junkies will say) 100% required for all casual fishermen happy to soak a bait on the weekend. However, if your desire is to tangle with hard fighting fish on respectively light line, attention to the gear needs to be made. Why? Finesse fishing often tests your gear to the limits. In order to make the exercise as challenging as possible, you are essentially asking your gear to push the limits of what it is designed. For example, was the Shimano Stella 1000 designed for catching 80cm Barra. No. Is it extremely fun catching a Barra on a Shimano Stella 1000? Yes!

Nothing can be left wanting when chasing big fish on light gear. Every element of your piscatorial arsenal needs careful scrutinising from leaders, lures, trebles and split rings to drags, knots, reels, rods and application. While on their own, each element plays only a small part in the overall capture, it is the ability to concatenate these little factors that lead to greater success. We love to dub this “The 1% Rule” (paying attention to every little 1% of detail to improve your overall chance by a larger percentage). The requirement of such detail often gets questioned by sceptics but when fishing light line classes, it can be the higher quality drag giving way to inertia at exactly the desired time that turns a guaranteed bust off into a capture of a life time. High end gear applied to finesse fishing eventually pays for itself anyway. The simple fact is, quality gear can put up with more, for longer. If you are intending to push your gear to its absolute limits, by splashing out early on you will certainly save yourself multiple replacements and upgrades and possibly save yourself the heart ache of a few lost fish!

The rest of that article should be out in the next issue so I hope you liked the teaser.

Cheers.

Angus

[BrisVegasBretto]

The term high end is subjective at best. As is the term Tackle Snob. Initially I used to say it would come down to want v need v affordability, but I have since found that isn't true.

Affordability is a non issue to many (not all though). I see a lot of high end gear being pawned on relevant forums to cover bills and other unforeseen expenditure. If someone wants to spend so much on gear it may leave them short changed elsewhere, more power to them. It's everyone's personal choice. To others $1K on a reel or a rod may not be that much to them personally. Again it's very subjective. A little while back friend of a friend broke one of his Megabass rods using it as a lure retriever. Many wouldn't contemplate such a use. This guy did.

Need is a delusional term in most cases. Like hearing someone say he "needs" a Branzino for bream. Usually further "justified" to the extent of "I might need the extra power for a bigger by-catch" (honestly who buys equipment for a by-catch). The only time I would say "need" in relation to high end gear plays a critical role is in the longevity of offshore equipment. Hence why you see a lot of Saltiga's and Stellas on-board an offshore/bay enthusiast's boat.

So it's really a question of "want", and there's nothing wrong with that. If I want something that's going to make me happy (assuming I can afford it... and it's for sale) I'll buy it.

If it takes an Exist for man to be happy. Fine. If another man is happy with an Aird. That's fine too, and it works out a little cheaper for him.