I see you're from CT so your cost of living has to be comparable to mine in MA, you HAVE to be frugal....

Now the BIG question: Yanks or Sox?

I just moved from the Yankee part of the state(southern) to the red Sox nation area(more north) it's funny how a few miles north can change who they like.

Originally I'm just a kid from Jersey 20 minutes from NYC. When I moved more north recently I put on camo's and went to a local deli. A state worker there called me a hick as I walked by. I fooled them all being a kid from Jersey so the joke is on them.

It's a good thing knowing I can fit in and blend in anywhere.

I moved from Jersey at 11yo. We moved to southern ct.

I figure with early am fishing in the dark till dawn since we have bears all around us here I may have to woop one with my fishing rod someday. I'm not going to use an expensive rod on a bear wooping. I do carry a magnum when fishing in the dark.

I was fishing at one spot just before dawn and I heard a bear hooting. They hoot because they can't call 1-800-collect. It's three short hoots followed by a longer dragged out hoot. Remember this it could save your life someday.

My camp in vt is to in the heart of black bear country. When they come by my camp hootin I let them pass. Once I hear them across my valley hootin I chime in and hoot back.

Minutes later there at my camp.

Please remember this hoot, it's three short hoots, followed by one long hoot. If you wait you might get hoots from different directions because two of them are talking to each other. Bb

I just purchased 18 new spinning and bait caster rods from fish and save.com

I don't need expensive rods to fish with. If it wasn't for our sponcers and a few other sights having deals and clearances on tackle I wouldn't be fishing. I save $$ on rods to spend it on lures that's where I put my $$.

My first baitcaster, Shakespeare combo from Walmart. Paid 60 bucks.

One of my personal favorites is my 5'6 Light Abu Garcia Cardinal STX combo ($80) and I have it rigged with 6lb suffix siege. I have caught more bass on this rod than my other expensive $300+ rods just because I can take it in tight quarters lol. 

Baitcast:

     Rod: 6'6" M Abu Garcia Vendetta ($30)

     Reel: Abu garcia Black Max ($50)

     Total: $80

Spinning:

     Rod: 6'6" ML Berkely Tactix ($35)

     Reel: Abu Garcia Cardinal ($40)

     Total: $75

Cheapest combo for bass fishing would be an Ethos 7' MH for $39 and a Pro Qualifier for $60. Cheapest other combo is a BPS Micro Lite 7' ML spinning rod for $29 and a Shimano Sienna 2500 for $29.

Rod, reel, line, bait = about a hundred bucks...

 

...the 9 pound bass was free   

 

thats one sexy bass!!!!!!!

Rod: Daiwa MHF Strikeforce ($30)

Reel: Abu Garcia Silvermax ($60)

Total = $90

Looking to upgrade the rod soon though. It's not a very good one, but it's still a Daiwa and for $30 it's done an ok job.

7'7 Cumara H. 89.00. Got it from TWs Xmas sale a year ago paired with an Lews Speed Spool 79.00bucks from my local tackle shop. 170.00 bucks ain't bad all.

Abu C4 reel, Loomis Green inshore rod. Reel was 30 and rod was 50 a year ago at a divorce sale. 80 bucks is even bettrler. This a flounder/striper setup.

Gander Vortex Spin Rod-15$ On Sale

Okuma Avenger 35 reel-19$ On Sale

 

Caught my PB on this setup lol...

I'm still using my Shimano Clarus baitcasting rod. It was paired with a Citica, now a Curado E7.

Team Daiwa V ($79) Daiwa Tatula ($103, $135 after bearing upgrades)

I think my least expensive combo is  one of my frog set ups, Its a BPS graphite series 7'6"H/F (19.99 shipped), and a Daiwa strikeforce reed for around 50. Over the past three seasons I have landed more 5+ lb bass with this set up then any of my other combos... For this year though I have upgraded my frogging reels to Lews Superdutys. 

 

Mitch

An ultralight combo composed of a 5'0" Ugly Stik 2-pc spinning rod paired with a Daiwa Crossfire 1000 series spinning reel. Total combo cost $30. Best fish so far on it is an 18.5" chain pickerel.

Shimano sellus spinning rod ($50) and pflueger trion ($39).  I use it for little jighead and twister tails.  Fun fishing.  Trion is very underrated reel which even comes with a spare spool.  Just as smooth as my president and would buy another one if I needed another spinning outfit.

My Abu Garcia ProMaxII combo- Got it on Amazon for 99.00. its my goto Shakey head set up- flawless for its job.  I have a couple cheepies (Shakespeare) that I wonder why I hang on to... 

Lews Tournament Speed Spool/Powell Max 683c, but I also only have 5 combos.

Powell Diesel Glass Cranking rod 70$ and Gen 3 Abu REVO SX 160$