What is the most useless piece of fishing kit you bought and presumambly no longer use?
Mine is a fly box I recently decided to buy. I don't need it as I have loads of them. Ok, a lot are full of pretty things but another plastic box - not even a Wheatley I must have been drinking at the time!
Not that it's a bad thing but the 3rd (2nd spare) spool I have for my Battenkill Disc remains unstrung and unused to this day. Bought the English version so I wanted 2 spares since eventually these would be scarce. Figured I'd go floater, type II and type V with the 3 spools. Strung up the floater and type V and planned to get the II when I had use for it. Well, that's been quite a while and I'm finding I can cover everything between the two lines I have. Seems with the newer constant sink rate (sans the belly curve) the type V is a bit more versatile.
So though it's useless so far, I'm still glad to have the 3rd spool since I plan to use this reel for a long long time...it may outlast me so maybe my grandkid would have use for all 3 spools...
My first fly tying set up. It was one of those $30 made in India pieces of crap. The stuff fell apart or didn't work well, and the vise wouldn't hold a hook. The scissors are the only things left that I use... for wire and lead.
Many Many Many Many years ago. Stomach/Throat pump... First time I used it I decided I'd have to buy a black hood, and have a hump installed if I was going to continue...
Light saltwater tackle and bassfishing gear that came from another life. Now that I look back, I wish I would have saved my money for a spey rod. Anyone fish gear out there? I got quality stuff. Please?
Frankly, I think most of you are being unfair to your suggestions. Fishing gear doesn't become a piece of crap because you found that you don't need it, or because your size choice was wrong, or because your lifestyle and/or priorities have changed. T'aint the gear's fault.
Only something like Seanengram's fly tying kit deserve to be denegrated, because any buyer would have been ill-served by purchasing it. Tell us about stuff that broke/split/warped/refused to attach, etc., soon after purchasing.
I've left a lot of not-so-useful gear in my wake - haven't we all? As the old saying goes, "It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools."
I thought about posting re some of my old tying gear, such as my thompson model-a vise that served for some time to support a lamp whose clamp broke. It was replaced by a renzetti traveler and my tying improved as a result of a better tool. The thompson model-a certainly isn't a piece of crap, it's just rather antiquated (and classic). I haven't been able to think of a useless piece of gear, which is why I hadn't posted one. :thumb: Mac.
Most of my useless things involve a "pure genius" fly design that turns out to be (Coach Duff designed, tyed and fished) "pure junk". Not only don't these patterns catch any fish, but fish have been known to slowly roll over on their back and laugh at me until they piss themselves. I have a vast boneyard of materials that sure looked good until they were put in the water. Well at least they looked good to me in the shop. Or I overthink things and after 30 years of studying water hydraulics, clarity, light refraction and the full color spectrum (while looking at the fly in the water) I realize that I still don't know a damn thing. Either that or I am colorblind and have been fooling myself the whole time.:beer2: I don't think that vicious cycle will ever stop. Tight lines Coach
Two things.
First thing - a float tube. Once I bought a Super Fat Cat, I couldn't get rid of the thing fast enough.
Second thing - Orvis Mach reel which I bought with a gift certificate I'd won at work. This was right after they were introduce and then recalled. I was the beta test. Drag stopped working and handle fell off after one day of bonefishing. I'm glad I had back-up reels.
I would have seconded this vote as i have one and bought another for my father in law for his multiple trips. I have recently seen anothers modified with some closed cell foam to put in the bottom with some plastic anti snag fingers. I made a foam bottom for mine, punched through some plastic fingers and even added a plastic beam that clips to the fiberglass retractable hoop and sits in a hole in the foam to keep the plastic hoop from sagging and therby allowing the sides of the bag to catch line.
I have not tried it yet, but the foam fits into my waders to transport and the plastic fingers and beam fit into the mesh bag and roll up nicely for packing. I'm not sure it will work worth much, but it has to be better than before.
I have one of those fancy wooden fish nets with a long handle, but it is only a mid sized basket. I have rarely had an occasion to use it. Beautiful, but not practical. What was I thinking? Too big for trout and probably too small for salmon/steelhead...but it looks good.
Shakespeare fly rod/reel combo from Cabelas when I was 12. I was so proud that I bought it all on my own, untill the piece of crap snapped just above the handle about 6 months into ownership.
I bought a c&f box on sale one time. Waste of money. The plastic latch broke off within a month. Never buy fly boxes with latches. I stick to 10 dollar boxes now that have never failed me.
I buy nothing but C&F boxes and haven't had the latch problems :hmmm: I like how they hold the flies well without having to pierce the foam which as we all know gradually destroys them. The little box with the divider with foam slots on both sides holds a gagillion nymphs. Yes, they are expensive, I just have to tell myself I deserve it.
Aha! I just thought of the most useless piece of gear: Hodgman breathable waders - they sprung leaks so fast, just sick. I got used to being wet until I could afford something better. Now, my Simms G3, thank the fishing gods for waders that keep me dry and have nice features.
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