Need or Greed

[Volvo]

Hope no one takes offence to the heading of the post .
Was just watching YaYatube where some underprivilaged people in Portugal?? Or wherever . They use Truck Tubes covering hole with netting so they can sit comfortably within the Tube.
Set of Flippers so they can propel n steer their Tube Vessel around the Ocean for day os so at a time.
They have a couple of handlines. One for catching bait n the other for bigger Fish.
They precut their bait prior to launching . From the rocks mindyou and head off out into the briney.
Seem content floating around out there sometimes on their own and sometimes with other companions doing the same.
The commercial Fishos run into them occasionally as they pose a threat to their livelyhood as they feel its their right only ??.
Others are easy prey to Sharks etc.
Yet so long as they have their durrys ( Smokes).
Coffee when they get home and can offload a few of their catch on the way home assist with their living they are happy.
Mindyou conditions they live in im certain we would be far from Happy fer sure !!.
Hence the heading ?? .
Do we really need our1 to 1.5K $ Reels n Rods.
State of the art Fishfinders which can almost leave a fish unhidable.
Boats that are getting close to the price of a simple house for the Worker.
The list goes on and on doesnt it ?? And it begs to wander if it is enough in the quest for a feed of Fish or for the Sport of Catch n Release.
I often think about this as i watch the Missus everytime she accompanies me out each time with her Handline.
Always a Handline Fisho she has been be it offshore or Estuary and she catches her share without ado too .
Apart from rinsing her lines or should i say " I rinse her Handlines " after each trip.
No worries regarding servicing worries of Toys associated
Lures , Jigs , the latest and bestess of Toys.
Sure is food for thought lol and keeps a whole Industry Afloat doesnt it ??.

[NAGG]

Go & give yourself a good uppercut Volvo ..... then go & sit in the corner for the rest of the afternoon
How dare you have these thoughts

Old tyre man is probably making the most of what he can afford ...... & he probably dreams about owning a boat & having all the gear . But hey that is just an affordability issue
Yes there are people who are just happy with their handline & a bit of bait - my sister in law has her couple of 600ml coke bottle handlines ...... yet if she wanted to could afford to buy a boat & load it up with the latest gear - yet nothing could be further from her mind as she walks out her front door , crosses the road & plonks her bum down on the rock wall to have a fish . . ...... for some that's all they need. ..... pretty sad I reckon

the thing with fishing is that it can be as simple & cheap as you like ...... or as complex & expensive - if you can afford it .

I know I fight demons when it comes to fishing - what I buy though it's nowhere near what I used to spend . I dont upgrade my boats electronics each time a new model comes out .... but that's because my sounders are doing their job . When I upgrade rods & reels it's because I feel that there is something better that will enhance the experience . .... If it's affordable I'll buy it.
but this is no different to any other form of consumerism .... like those that hang out to buy the latest apple device - the difference is that for most of us fishing is our hobby , pass time , sport , means of relaxation or way of stocking up on protein . ...... then it's up to them on how much they are willing to spend of their disposable income.

Back to the original question ..... Need or Want ?

I reckon it's a bit of both ....... If I'm going to tow my boat on a 4000km round trip (a lot of time & fuel spent) ..... I need to know that my gear is up to it & that want is now blended with the need.

Chris

[disorderly]

Cmon Chris..just admit it man..

You are a bloody showpony with all your fancy gear that you spend more time looking at then using....

Meanwhile I think I might head off down the jetty now with Volvo's missus and have a beer and throw a handline in...she sounds like a good old chook..you are welcome to come along too Volvo...

Whatever works I reckon..my only custom rod is sitting on the bottom on my Nannigai hole in 40m of water..another brand new outfit went to the bottom when my boy lost out to a mackie...Twice now I have snapped 2 rods in one day..one time was before the trip just getting the boat out of the shed...

I'm just too hard on gear to spend to much on it...

[Corry]

Dreams and 'wants' (perceivable needs) are what keep us going.
Do we need the $1k set up, probably not, but as long as someone isn't hocking themselves into debt, depriving their family of the necessities, then it's feeding a 'need' for the habit we have.
Does it make a lot of sense, it it economical, sometimes not. I've been told many times that what I spend to what I bring home for the table works out to be about $35000 per kilo, could be way more economical going to the co-op

My sanity is that I work, always have, we've moved a lot due to work, and we do the type of work we do to earn the $$ not only to set up our future and retirement, but to have some fun along the way.
I know people that haven't worked a day in their life, have virtually nothing, and don't have hobbies to feed, some are happy, some not so much, but it's all personal choice.

As for the Need or Greed... Greed's definition - "intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power or food", could be perceived with what we purchase or use as our 'needs' for fishing, it's all relative to your way of thinking.

I definitely see my fishing requirements as a "Need", whether it be handlining or using the latest and greatest. As long as the person is satisfied with what they are using, it will be a pleasurable experience.

PS: I really would love a bigger boat but , and that I think is a need

[Volvo]

Go & give yourself a good uppercut Volvo ..... then go & sit in the corner for the rest of the afternoon
How dare you have these thoughts

Old tyre man is probably making the most of what he can afford ...... & he probably dreams about owning a boat & having all the gear . But hey that is just an affordability issue
Yes there are people who are just happy with their handline & a bit of bait - my sister in law has her couple of 600ml coke bottle handlines ...... yet if she wanted to could afford to buy a boat & load it up with the latest gear - yet nothing could be further from her mind as she walks out her front door , crosses the road & plonks her bum down on the rock wall to have a fish . . ...... for some that's all they need. ..... pretty sad I reckon

the thing with fishing is that it can be as simple & cheap as you like ...... or as complex & expensive - if you can afford it .

I know I fight demons when it comes to fishing - what I buy though it's nowhere near what I used to spend . I dont upgrade my boats electronics each time a new model comes out .... but that's because my sounders are doing their job . When I upgrade rods & reels it's because I feel that there is something better that will enhance the experience . .... If it's affordable I'll buy it.
but this is no different to any other form of consumerism .... like those that hang out to buy the latest apple device - the difference is that for most of us fishing is our hobby , pass time , sport , means of relaxation or way of stocking up on protein . ...... then it's up to them on how much they are willing to spend of their disposable income.

Back to the original question ..... Need or Want ?

I reckon it's a bit of both ....... If I'm going to tow my boat on a 4000km round trip (a lot of time & fuel spent) ..... I need to know that my gear is up to it & that want is now blended with the need.

Chris

Mate Missus keeps the uppercuts up and sends me to the Corner eachtime i visit BCF or Hanaconda .
I /We have a Disease or Sickness i know but the thought crossed my mind whilst watching Yayatube re the above and i kinda felt the Guilt!!..
Haveta go mate as the latest hanaconda catalouge just came in the postbox , but will get back to this post later ey ..

[Dignity]

Been there, done that. Only go to a tackle store these days to buy bait or to replace lost lures/Sp's, or buy them online.
I've got a number of rigs that I want to keep and have been flogging the rest, well almost - down from 70 to 50 rigs now. I'm determined to get there though.

[Ducksnutz]

I’ve downsized as well from 30 odd combos to 15 only which will serve me. In saying that, when I did this I went from mid range gear to high end.

This only happened after I did the whole raising a family and buying a house etc and after the kids left home.

I feel at this stage of my life it’s “me” time and it’s the only thing in what I regard as a “want” more than a “need” that I have.

Oh, don’t forget image is everything! All the gear and no idea works ok for me……..

[Noelm]

I guess to put it in perspective, the guy in the tube is probably fishing for need, to keep his family alive, if he had more gear, he might do better (maybe) I would say not a single one of us knows someone who has to fish to keep his family alive (pro fishermen excepted) for food on the table, lots of us do fish for food, but it's hardly a necessity to survive, two very different worlds.

[NAGG]

Cmon Chris..just admit it man..

You are a bloody showpony with all your fancy gear that you spend more time looking at then using....

Meanwhile I think I might head off down the jetty now with Volvo's missus and have a beer and throw a handline in...she sounds like a good old chook..you are welcome to come along too Volvo...

Whatever works I reckon..my only custom rod is sitting on the bottom on my Nannigai hole in 40m of water..another brand new outfit went to the bottom when my boy lost out to a mackie...Twice now I have snapped 2 rods in one day..one time was before the trip just getting the boat out of the shed...

I'm just too hard on gear to spend to much on it...

You are a bloody showpony with all your fancy gear that you spend more time looking at then using....

That thought crossed my mind too - once ....... then I went to the corner & gave myself an uppercut

I do have to admit that the aesthetics of a rod or reel does come into play during a purchase ...... Give me a Shimano Thunnus over a Baitrunner D any day - the reel looks cool & goes well , Specially hanging off a Millerod Not that I need to justify my purchases & for the most part I fish on my own ..... So I'm really only impressing myself .
Ultimately - I like quality gear & have had enough experience to realize is you typically get what you pay for .

I'm actually pretty good with my purchases - During this covid period I added 3 rods & 2 reels .... & yeh a bit of coin was spent but it was funded by what I didn't spend (car fuel / boat fuel / bait etc ) .

In those quieter moments when I'm sitting in the corner .... looking at my latest purchase - I'm thinking of my next road trip & what I need to make it more enjoyable or comfortable ..... Then that "Dark passenger" get's in my ear reminding me of the need for redundancy

Cheers all

Chris

[tug_tellum]

Last time I went fishing I took for bait 12 small mullet,6 Gar ,a hand full of prawns and 2 small squid . And I only caught 1 fish A just legal Bream.
So I reckon I killed 30 sea creatures to catch 1 free fish.
Bargain Hey !!!
Mick

[stevej]

6 garfish would have been the better meal

[tug_tellum]

6 garfish would have been the better meal

Agree Steve.. But fishing is like gambling ,speculate to accumulate.You win some & you lose some
I lost on this occasion.. Come to think of it,I lose on most occasions
Mick

[gazza2006au]

Tough world overseas where people have no oppertunity to work due to no work available as here we have loads of work that some of those people come here on visa to seek than send the money back home, poor old mate is probably getting a feed for his family along with an extra 1 or 2 fish to sell for a couple of bux to help him i doubt hes getting anything financially like selling a SBT in japan the bloke probably get $20 a spanish mack $20 is probably enough money to feed there family for a couple weeks tho

Bigger boats probably see it as a threat as the little guy may be bringing down the prices for the bigger guy but if it is perfectly legal in there country money doesnt win and give prority over the less fortunate that owns a bigger boat its just bullying

Do u have a link to the video?

[Volvo]

Tough world overseas where people have no oppertunity to work due to no work available as here we have loads of work that some of those people come here on visa to seek than send the money back home, poor old mate is probably getting a feed for his family along with an extra 1 or 2 fish to sell for a couple of bux to help him i doubt hes getting anything financially like selling a SBT in japan the bloke probably get $20 a spanish mack $20 is probably enough money to feed there family for a couple weeks tho

Bigger boats probably see it as a threat as the little guy may be bringing down the prices for the bigger guy but if it is perfectly legal in there country money doesnt win and give prority over the less fortunate that owns a bigger boat its just bullying

Do u have a link to the video?

Will suss it out forya Gazz..

[stevej]

I buy midrange gear and keep it till worn out
cheaper reels would be replaced three times over compared to a mid range reel with my use

but yes it’s a extravagance compared to third world countries people can help if they feel inclined through decent aid agencies
Westmead Childrens hospital and Doctors Without Borders gets a donation from me every month