The catchin' or the way it's caught

[Trick]

It seems obvious to me that some people have had a few difficulties catching a springer this year. When you spend $40k on a boat and gear are you determined at all cost to make it work as far as catching fish goes or do you fall back on lower tech options that you already knew to put a fish on the grill?

I know whenever I buy new equipment I'm determined to break it in even it if means lowering my prior success rate. Can't have that "wasted money" feeling when I buy things.

Just wondering.

[Ken Drifter]

As far as gear goes- lures,bait,droppers,leaders,scents etc. I'll try what I hear is ''Hot''. And give it a good honest effort with a fair rate of sucess. Always willing to add something new to the arsenal. Fish can be picky. What worked last season may not always work as well the next season. Ive picked up some good tips, but when in dought Always have the go-to set up ''Ol Faithfull'' ready. Sometimes changing gear to much requires a bit of a learning curve that may take most of the season to get it right. As far as my boat I added a depth finder last year and love it. Well worth the money. (no learning curve)
my two cents...

[Flatfish]

Kinda,
but not all the time.Our driftboat has paid for itself several times over.Stuff like plugs are tough to break even on.Most of us have seen the"magic plug syndrome".That is when 1 plug seemingly identical to others catches all the fish.I figure it is abour 1 in 5 that is a keeper.If you spend 5 bucks a plug and 75 bucks per trip to test said plugs....well you get the picture.My best guess there is about 125 bucks to find a winner.Now you need 15 plugs to fish all conditions.
I don't necessarily spend big bucks on rods and reels(unless it is required like a steelhead drift rob for example).Most of my sticks are under 60 bucks.Busted a steelie with a spinner on monday with a 41 dollar noodle rod I got on E-bay.By the end of the season it will be paid for.G-L-3 class feel was not required.
I would spend big bucks on plugs/lures that were tested and guarenteed to catch fish.The person who figures out why fish hit the individual bait will be rich.
See you on the river.
Mark.

[fishbait]

Interesting question. I personally have not given up some of the low tech and or bank fishing spots just because I happen to own two boats. I do have a friend that almost refuses to fish from the bank, he also has a sled and a DB, however, I did get a report that he went to one of our favorate springer bobber holes on Tuesday afternoon and got three, killed two in 14 casts, so it just goes to show ya, you don't have to have a $20K boat to catch fish, but it does help sometime. Sometimes it just so much simpler to put some geat and bait in your creel and fish off the bank.