So I went into Dicks today not needing anything as I just picked some stuff up from there on Sunday-mainly the underpins Casey Ashley won the classic on. Anyways, I made the switch to bait casters this winter and have 5 new combos. I was poking around and some abu grace black max combos, some vendeattas, and one pro max without any price tag. I asked the guy in the gun dept to look it up. He ran it up as the Vendetta combo which was only $80 with a $20 mail in rebate, plus a pretty nice sweatshirt for only the cost of  S&H. So obviously I couldn't not get it. Ended up getting a  $100 setup (looked the price up online) for $60 bucks and a decent sweatshirt to boot. It certainly helped relieve the cabin fever for the night. I am curious, what is the best steal you have gotten from the tackle stores? 

I would love to find a deal life that. Best I have gotten was a drill at Wal-Mart. They miss labeled a $300 cordless for $50...

But I have gotten friends who have found reels at Wal-Mart (Abu Garcia's silver and blacks) for under $20 for a combo. Our fishing glasses that where $30 for $10. Maybe I'm just not looking hard enough.

I can never get lucky like that, my day will come hopefully!

I bought a brand new quantum exo (retail $249) for $75 a while back, that was my best deal

Came across a stack of never used reels to go on eBay at a local tackle store. I took a shot and offered 1/2 price cash. Took home 2 curados for 80 bucks each.

I tend to find that the local dicks here in my area marks down considerably the reels with the missing/stolen cast control knobs. I also recently picked up a curado with a missing tension knob marked down to 99. There was a penn ssv 4500 marked down to 45. As well as a quantum smoke down to 70. I don't make attempt to shop that way, but if it's marked down, I don't mind ordering or stopping by a reel repair place to pick up the 2 dollar part. The penn and curado I had the knob for on the way home.

So I went into Dicks today not needing anything

    Well, duh...of course....  You ARE, the BaitMonkey

 

By the way, stop by this thread at the end of this season -  I wonder (and hope) that you still think that you got a good deal.  But, I wouldn't bet on it.

Well, duh...of course.... You ARE, the BaitMonkey

By the way, stop by this thread at the end of this season - I wonder (and hope) that you still think that you got a good deal. But, I wouldn't bet on it.

Why is that? It's not a terrible reel at all. For a beginner it would do just fine. Even for the average fisherman. My friend still uses his along with other more expensive Abu reels and has no problems.

I didn't mean to suggest that either the reel, or the rod, was terrible.  It was certainly not meant to disparage AG.  I wouldn't expect any sub $100 combo (baitcasting or spinning) to stand up well for more than a season or two -- at least not with heavy use.  As I said, I hope it surprises.

The rod may break as I've seen that happen 3x now with their vendetta rod, but the reel will do fine.