I have been buying lures for 45 or so years. I take pride in going to a store and coming home with NOTHING.

I wish somebody would have taught me soft plastics when I first started. $250 can go a long ways in soft plastics. 

I have been buying lures for 45 or so years. I take pride in going to a store and coming home with NOTHING.

Same here . just went to Bass Pro a few days ago , spent 4 dollars on a clearance crankbait .  

If I have any advice for the OP, it is this. Don't drop the $250 all at once. $250 is a lot of money, but tackle costs a lot also. Spend a little more money on a few quality lures to start yourself off with. That voice in the back of your head that screams at you to purchase more tackle doesn't go away.You have been bitten by the bait monkey accept it and try to cope. Whenever anything new comes out or a lure wins a big bassmaster tournament, you have to have it. You are most likely not going to kick the urge to buy more tackle, a $250 purchase will help fill your tackle box, but I say save that money for when the next lure you have to get comes out. Try and spread the cost out. 

 

Example: I took a trip down to Bass Pro shops once, Spent like $300, then we stopped at a Wal-Mart on the way home, they had a new KVD Finesse Spinnerbait, so I bought 2 of them for another $15.

Try and spread out the costs. Now that I am in college I don't buy nearly as much tackle, but I did get a new rod and a small tackle order from TW during their Labor day sale for my birthday, that was $120, and I just ordered a reel for that rod for $70. I also can't stop myself when KVD Squarebills are 2.50 in a clearance bin, and I don't even fish square bills that much.

I would like to answer your question, however, I have an aquaintance that is much more qualified.   I will send him by your house or workplace, be looking for the "Bait Monkey".

 

Yes, do not listen to the bait monkey and do not try to reason with him, don't even speak to him. He would ask you to spend your last few bucks on a bag of plastics rather than eat and he's not interested in what you can afford, just that you have enough to buy more baits! Foul creature he is!!!

Who the heck is clearing out KVD squarebills for $2.50 each?!

Went to cabelas about to walk out with nothing... Then I saw a bin of lucky crafts for $5.99. Crazy how fast $100 can be spent!

Went to cabelas about to walk out with nothing... Then I saw a bin of lucky crafts for $5.99. Crazy how fast $100 can be spent!

 

I picked up a few LC's on Cabela's website where they have a lot of their "Live" series marked down to $7.99, along with the CBs and Mini LVRs.  Were the same ones marked down in store too or were there other ones like the normal LVs or some of the squarebills?

I picked up a few LC's on Cabela's website where they have a lot of their "Live" series marked down to $7.99, along with the CBs and Mini LVRs.  Were the same ones marked down in store too or were there other ones like the normal LVs or some of the squarebills?

Same thing in the store. I've never tried the live series but I guess I'm going to next year...

It's all relative. Frankly I could assemble $100 worth of tackle to try to cover a good chunk of bass techniques. If you buy used or from flea markets and the like you may find better deals. What you want to do is try a bunch of things that cover the entire spectrum of the water column to see what baits you like and work for you.

$250 is a typical dropshot bait order for me!

I spent over $200 on bizzbaits/senkos.

I plan on spending that much Black Friday on tackle warehouse. Every time I think of something I "need" I write it down in my phone. Been working a little overtime so I can buy my Christmas wish list haha

In a word, no.

No i've got Several Several Thousand dollars tackle in my boat,if i lost it i could never replace it, i would have to stop fishing. I'm getting ready to retire in a few months & no way i could ever replace it,unless God was in it,But saying that " Jesus did choose Fishermen to follow Him "   . Saying that God Bless & Thanks .

Not if you have a chance to win 2000 with it.