I have always believed that a true fisherman doesn’t need the extras to lure in quality fish. The real fisherman relies on instincts and technique and a general feel for the fish. Give me a wal-mart rod / reel combo, dirt cheap line, and any size hook and I will catch as much as the next guy. You know this might be true. You might be that good or lucky. You could have a good day and everything work out for you while these gear heads and decked out in their Bass Pro 100mph Gore-Tex® Rain Gear sporting their quality Pflueger reels on a nice St. Croix or Sams ultra light rod with top of the line high visibility line are not necessarily slaying you. Their jig kits sporting 300 color combinations, hook and weights sorted by size and weight, freshly oiled and cleaned reels, and polarized glasses will soon have them sitting right next to Lou Mansfield filming the next crappie video right? In the end it lies in the fisherman.

So why buy the quality stuff? Why put in all the time to sort and categorize all of your gear in your “crappie purse”? When it all comes down to it is just a line with a hook right?

Well the obvious answer is it is a hobby. We all know that. It’s something to collect.

The other answer is what I have realized this last weekend. By having everything prepared, organized and in good quality condition you eliminate many intangibles that create frustration and take away from good fishing time and relaxation. While I spent a big chunk of time wrestling with my equipment and looking for tackle, those “gear heads” spent more time in the water going after the king slab. I want to point out some situations I ran into that point this out.

Purchase quality gloves for windy and cold temperatures: While my friends are sporting their new waterproof / windproof gloves I am showcasing gardener gloves trying not to lose a finger to frostbite as we cruise the lake in 20 degree wind chill conditions. Once I had feeling back I was 20 minutes behind on the chase for the whopper slab.

Have quality rain gear: How many times do you go out and buy that $10 rain coat thinking you will never need it? Chances are you have done this 4 or 5 times at least over the years. Why not spend the money to purchase a quality set that will last you multiple years? You spend less time messing with being dry and more time fishing.

Do inventory check on equipment prior to the night before: Of course the marina has some things. Yes you can mooch off you friends as long as they aren’t “fresh out”. Well I had more costs buying things I was missing and spent fishing time searching for things I had, but were not easily found. How much time did I spent digging through unopened packages and unorganized fishing gear?

Reels really are important: The better reel and line the less times you will spend messing with tangles and issues with casting. Having a shady reel made it tough to cast accurately hanging me up in trees more and losing fishing time. Not to mention all of the tangles from using dirt cheap line.
There are many others. You may not see me looking like a Bass Pro or Cabela’s spokesman like Gill Slayer, but I am definitely sold on the idea that you get what you pay for and it is time to upgrade this fisherman!