If you’re just getting into the sport or just have to keep a tight budget, this article is for you. There have been times where you want the top of the line “tools” but just can afford them. Here, we outline the basics to get you on the water for a day of fishing without emptying your wallet and leaving you enough for a nice dinner on the way home.
Most people may look right away for the right lure to catch all the fish your local lake but take a step back and think about your rod, reel and line. Without these three key components, your day of fishing could turn into a day of misery pretty quick. If you have to spend a couple extra dollars, this is where you will want to, while still keeping it within budget.
Denali Rods offers great all around spinning and casting rods at a very affordable price. You get the sensitivity of the high end rods with the price to fit the need of the everyday angler. These rods are equipped with a small piece of solid hardwood just in front of the fore grip which allows for better transfer of vibrations from the water to your hands. The series is called the J2 series and is available here Denali Rods for a budget price of $99
Pair that Denali J2 with a Okuma Cerros Casting reel in the 6.6:1 ratio or the Okuma RTX Spinning Reel in the 2500 size, and you’ll be ready for a great reliable day on the water. Both reels come with oversized foam handles that help make a long day of fishing more comfortable while allowing the true features of the reels shine through. These reels are in the $100 range but perform at a level equivalent of a much more expensive reel. Okuma makes reels for every level of angler so be sure to check out their entire line here Green Top Sporting Goods
The line is the one tool that an angler has that directly ties them to the fish. Spend the money here so your day of fishing can be more like a day of catching. A good all-around line for hassle-free fishing is braid, known for its strength, durability and small diameter. Check out the Daiwa J-Braid in 20-pound test. You can use this line for just about everything so no need to go out and buy multiple rods and multiple reels. You can pick up a spool of the Daiwa J-Braid for $15 here Green Top Sporting Goods
To get into lures on a budget, look for your plastics. If you head out to your local shop, look for a soft stick style bait that’s in your budget. One of my personal favorites is for the price is a bag of the Strike King KVD Perfect Plastic Ocho. For under $5 per bag of 8 5-inch baits, these will be sure to last you the day. Utilize the diversity of this bait and fish it weightless wacky style or texas rigged with a small weight in the ¼-oz range or under. This will get you fish in the boat without the hassle of changing baits all day long. Find all of the lures you need here.
One last bait you’ll need for sure is a top water popper. Using a popper in conjunction with your stick bait, allows you to cover all levels of the water necessary for a fun successful day. Strike King makes the Spit-N-King which is a great popper that catches fish and only costing the angler $6.
So let’s do the math now:
Denali J2 $100
Okuma Cerros or RTX $100
Daiwa 20-lb J-Braid $15
2 bags of Strike King Perfect Plastic Ocho’s $10
2 Strike King Spit-N-Kings $12
Total cost from top to bottom for a budget day and year of fishing only costing the angler $237. This set up will be sure to get you fish in the boat on a strict budget but perform at a higher level. The durability of the rod, reel and line will be sure to allow you to fish the entire year and then some without having to buy additional rods or reels. Get out on the water and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer and be sure to dispose of any line or plastic baits appropriately.
Tight Lines Doug Cameron
Find out more about Doug on his Facebook page.
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