As spring weather arrives and lakes become ice-free, most anglers start seriously thinking about purchasing new or replacement tackle. Purchasing new equipment can put a dent in the pocket book, so here are a few ideas that can save you some money.
Rods
It would really be nice to have a different rod for each kind of fishing… one for jigging, one for trolling, one for rigging, and so on. For most of us that is just not practical and it can be very expensive. One way to stretch your dollar is to pick and use rods that can be used for more than one application.
One good example is a long rod, one that is over 8-feet long. You see them listed as mooching rods, noodle rods and salmon rods. Something like the Okuma Celilo or Connoisseur line of rods. Both are considered specialty or steelhead rods and sell for $34.99 to $49.99. Which is a pretty reasonable price, once you realize all the things you can use them for.
A long rod with a wide-spool reel can do yeomen’s work for the average angler. I have two long rods both over 10-feet long and use them constantly, all season long.
In the spring the shore-bound crappie angler can cast a light jig and bobber combination a county mile with these rigs. You can also use them in the spring for dipping crappies in the pencil reeds. As the season progresses I use my long rods as slip-bobber rods when fishing walleyes or panfish. And anytime during the summer that I’m drift-fishing large flats under 15-feet deep for walleyes and need to keep the bait at a certain depth, I break out a long rod. Drifting with a slip-bobber just doesn’t work; as the bobber runs down the line and lifts the bait out of the zone you want it in. But with a long rod you just peg the bobber and the presentation stays at the depth you want it at. And because you have so much rod to work with you can still land fish, even with 12-13-feet of line under the bobber.
When purchasing a new rod for rigging or jigging consider this. Using braided line can enhance the sensitivity of a moderately priced entry-level rod, so you don’t always need that high-end super sensitive rod.
In the fishing world there are a number of applications that are very visual, like fishing top-water baits, buzz-baits or bobber fishing. None of these types of applications require you to use a top-of-the-line super sensitive, burn a hole in your pocket book rod. A moderately priced rod (IM-6 blank) in medium to medium heavy action is more than adequate for these applications.
Lines
You can save money by using backing on your reels. Backing allows you to spool fewer yards of the more expensive lines, like fluorocarbon or super braids. Normally on a size 20 spinning reel you would need to use 90-yards of 8-pound test monofilament line and even more yards of a super braid, to have a fully spooled reel. By using backing you would only have to spool half that amount, getting 2 or 3 fillings out of the normal 150 or 175-yard spools of line. Backing in the form of braided Dacron line in 40 or 50-pound test (commonly used as tip-up line) is less expensive and lasts for 3 or 4 seasons on a reel.
When using super braid lines like Vicious Braid, remember that they don’t break down like monofilament lines tend to. So after the braided line has been on the reel for half the season, just reverse it. Pull the braided line off the spool and walk it out into the yard. Then respool it starting with the end that the tackle had been tied to. Now you’re good to go for the second half of the season.
Tungsten Weights
I love using tungsten worm weights, but they are really expensive. When tournament fishing the only weights I use are tungsten. I use them when Texas rigging, Carolina rigging and when I need to punch through heavy weed mats. But pre-fishing or just fun fishing I use lead or brass weights. Just limiting the times you use tungsten will save money. A quick comparison of 3/16th-ounce weights hammers that home. Where as lead 3/16th weights are selling for $3.19 for a package of 15, tungsten 3/16th weights are selling for $5.99 for a package of 5.
You hate to lose tungsten weights to bite-offs by toothy critters like northerns, but for upper Mid-west anglers it’s just a fact of life. I’ve found that you can significantly reduce the number of bite-offs by using only painted tungsten weights and not the shiny silver ones.
The other thing to remember about tungsten weights is that fished unpegged, whether on monofilament, fluorocarbon or braided line, is that they are hard on knots. The constant pounding of a tungsten weight against the hook knot of a Texas rig or swivel knot of a Carolina rig will cause the knot to fail very quickly. The easy and inexpensive solution to that problem is; when Texas rigging place a neoprene bobber stop between the tungsten weight and hook knot. And when Carolina rigging place a Northland Fishing Tackle single barrel Buck-Shot Rattle shell between the weight and swivel knot. They both act as cushions against the pounding a tungsten weight delivers to your knots, and the Buck-Shot Rattle shell gives of a good loud rattle when Carolina rigging.
As always, stay safe and we hope to see you on the water
By Wayne Ek
Wayne Ek is a tournament angler, writer and retired fishing guide, living in Alexandria, Minnesota.