Confessions of a fishing tackleholic

[bababooey]

Anyone else want to admit to the addiction? :D



Confessions of a fishing tackleholic



Published: Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 3:30 a.m.

Some people are addicted to alcohol, others to drugs or gambling.

I am addicted to fishing tackle.

When some people visit a town, they search for fine restaurants, museums or art galleries. I search for bait and tackle shops.
This past week while on vacation on Kentucky, I searched for tackle stores as my wife and daughter sought out tourist attractions.

When we stopped for lunch in Lexington, Ky., I spied a Sportsman's Warehouse store through the trees.

Having heard about Sportsman's Warehouse, but having never visited one, I could not resist the urge to check it out.

Although I have more fishing tackle that I can ever hope to use, I succumbed to my addiction and purchased more. The deer hair mice and fly fishing baits I normally pay $2 to $3 for were on sale for 89 cents each. That low price was just too much of a temptation for a fishing tackle addict like myself. I wound up buying four-dozen assorted flies.

I also could not resist visiting Wal-Mart near the motel where we stayed in Florence, Ky., to see if they had any fishing tackle in the clearance aisle. Ditto for the Wal-Marts in Barbourville, Ky. and Corbin, Ky.

The managers at each of the Wal-Marts were apparently aware of my weakness and had marked fishing tackle down to unbelievably low prices just to tempt me into buying more, which I did.
I even drove through Cincinnati at rush hour to reach a Bass Pro Store in Fairfield, Ohio in an effort to satisfy my addiction. The traffic was awful, but the store and the big fishing tackle sale were great.

While visiting Mammoth Cave, Ky., I checked the phone book for nearby tackle shops but found none,
Our trip home took us through Nashville and yes I did stop at the Bass Pro Shop.

By the time we made it home, I had several bags of fishing tackle to add to my collection.

While I admit I'm a tackleholic, there are worse vices.

Covering the court beat, I see many people charged with burglary and theft who blame their addiction for the crime. I also see people addicted to alcohol who have been arrested time and time again for driving under the influence or physically abusing a family member while drunk.

There are also people who cannot pay rent or feed their family because they gambled away their paycheck.

I probably spend more on fishing tackle than I should, but I make sure my family's needs are taken care of before I go to the bait shop.

Unlike spending money on drugs, alcohol or gambling, fishing tackle is something I can use for years to come. Plus, when I decide to sell some of the excess, I can do so without worrying about running afoul of the law.

People get busted for selling alcoholic beverages without a license or pushing illegal drugs, but I've yet to see anyone hauled into court for hocking excess fishing tackle at a yard sale.

[VSdreams]

Fish tackle and fishing are my addiction. However it can lead to family problems. I want to fish, she wants to shop. They both take money. Most of the time I go fishing.:clapping:

[BassBuddah]

Fish tackle and fishing are my addiction. However it can lead to family problems.

Sometimes that can work 2 ways, in my case to my benefit. If I didn't have a woman in my life who peers into my tackle collecting, I would be broke. Of course I still under-estimate the value I paid for something when she asks.:)

[dogfish]

Of course I still under-estimate the value I paid for something when she asks.:)

I think we all do, BB.:D

"My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead), will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it.
When I die make sure you come by my house, you'll be able to pick up $30,000 in gear for $200 (hope the ol' lady doesn't see this)."

[bababooey]

Funny quote have heard it before but it never gets old.

[rockhopper]

A lot of fish I caught this year were on bucktails, tins, and rubber shads. Saw a good thread further down.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?10247-big-fish-with-big-baits-or-elephants-eating-peanuts

That being said I will still be hitting the shows this winter and buying stuff I don't need. It's definitely an addiction.

[surfstix1963]

Yes Sir it is an addiction,but keeping it simple puts more fish on the beach.I've got a ton of plugs to sell off won't be needing them anymore and more plugs I haven't even built yet.I will hold on to my tins and BT's and diamond jigs for my fall trips to Montauk when I head north.It's a whole different world down south a lot of regs(which is a good thing) and different fish to hunt down,no more big stripers and blues here big grouper should be fun but that's a boat thing.

A lot of fish I caught this year were on bucktails, tins, and rubber shads. Saw a good thread further down.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?10247-big-fish-with-big-baits-or-elephants-eating-peanuts

That being said I will still be hitting the shows this winter and buying stuff I don't need. It's definitely an addiction.

[fishgutz]

"My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead), will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it.
When I die make sure you come by my house, you'll be able to pick up $30,000 in gear for $200 (hope the ol' lady doesn't see this)."

haha lol so true.

[fishgutz]

surfstix are youi talking about florida? I heard the regs ARE tough, like you said. The fish did come back according to what my brother told me. He says they have good fishing fo redfish and snook. The FishRangers are everywhere though. You can't wet a line without them pulling up and asking to see your license.

[cowherder]

A lot of fish I caught this year were on bucktails, tins, and rubber shads. Saw a good thread further down.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?10247-big-fish-with-big-baits-or-elephants-eating-peanuts



Thanks for the link. Read that thread. Seems the popularity of big wood is on the decline.