In a recent conversation with one of the other writers here, Joe Shaw, he mentioned something that had me thinking for the better part of an afternoon. He was looking for a new reel to add to his flathead fishing arsenal. Of course we talked about the usual suspects. He later decided on the Shimano Tekota. Joe has used these reels for years without any problems. They are his favorite reels for the type of fishing he does.
As I was thinking about this it hit me. It wasn't the specs of the Tek. How much drag it has, or how it looks, or anything else we talk about about that led Joe to pick the Tek from the many options available today, it was confidence. Using these reels for years without any type of failure is what has made them a favorite for Joe. They reliably do everything he needs them to.
Joe knows no matter the situation, whatever he needs to do, he can count on the Tek to come through. That's what having confidence in a piece of tackle is. I have several friends who are frequently visiting manufacturer and tackle shop websites. When a new rod or reel comes out they go to the forums and/or Facebook and start conversations about the new piece of gear. Sometimes I think they do this because they want to be the one that introduced the catfishing world to the next big thing.
Regardless of their intentions, this brand new piece of gear is untested by the general public. Sure it's been tested by the pre-release product testers, but that's it. Racing to try out this new shiny toy can often times lead to disappointment. Just because it's new, doesn't necessarily make it better.
Another thing we run into on the forums and on Facebook is the unsolicited recommendations of alternate products. Someone will post a picture of their new piece of gear, or ask about a certain product. Then people come out of the woodwork to put that product down, most times without even a shred of evidence. They will then go on to spam the thread with links to their favorite product. Talking about how it's the best, again without any evidence. This type of thing is of no help. Then we have the people going around recommending products they have never even used. Why? Because they read about them. The product is the "It" piece of gear right now. Another trap that you might want to avoid.
If on the other hand, you don't have gear that performs like you want, don't just go out and buy what everyone else is buying. Do your research. Think about what your current gear doesn't do well. Then look for products that are might be better suited to your needs. Don't get hung up on things like how much drag a reels has. For most situations almost any reel on the market has plenty of drag to land big fish. Only when fishing near cover do you need to concern yourself with drag numbers. Look for solid dependable gear that will perform the way you need it to.
Don't fall into the trap of having to have the next big thing. The "It" piece of gear. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks about your gear. It really doesn't matter if someone else thinks your reel is a piece of crap. It doesn't matter if someone else thinks all reels that don't say Shimano on them are junk. It really doesn't matter what the trolls think.
Do you have a piece of gear that instills confidence? A piece of gear that does everything you want without exception and has never failed you? Then maybe like Joe, you should stick to what works for you.
Chuck.
No comments:
Post a Comment