That's not a bad suggestion. Plus, if you start in the fall on next season's gear, you can hit stuff that's on sale, both in retail stores and by mail-order. Some pretty good deals going on right now at both Bass Pro and Cabela's, for example.

Also, the big chains like Cabelas or Bass Pro offer credit cards with reward points. I never carry a balance on my Cabelas card, and I earn 15 to 20 dollars a month to spend on fishing.

I do this all the time during the fishing season too, I'm at my local Gander Mountain store at least once a week repelenishing, and restocking my tackle box

there are some ponds down the street from my house that i fish at least 4 times a week. while i'm there walking around i keep an eye on the trees. i have found over a thousand dollars in those trees in the last 2 seasons. especially when the leaves start to fall off.

Good tip.....buy what you want when it goes on sale over the winter.

i like to go to different flea markets and buy tackle boxes that people have because they might have one for $20 or $25 bucks and it might have 10 to 15 plugs i can use with worm,hooks and sinkers i can also use so its a good deal.