I buy a lot of tackle, reels and lines in particular, not to mention capes and other fly tying materials. Rods I'm not too bad with, I mostly buy mid to top end second hand rather than new, current fly rod count around 20ish, everything from #2 through to Spey #9/10.
Anyway, I've been made redundant (good news), and am taking a year out for part time study/part time fishing (housework too I've been told).
I was obviously planning on cutting back the tackle purchases, so I can get through the study and still have some cash spare before going back to work (for a summer 2022 Iceland trip). Then I'd a review of what I have and reckon I can go cold turkey and not buy ANY tackle in 2021. I've enough tackle, including consumables such as tippet materials and materials/hooks to tie 1000's of flies.
Can I do it? Where will the temptation come? Has ANYONE on here ever managed to go a year w/o buying any tackle?
I feel I should have a Channel 4 film crew follow my battle against addiction during 2021.
An interesting idea - I have bought a few rods / reels this year but have actually sold more in order to make these purchases.
I now feel that all of the gear I now own is fit for purpose and so 2021 will also be a year where I use what gear I have and focus on the fishing rather than the buying!!!
As a skint new father, I once went two or three or maybe more seasons, where I only fished two local "free" small streams for little brownies.
Consequently I only bought a couple of tapered leaders each year. I bought them in early March from a well stocked little tackle shop in a quaint touristy market town.
When he had an audience, the owner would take the proverbial......launching into a routine that cast me in the role of frugal Yorkshire purist making his annual purchase. A monologue perhaps delivered through gritted teeth by the second or third season, after all, he had a living to make.......
The year before last I bought a new rod and new wading boots.
Last year I think I only bought some leader,mud and hooks to tie some flies.It came to very little (apart from licence and petrol for the outboard) but I bought a new moderator for my rifle and a new shotgun so I can not say there was no financial outlay for my sporting interests.
In this coming season I am not looking for anything substantial although I do need to find a replacement for the old Fulling Mill flurocarbon .
Lockdown saw some top end and mint kit popping up on various sale sites, so I turned over a fair bit of gear, sold 15 reels and 7 carbon rods, BUT, bought:-
2 Ari’s an Ari 2 and a Gallatin 2 plus seperately, a very rare black Gallatin 2 Spool
4 Abels A First month production T R 1 and Big game Ought, both Ciral black. First production run ventilated Super 4 in Platinum and a Custom Olive early A C 2 creek
Vosseler original DC 2 plus spare spools and a 3 and 4,+ spools, A NOS RC 3
Late run Teton #4 with spare spools,
Vision XLV custom direct from Vision in the #3/4 size green and black with Mayfly Nymph cnc’d into the spool. A Kaplun produced Hardy Marksman with sealed ceramic bearings and Matt finish.
Orvis odyssey 11 NOS (looking for a one still) and two NOS made in England, Orvis BBS 2 and a 3 and two fours.
Rod wise a custom Epic Swift 580 and an Adam Rawson built CTS 740 and a Japanese custom built Shimano 4 piece 580, never sold in the U.K. I bought quite a few lines too, over 20. So opposite to not not buying much!
Lockdown saw some top end and mint kit popping up on various sale sites, so I turned over a fair bit of gear, sold 15 reels and 7 carbon rods, BUT, bought:-
2 Ari's an Ari 2 and a Gallatin 2 plus seperately, a very rare black Gallatin 2 Spool
4 Abels A First month production T R 1 and Big game Ought, both Ciral black. First production run ventilated Super 4 in Platinum and a Custom Olive early A C 2 creek
Vosseler original DC 2 plus spare spools and a 3 and 4,+ spools, A NOS RC 3
Late run Teton #4 with spare spools,
Vision XLV custom direct from Vision in the #3/4 size green and black with Mayfly Nymph cnc'd into the spool. A Kaplun produced Hardy Marksman with sealed ceramic bearings and Matt finish.
Orvis odyssey 11 NOS (looking for a one still) and two NOS made in England, Orvis BBS 2 and a 3 and two fours.
Rod wise a custom Epic Swift 580 and an Adam Rawson built CTS 740 and a Japanese custom built Shimano 4 piece 580, never sold in the U.K. I bought quite a few lines too, over 20. So opposite to not not buying much!
Reading the above posts, I suppose that it is not just the cost of buying tackle, it is also the cost of the permit/boat costs/ fuel/ car depreciation/accommodation etc.
Taking all that into account, it is maybe better that we don't add it all up - that may give us a wee bit of a fright, and take away some of the enjoyment!
I enjoy all types of fishing and have found, once you are set up with some reasonable gear, Trout and Salmon fly fishing is much cheaper than Coarse fishing. There are so many more consumables involved with Coarse fishing.
The only exceptions with game fishing seem to be Waders and boots which never seem to last any length of time and permits.
I do think i could go a year with the gear I've got, without any issues.
However i could weaken, if a Hardy Marvel came along at the right price
Yep, 2 seasons on the trot. 2019 I took a sabbatical from fishing for personal reasons & this season has been 1 big horrendous year for everyone. Hopefully, circumstances are going to improve, vaccines etc. will maybe help get everything back to normal, whatever normal was?
Absolutely 100% if we all do our bit, we wouldn't have our sport without them.
Sadly it's very hard to buy 100% British Game tackle now, but not entirely impossible.
I also try to support as many independent local businesses as I can.
I think we are all culpable buying more online nowadays, a trend accelerated by the Covid epidemic. But I agree about supporting local tackle shops. I always did this with Mickle Trafford near Chester but that too has gone (as has Orvis at Tarporley) and I dearly miss it. Foxons, Fawcetts and John Norris are all a long drive away from Warrington, though I do mail order from them.
There is no substitute for a good browse amongst the fly tying and hooks section in a well stocked tackle shop and making a purchase at the end that adds up to farmore than you thought it would. But when you open it up and organise the things at home it still puts a big smile on your face.
The old saying "retail therapy" has so much truth in it and I'm right there with Steven (Mr Trout) and Hardrar in delighting in the more than occasional "unnecessary" reel. fly tying tool, cape or whatever!
I was on the waiting list and ordered during 2020 so it was never at risk!
I was doing a final assessment before 2021 and I'm more concerned about my lack of a useable WF5, I ordered a real gold from max catch in August, still not here. I gave away 2 old but serviceable WF5s in December assuming I'd have the max catch.
Not a line weight I use much but I'll be stubborn and wait and see what happens. My #4 half silk goes well on a #5.
I went nearly all last year without buying anything because I was bored one day and decided to go through my account and add up what I had spent the previous 12 months...I was nearly sick and I pray to god she never decides to have a look herself. I caved and bought the HMH TRV and a few bits n bobs but I am going to seriously watch what I'm spending from now on because I obviously have a bit of a problem ?
Sometimes when I've opted for a tourist fishing trip on a conventional holiday abroad with my wife and I hear the guide say "Now folks remember it's called fishing not catching."
The next thought in my head is "We're going to blank."
I am up for this challenge ex the cost of permits. I have had a couple of Mike Barrio Lines on back order for several months now. So I am not counting them becasue I should have bought them by now if I could. So after those no new kit or sundries at all until 30 September 2021? Based on current bookings, I anticipate to do about 30 days trout fishing and about 15 salmon fishing in that time.
That's January clear (some may say not the most challenging month to buy no fishing tackle in). Still haven't managed to acquire my Barrio lines but fingers crossed they will be in for the start of the season. Anyone else joining in with this firago?
Last 12mths for certain.
Year before that yes if your don't include consumables tippets/leaders, flytying stuff I actually used up (hooks, threads, chenille and fritz). Is fly tying stuff included?
Possibly replacement of a worn line will be necessary this coming year.
I'm still purchase free through (dry) January. I passed over two of my favourite no longer in production reels on ebay...one went for only 90 quid, if buying I'd have happily went upto 120!
Not sure if I could have resisited with a few pints on board.
I reckon I'm going to soon be offering some unused river rods for a swap, as I fancy a change in my lough style setup. Honestly, I've probably 4 rods that do a good lough style job, just looking something different!
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