The Broke Fisherman: Inshore Fishing With a Benjamin
Inshore fishing on a budget
Fishing is one of the most expensive hobbies one can have. It doesn’t matter what kind you do, you will still need fishing equipment and gear. Not every angler is made of money. A lot of us have normal jobs, families and other things that require our money on a monthly basis. We are going to show you how you can go fishing for $100 dollars and have gear and equipement that your friends will still respect.
Obviously one of the most costly expense of fishing is your boat. Boats vary from 1K dollars to upwards of millions. We are going to assume that you already have a boat or are going fishing on friends for this blog.
The first thing you will need to get is a rod and reel. Let's take a closer look at the best available saltwater reel that you can get at a bargan and still leave enough for the rest of your budget. All of my saltwater reels have always been Penn. They have been trusted over time and always withstand the elements during my saltwater fishing trips.
PENN Pursuit II 4000 series
So for $39.99 you can get the PENN Pursuit II. This reel comes with a 5:2:1 gear ratio systemand is made to last. This reel is very light weight. It has a body made of corrosion-resistant graphite. It comes with an oiled-felt drag system which makes it the best value for the money for saltwater fishing.
Now that you have a reel you need a rod to put it on. There are many custom rods on the market that are top of the line and will cost a pretty penny. One rod that I have used all my life and will continue to use no matter how much money I make is the Shakespeare Ugly Stik Intercoastal Spinning Rod. This rod will cost you $39.96 at any local Walmart. This will keep you within your budget and allow you to have a sweet setup. At this point, you have spent about 2/3 off your budget. Now its time to get fishing line and lures to ensure you catch the fish you are looking for.
Now you have to figure our what kind of line to put on your new real. I typically use braid on my saltwater rod, but I feel this will put us over our alotted budget. So for the purpose of this article we will use the next best thing, clear blue monofilament. Since we are doing inshore fishing we will get 12lb or higher. I personally buy all my fishing line for Vicious Fishing. They are leading the way with some of their braids and they make a damn good monofilament.
20lb. Vicious Fishing Clear Blue Ultimate Mono (330 yd. Spool)for $4.99 is the best deal for your money. This line will allow for you to handle any vicious bite you get, but will always deliver in those special moments. This gives you more security in your gear and allows for you to land more fish.
Now the most important thing of all. The lures that will actually catch the fish. Since we have about 15 dollars left on our budget I will be recommending two different lures that are guaranteed to catch you any inshore fish. The first you will need jig heads for. Our guys at C & B Jigs make a great jig head. Their 1/2oz. Minnow Jig Head in Rootbeer Flake paint is eactly what you need. A pack of 10 will cost you $8.59. With these you will use the Gulp Shrimp in root beer gold. These cost about $6.99 a pack. The Trout, flounder and reds love these. This will bring your total buget to about 100.57 without tax.
The last lure that I have had my most success on is the Vudu Mambo Mullet. These lures come pre weighted and are sure to clean house on the reds and trout. They are 4 inches and weigh 1/2oz. The most successful color I have found is Silver Flakes/ Black Flakes. They are made to last a hit. They are very durable and create a vibraiting sound in the water from its tail movement. One of these will cost you $8.49. This allows for you to stay under your $100 dollar budget and let you have one of the best new lures on the market. The only down fall is you only have one lure so do not get it cut off, hung or spooled by a big fish. Then you will be borrowing lures from your buddy.
Running short on money this month and want to still go fishing. No worries! Getting out on the boat with the right gear is possible with only a benjamin is your pocket. Plus this guarentees you a lure that is known to catch fish. Unfortunaly, catching fish is something that requires a little skill like knowing where the fish are and how to fish for them. Get out there and start fishing!
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