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How much does it cost to start fishing?


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Costs I foresee are:

 

- fishing rod and equipment: ?

- bait: ?

- licence: ?

- fishing club membership to learn more: $100

- petrol to reach water and back: about $10 return from eastern suburbs

- more?

 

I thought it would be a way to save money by not buying fish from the supermarket but when I imagine the startup and running cost I'm having doubts.

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there will be the initial outlay costs for sure, if you are purely after a feed and saving money then unless you've got a honey hole that produces fish everytime you wont necessarily save money on your fishing trips, however you will get far more enjoyment trying to catch a feed than going to a shop :).

Kmart have some pretty decent 7 ft graphite fishing rods for 30 bucks, get a shimano IX 2500 reel from anaconda 25 bucks (these things are low range reels but will last you ages and are the same reels used on the tackle rat combos that Paul Worstling has used to land swordfish, I had one for 15 years +).

you'll need some line. cheapest way is to run mono and that wont cost much but if you want to get braid then get some fireline for 25 ish and then some mono or flouro for leader. Some hooks and sinkers and the likes you could prob get enough to see you through the intro stage for about another 20 bucks.  then there is bait unless you solely use plastics and lures and petrol on top.

 

In my opinion that is as cheap as you can do it buying stuff new. If you can find second hand it might get you fishing for a little cheaper.

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I think fishing is one of those activities where you can spend as much or as little as you want. Rods, reels, tackle, line etc all vary widely in price (and quality). But you don't need to spend a fortune getting started and figuring out if its something you're passionate about

 

- fishing rod and equipment: For your first time, I'd recommend getting something like a $50 spin combo (rod & reel) in the 2-4kg, 6-7ft range, spooled up with some mono. Learning knots is a valuable skill to tie your own rigs, (uni-knot and dropper loop are what I mostly use) however there's also plenty of pre-made rigs available at tackle shops. These are usually even labelled with what species they're suitable for. There are also "species packs" I've seen around that have all the tackle you need for that species like hooks, sinkers, swivels etc. 

- bait: Haven't bought bait for a while as I've been trying out lure fishing, but I think the common types (cockles, gents, squid) are about $10 a pack.

- licence: not needed in SA (other than Warren Reservoir)
 

- fishing club membership to learn more:  Haven't done much research into this, but I am a member of one that's only $15 a year. However, there's a LOT of info on these forums and they're free :). I haven't been around long but everyone is very friendly and helpful.

 

- more? Time. Probably the biggest expense. It takes time developing your skills and knowledge. Even then, sometimes you'll catch nothing.

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How long is a piece of string?? If you purely look at it from a financial perspective your probably better off going to your local fish monger. Tjat said the joy and satisfaction you get from this hobby is priceless! The amount i jave spent on fishing gear boat etc would keep everyone one this site fed on top quality seafood for the remainder of there natural lifes lol!that said you could buy a reasonable all rounder set up for $50 and get hours of satisfaction as well as top notch fresh seafood . Just avoid lure fishing its more addictive than ice!

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Don't forget to factor in (at least) the minimum wage to the time spent traveling, fishing, cleaning catch , then you going to come up trumps. S**t even the $ value of time away from family..... :rolleyes:

 

I'm not having a dig or anything.....but i could just about guarantee that none of us have 'save money by not buying fish from the supermarket'  as our prime motivation to go fishing, if it's even considered as a motivating factor!

 

In an over-simplistic 'monetary only' analysis of fishmonger vs 'Underpants', the fish monger would win hands down..... every time.

 

Sure I usually go out with the intention of bringing home a feed (unless  carping :D ) and it is immensely satisfying to bring said feed of fresh seafood to the dinner table. :wub:  my fresh salmon, mullet, tommies, squid, leather jacket, hell even wrasse has put smiles on my table! Id i never buy from any of those from a  fishmonger, maybe Tassie 'Atlalantic' Salmon, NT barra & a few others

 

I've been fishing for years, love it dearly but only get out occasionally and have maybe learnt a thing or two.....fishing metro landbased for a consistent good feed is hard ( more like impossible), you will need to put in many, many, unproductive hours to learn the art.

 

So if you only want take up fishing to save money by catching your own rather than buying it, don't consider fishing, just buy it!

 

One other note 'fresh' fish from the supermarket is kinda a misnomer. What is 'fresh' is not, what is frozen or 'thawed for your convenience' is mostly imported. Sadly usually unsustainably farmed or harvested from waters with little or no effective regulation.

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Could always just buy a spool of line , say around 10lb from a bargain bin for as little as $5-10 and some hooks from the bin next to it for a few dollars . Tie the hooks on the line with a basic knot . Slap some bait which can be just a bit of bread which is a $1 for a loaf or $3 for a good loaf and then you also have a snack for the rest of the day and you are fishing . You only spent money on a bus ticket to get there which was $10 for a day trip (haven't caught a bus for a while so not sure) and you have spent a total off $16 minimum .

Fishing like anything tho can easily suck a lot of money from your wallet , but also what you put is what you can get out of it . Admittedly tho i am a cheap ass bastard and have caught some great fish on a hand me down reel that was already spooled with line and a cheap ass rod that i cannot remember where i got it from . Once you are in the fishing community and have some respect for what is going on and who you are fishing with it is very rewarding and great things will happen . refer back to , what you put in you will get back out of it .

Good luck and tight lines .

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I think Underpants nailed it with
 
fishing metro landbased for a consistent good feed is hard ( more like impossible)

 

 

 
You don`t go fishing to save money. Certainly not Adelaide coastal metro landbased...I am guessing not too many people consistently walk away from a metro jetty having caught a couple of flathead or snapper(!?) or whiting or snook over an hour or three.
;)
The only way one might conceivably "save money" is catching one`s own bait (eg squid), living close to reasonably productive waters in the first instance (regional rather than metro), and either inheriting a cartopper rowboat(!) or having access to a worthwhile jetty or beach... and even then such a brutally financially minimalist approach is only relevant if it`s purely about getting under the shop price bucks and nothing else.
Also, if you go factoring in how much your time is "worth" to you - you are possibly behind before you even start...
 
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Costs

Yea we all look at costs, but if we added up all the costs we do in life, we probably end up with depression.

Don't look too closely at the cost of fishin, just get out & do it. you'll be healthier, hope fully smarter & may save money from the more expensive hobbies out there.

So the negatives are turn into positives  :fishing:

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Thanks for the replies everyone, especially mrfish for a cost breakdown.

 

Doesn't look too expensive to get started. I pick my oewn olives from public parks and brine them for months before eating. An hour at minimum wage would provide it all instantly from a store, but I much prefer the experience of doing it myself. maybe fishing will be the same!

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Knowledge will be the biggest thing to aquire to become a good fisherman.

 

Fishing in Adelaide is hard and it is even harder landbased. The fish are there landbased but you will have to put in the time and fish unsociable hours in sometimes very crowded condition to put together a feed. A good way to start is to spend some time on any of the jetties in summer and watch the locals catch squid or whiting or gar or tommies. Tommies and squid are usually an easier fish to catch for beginners. If you are keen to learn, read every fishing book you can find and read through all the posts on fishing forums. Set small targets and expect progress to be slow.

 

 

Self sustainability in seafood is achievable but it takes along of time and effort and experience.

 

I usually catch enough fish to feed my family with some give away to friends but it has taken along time to achieve this. With my kayak I usually only spend a small amount of fuel and a few dollars of consumables (hooks, terminal tackle, line). I catch about 90% of my own bait.  A good trip will see me catch some whiting or squid or gar or tommies or salmon or snook or snapper. I kept a record for a while when I first bought my yak and factoring in the cost of the kayak ($2500) I estimated it took me about 3 years to break even in terms of cost of seafood.

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If you want to be dirt cheap fishing for a feed then you only need a few things, probably be able to set yourself up for under $20.

 

1) A hand caster. Usually can buy one rigged with a running sinker rig for a couple of dollars. Rods can help you cast farther and reels make it easier to retrieve and stay neat but just to catch fish a handcaster can do pretty much everything you would want from most shorelines, rocks, breakwaters and jetties.

2) A squid jig. Can buy a cheap jig for a couple of dollars which will work just as well as most of the expensive ones even if its not as pretty.

3) A selection of tackle odds and sorts. A spool of cheap bulk mono line. Hooks, can buy variety packs cheap enough. Sinkers, again a variety pack of ball sinkers cheap enough. Swivels, again, variety pack cheap. Floats, bubble, weighted casting, big squid floats. All pretty cheap again.

 

First, get yourself down a jetty or breakwater where there is ground that holds squid well within chucking range. Cut off the running sinker rig from the hand caster and tie on the squid jig. Chuck it out as far as possible and work it back with slow pulls pausing to wind the line up each time. If there are squid around you will get into some pretty quickly. You can set it under a float and chuck the whole thing out and wait if you're feeling lazy but you will get more bites if you constantly cast-retrieve.

 

Now you have plenty of squid tubes for the table and squid head and tentacles for bait.

 

Now you can cut the jag off and put on a rig of your choosing - running sinker, paternoster or float rig. Bait up with squid and start fishing. Almost everything loves fresh squid. You should be able to get into most fish.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Your heart and soul and every waking moment of conscious thought. Once you start you can't stop. 

The money factor becomes immaterial once you start counting fish to fall asleep at night. 

That 250 dollars for groceries will turn into a new rod that is justified spending as it will feed you with a catch of salmon or whiting or snapper. haha

I could go on but..

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I remember many years ago when talking to a ex retired pro fisherman,he said the two most important pieces of equipment in fishing was the hook and line.

These two things attach you to the fish and they need to be good quality products,and it will always depend on how good your knot is.

 

The next part is the rod and that will be used to cast and to give you some control in guiding the fish back into the net,plus it acts as a spring relief for the line when under strain.

 

The last and most least important in all this is the reel,all that does is hold the line and gives you a drag to play the fish.

So as you can see it doesn't cost much in getting started in buying basic gear

If you ask here on this forum who's got what laying around not being used anymore i'm sure you'll buy something usable and affordable within a low starting budget.

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If I was ridiculously loaded, had everything, needed nothing else, I'd probably buy or start a charter business with a 1st class vessel and crew. I'd be happy breaking even as non profit and always have a spot when it desired me. :rolleyes:

 

Back to reality :unsure:

 

One that loved fishing would spend allot in a life time  ;)

The first for many would be a gift from someone. Xmass 1983 rod+reel for me, even caught fish that day using worms I dug up from the chook pen. :)

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Costs I foresee are:

 

- fishing rod and equipment: ?

- bait: ?

- licence: ?

- fishing club membership to learn more: $100

- petrol to reach water and back: about $10 return from eastern suburbs

- more?

 

I thought it would be a way to save money by not buying fish from the supermarket but when I imagine the startup and running cost I'm having doubts.

I think for most including myself it's all about the enjoyment of hooking up to a fish,plus it takes you outside away from home and work.Most people should have a hobby or sport in their lives to keep the body and mind active.

Plus it can be a family day for some

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks for the replies everyone, especially mrfish for a cost breakdown.

 

Doesn't look too expensive to get started. I pick my oewn olives from public parks and brine them for months before eating. An hour at minimum wage would provide it all instantly from a store, but I much prefer the experience of doing it myself. maybe fishing will be the same!

 

Hahaha if you like making your own olives one would suggest that fishing would be second nature

Fisherman equals the eternal optimist, then add some fun and great locations and great company and food

 

Any who, its not about the cost, its all about  the addiction and the next fish,

if you counted the zero catches versus the cost then most wouldn't fish

 

Get out and enjoy the good life, a rod in one hand................fill in the rest

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