Bassin' on a Budget

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all watch our favorite fishing shows and tournaments, and we all have our favorite T.V. hosts. As we watch we see the high-powered bass boats, the expensive rods and reels and the endless supply of baits at their disposal. What if we don’t have the sponsors? Or if your income is limited? Then what? Most of us can’t afford all the high dollar equipment that our favorite bassin’ personalities use. So here are some thoughts on how to get the best bassin’ gear to fit your budget.

 

BANK FISHING:

Fishing on the bank of a pond or river is where most of us got started. We used one of our

Bank fishing on Lake Okeechobee

dad’s poles, with a bobber and a can of night crawlers. In the innocence of youth, we didn’t know any other way to wet a line. Today as older anglers, how many of us revisit the joys of bank fishing on a regular basis? I do. As a matter of fact the last bass I caught was a nice little one pound mossback.  The fish are still there and biting.

Bass Boats:
I know we would all love an 18-foot fiberglass boat with a 200HP outboard, power poles and the like, and we can get a mid-range bass boat starting at about $20,000, but is that what we need to catch bass? I spend most of my time in an old 12 foot Jon boat, that I can put in the back of my truck. Over the years I have caught hundreds of bass out of this little pond hopper. Its powered by a trolling motor, which might be slightly slower than a 200HP outboard, but I can get into places the big boys can’t go.
Customizing your Jon boat is easy to do. You can add a casting deck, seats, rod holders and even dry storage. It’s perfect for one or two anglers. A used Jon boat can run from $100.00-$500.00. And you can get a new 14 foot boat for less than $700.00. Let’s not forget the paddlers; canoes and kayaks are great for fishing.
RODS & REELS:
My favorite Penn spinning reel, cost more than I want my wife to know, but most of the rods and reels in my collection are combos I bought from the local superstore for less than $50.00. These combos are tough enough for any fish you might do battle with, and most kids who might use them. I fish mostly six-foot medium action rods, with 14-pound test line. I’ve caught everything from bluegill to four foot sharks.
As with everything, proper maintenance is required. It’s easy to do, and doesn’t take up too much time. But if you’re not sure how, there is a wonderful tool out there called www.YouTube. It’s amazing what you can learn on the internet.
LINE:
Every angler has his or her favorite type of line. Whether it’s monofilament, braid, fluorocarbon, or another. Pick your favorite brand of line and buy it. Line is an important part of your arsenal, and you need to feel confident in your choice. Remember the weakest link, between you and your fish is your knot. But that’s a different story.
HARD LURES:

There are literally hundreds of hard plastic baits out there. So where do we start? If we are bassin’ on a budget, then we should choose wisely. I keep a handful of baits in all my tackle boxes. All are proven fish catchers. Here are my top five.
 ZERA SPOOK: This bait’s action is incredible. It’s an easy bait to learn how to use, just walk the dog. Zera Spooks come in numerous sizes weights and colors. My personal best bass 9 pounds 8 ounces, came courtesy of a 4-inch cream colored spook. They start at about $5.00
HULA POPPER: This is a classic big bass bait. Introduced in 1948, its name comes from the “hula skirt” on the back and the loud “pop” it makes when fished. Between the pop and the skirt that never stops dancing the Hula Popper is irresistible. There are too many sizes and colors to mention them all. My two go to colors are; black and a frog pattern. Starting at $4.99.
PROP BAITS: I have caught a lot of bass on prop baits. Just let it sit there and rest between moves. The propellers continue to spin, and BAM! I have a mini torpedo in bass pattern that’s two inches long that have fooled 5-pound bass. And a six-inch-long green and red bait, that a 7 inch, yes, a 7-inch largemouth hit. Starting at $2.99
Not all my favorite hard baits are top water. Let’s look at two baits that spend their time underwater.
SPINNERBAITS:
 One of the most versatile baits available. An angler can choose from different blades; the heavy round Colorado, the long slender willow leaf, and the tear drop Oklahoma blade. With the style and colors of the skirts, and the many different weight and color of the head, the choice of spinnerbaits is unlimited. These baits can be fished in many ways. Two of the best ways are to be slow rolled along the bottom or burned across the top. Starting as low as $1.99.
Spoons:
What? Spoons for bass? Are you crazy? That’s a pike bait. Or is it? Granted most bassers

 here in Florida, would never throw a spoon. Why? I don’t know. My go to spoon is the legendary Derdevle. On days when I cast my entire tackle box without a hit, I can tie on a Derdevle, and my rod bends.      


Like the spinnerbait, the Derdevle can be fished many ways. The stop and go works best for me. As it flutters down, bass suck it in. Sizes and colors are innumerable. I like the frog pattern, classic red over white and the yellow with red diamonds.
SOFT PLASTIC:
I think that there are more soft plastic baits out there, than there are mosquitos at my favorite honey hole. Worms, creature baits and frogs, oh my. Worms and creature baits; just go to your favorite bait shop and look, the number of these baits is awe inspiring.
I like to fish my soft plastic baits on a Texas rig. It’s inexpensive, easy to use and is weedless. These baits are the most versatile baits in your tackle box. You can work them on top of lily pads, or you can punch through heavy cover and ring the dinner bell for that big female, just hanging out in the shade. Ranging in size from less than 4 inches to over 12 inches. Talk about color choice, if you can imagine it, then they will have that color sooner or later. My favorite colors, pumpkin seed, watermelon, and green & yellow swirl.  On your bigger worms, try a 2-hook worm harness.
FROGS:

 What can I say, I’m a frogger. Most frogs are weedless, I’ve hopped them off a bank, lily pads, grass, and cat tails. I prefer natural looking legs on my frog, but a popular trend is for frogs to have strands of rubber for legs. Similar to that of a Hula Popper skirt, these legs keep moving. I’ve caught bass on frogs with both types of legs. Frogs can be fished, in a variety of ways; a fast retrieve across the top, just below the surface, slow stop and go, and many more. No matter how you fish them, the strikes are heart stopping.
If you are bassin’ on a budget, remember don’t pass up yard sales. It’s remarkable what people will sell for a dollar. Another place to get great deals is Ebay. I’ve gotten full tackle boxes for $10.00 and there are numerous single lures for .99 cents plus shipping.

I may not have the biggest, fastest boat on the water, but I still catch plenty of fish. Bass fishing isn’t about how much your equipment costs. It’s about time spent in the outdoors. Seeing a beautiful sunrise, and still being on the water as the sun sinks below the horizon. Fishing is time well spent with family and friends, and teaching the next generation about the natural world; and on a good day, its seeing a hog tail walk its way to the boat, after a quick kiss, watching it swim away.
Bass don’t care if you are fishing with a rod and reel that cost you $1000.00 or $10.00. As you can see, Bass fishing is about more than your boat or equipment. So next time you are bank fishing or out on the water in your Jon boat, and you are passed by a high powered, wrapped boat; remember you don’t have that $400.00 a month boat payment.
Take a kid fishing! And tight lines.