What the hell happend to prices over the last year!!

I know the Cdn $ took a lashing over the last year but still I have seen some prices at the sportsman show that just made me shake my head in disbelief. Not sure if it is the regular price difference or the fact I am seeing a lack of sales around this spring.

In September I was in Fishing World picking up my antlerless TAG and I picked up a Revo STX reel (on sale) for $135+tx. I was not looking for one but when I saw it I could not resist. Later that week I was in SAIL in Burlington and they had Shimano Crucial M/Fast 1 piece 6'6" rods on sale for $79.99 (Reg $179.99) - that was a no brainer so I picked one up. All in my kit was $215 + tax.

At the Sportsman show my buddy liked my set up and I was showing what I had and I saw the reel was selling anywhere from $250-$270 and the rod was over $200!! I thought they would have some deals there but I was mistaken. I get it there is Fx in play here but seriously things are getting very expensive. To add insult to injury my buddy buys a Abu rod that was reg $59 on sale for $39 (no tax) but when he was in SAIL next he saw the exact same rod on the shelf for $29.99 regular price - LOL. Well his son has a new rod coming to him!!

I guess it pays to buy when it is on sale and not when you 'want' it.

I have stopped going to sportsman and gun shows. I always find "stupid" prices at them. The last gun show I was at I was looking for a Remington 870. I had a printout of a website with the new price listed. Everyone at the show (probably stopped at 20 booths) was 20-30% more for USED version of the same gun and 40-60% more for a new one.

Needless to say I went directly to the store and bought the gun, new, a few days later and ended up getting an even better deal as the owner of the store said he had an "open box" camo version.

So I am not sure what you are seeing really represents todays pricing. Rather it reflects the pricing encountered at these shows where the sellers assume (I guess) that you will be so caught up in the action that you will make uninformed purchases.

"What the market will bear"

If enough guys are willing to drop $250 on an impulse buy...then that's the price they will make money at.

If enough guys hold out till it's on sale, that tells them they are priced to high.

Competition is our best friend, why it's not good news that Base Pro and Cabela's have merged.

We won't mention knowing the difference between need and want :)

My old man while in Florida picked up 200 still in the boxes old plugs and Lures all original for 75 bucks at an auction. He's reselling them minus a few he kept for me and my sons) for less than half what they cost in the stores Rapalas being sold for 5 bucks etc. I think his sale is this weekend at the flea market in Sussex NB.

I learned a long time ago that most highly-touted Show deals really aren't. It's far better to go to dealers in the off-season and negotiate for items. I still like to go to shows just to see what's new on the market,though. It's usually a pretty good day out.

I think you hit the nail on the head Mike. the tackle companies will charge anything they can get....if you buy it. An average Crank bait for ten bucks? Don't think I'll be buying many any more, I'll stick to jigs and basic rod sets. TG I don't golf as well...

I still own a bunch Rapalas , Williams , Mepps , Heddons etc. but barely use them anymore BECAUSE I can't afford to lose any of them . At $8 to $15 a piece it quickly becomes intolerable (I'm not related to Bill Gates or Warren Buffet) . Instead of these high-priced "heirlooms" I utilize Dollar-Store-Lures ($1 to $2.50 a piece) . The better-ones at $2 to $2.50 are very natural-looking and give excellent action as well . --- The fish don't seem to care what is being offered to them as long as the lures are presented right . Occasionally I treat them to some of my home-made-concoctions (with similar results) . --- YES , I believe in supporting our "north-American" market too (rather than lining Chinese pockets) but am not making a sucker out of myself .

Completely agree with Gunner 38. Probably 2/3 of my lures come from a dollar store. Have been fishing with a dollar store kastmaster knockoffs for years now. In fact, I can claim that this knock off is my favourite lure. Part of the reason is that at a price of $1.25 I am not afraid to loose them.

I just ordered $80 worth of ice fishing lures, mostly Cicada knockoffs, for an avarage of $2each from aliexpress. This should last myself and the old man for a few years and will make nice gifts for my fishing buddies. Itching to test them out. Got myself a dea If at least half of the lures perform. If this is the case I may reduce buying from local retailers even more.

I got fed up with crazy prices on tackle so I started making my own jigs. I have the lead, the melting pot from casting bullets for my muzzle loader and made my own fluid bed. All I had to do was buy the molds, hooks and powder paint. Now I've got enough jigs made that will last til Trudeau gets a brain.

Over the last season I think I have used a worm harness for about 60-70% of my fishing and I started making my own last year. My costs are under a buck each. Other than that it is the standard spinner baits and crank baits and the good ole jig