Saturday, March 28, 2009

Tips For Saving Money While Fishing

By Derek Gatehouse

Fishing tackle can definitely be expensive!

Sure it's tempting to buy every new lure you see out there, but it can get expensive too. Here then are a bunch of ideas that will save you some money.

Hooks and Lures

Fish are attracted to most lures or spinners. But most hooks today in the hook-swivel-split ring package are made from hard metal, which easily snags on logs and branches. This generally results in you loosing your lure. So what I do is change my hooks, as soon as I buy them, to a softer, snag-proof one.

Many people think that if the hook will straighten out on a snag then it will also straighten out on a fish, but this isnt true. When a lure gets snagged, the point of the hook is typically penetrated into the structure. This puts the stress right on the point of the hook. Then, when you pull, the hook either straightens (if it's soft) or breaks the line (if it's hard). When the hook is caught in a fish's mouth though, the stress on the hook is on the bend of the hook, not on the point, and you will not get it out.

So I change my lure hooks, most often to a Gamakatsu Si-wash hook, which has an open eye and a very long shank. This allows you to attach your hook to a swivel or a split ring with very little effort. Just use some pliers to close the eye after you attach the hook. Try picking up a package of Si-wash hooks next time you buy lures. Just be sure to match the lure hook size to your Si-wash ones.

Lines and Leaders

You need to consider many things when putting your line on to a reel, and I think Shimano reels are the best on the market. From their offshore reels to the cool new digital control reels, they have something for every fisherman. I don't use any thing else but Shimano.

You can save money when re-spooling your reel by having the tackle store do it. This way, you pay only for the amount of line they actually put on your reel, rather than buying a one shot spool that has, typically, 220 yards of line, and your reel only holds 120 to 175 yards. The rest is waste! I generally save 50 percent this way.

Try to save all your spools, and then take the bigger ones to your favorite tackle store to let them spool the diameter of line you use most for mainline (I use between 15 and 20 pound test myself). This way when you need new line you can get it from your bulk line.

About the Author:

No comments: