Bass Fishing Toys and Tools

I get a lot of enjoyment from my stash of fishing goodies. This does not mean I am not budget aware when making purchases. I just like getting new stuff. For me, the hoard is more about toys than it is about tools. Don’t get me wrong, I love catching bass, but if I peel back the onion a bit, I seem to really enjoy trying out new products. Now if the new product puts more or better bass in the boat, then it’s considered a real bonus.

To categorize my items into toys or tools is all about how one perceives fishing supplies. I guess the most logical split would be to consider all things related to the boat as tools. However, many suggest the boat is merely a toy. Well, maybe so, but I happen to believe it is one of the most essential tools in my array of fishing items. After all, without the boat to get out on the water, there would be no fishing around my area. Bank fishing is not a possibility in our area consisting mostly of backwater rivers and swamps. Fact is, tramping through a swamp to go fishing is not something anyone wants to do.

The next items in the tool’s category would have to be the rods and reels acquired over the past decades. Yes, I still have all my old stuff, although it is the newer more modern items that are my everyday use equipment. The old stuff just occupies a place of honor in my stash and from time to time whisper to me about all the memories they once created. Other items in the tool category might be the onboard electronics. I suppose, at some point, they cease to be tools and tend to become toys. Since I have very basic electronics, I can say they are in my tool’s category.

Now comes the tough part. Are lure products tools or toys? Heck who knows. I guess they can be classified either way, but for me, I tend to treat them like toys. I seem to have subscribed to the old saying “he who dies with the most toys wins.” I do have a lot of stuff, but I am aware my stash of toys is small compared to many who have confessed the size of their stash on the pages of Ultimate Bass. I love buying lures. Tracking the package as it is inbound and the overall excitement of the unboxing process is just like unwrapping a present at Christmas. It is a moment of joy only a dedicated angler can appreciate. Receiving a shipment from a favorite tackle source has the ability to change an entire daily schedule. Some may be able to put the box aside and inspect the goodies later. Not me, once the package arrives it calls my name, and I immediately open the package to see the items I have purchased.  Receiving the shipment and the unwrapping takes priority over whatever else I may have been doing. Receiving new items is a justifiable reason to interrupt the honey do list.

I suppose there are certain times when tools can become toys. An example of this might be a bunch of rods and reels representing years of collecting and are no longer in the user rotation. Are they still tools or are they toys to be taken out and enjoyed from time to time? I claim being placed in the toys category does not reflect on their importance. It merely honors their past service and the memories they provided. I would suppose many tool items strive to become one of the valued inactive toy items. While this may be hard to accept it is my story, and I am sticking to it.

I need to express my belief, items we purchase to medicate our fishing addiction provide an important therapy service for the dedicated bass angler. These items can lift our spirits in ways some might not understand. A true enthusiast does not have a need to make a purchase. The simple act of just wanting something is enough to extract the cash from our wallet. It is up to the individual how much cash can be applied to the addiction. Truth is, often we just want something before it becomes needed. Perhaps there is another blog story in there somewhere about helping define the need versus want categories of fishing supplies.

I am sure there are those among us who classify most fishing goodies as tools. Those who view it this way are most likely interested in catching a lot of the biggest bass. While these anglers have the skills and knowledge to make this happen, others of us are anglers because we think it is a fun pastime providing a lot of enjoyment. Whatever the reason one considers an item a tool or a toy is up to the individual. The only thing I know for sure is, no matter what the budget may be, it cannot buy the biggest bass in the lake. I can certainly verify this is true.

Fish ON!
Bud Kennedy