Cost of soft plasticsl baits.

Ridiculous, imo!

This post may be mentioned in next weeks recap!

Go to Walmart.Good prices.

Just depends on the brand. Zoom and Big Bite Baits are reasonable, when you start using the Missile and Yamamoto, they are wonderful but with that great action, comes less durability, and more cost per bait.

Wait for 20% off sales, no internet tax, win a few tournaments and you won’t care ever again!

That's how I used to get golf balls

I used to get golf balls out of the water traps and ponds around the golf courses. I don't think that would work for plastics.

I caught a fish last weekend that spit up a rattlesnake, it still bit my magnum finesse worm. That'll save you some money, go behind an angler fishing and pick up scraps.

It’s the nature of the beast. Every hobby has cost. I try to look at it like I’m paying for relaxation and happiness lol. Academy has a little better pricing and Walmart too. If your willing to throw off brand then you can save money. Buy in bulk helps. I ask for plastics or bass pro gift cards for birthday, Father’s Day,Christmas, Anniversary pretty much every time I get a present.

Soft plastics are crazy expensive now days

Soft baits are the least expense of fishing. Boat, truck, gas, rod-reel, fishing line, fish finder (gragh), cool looking fishing shirt, etc, etc, etc.

After building my own molds...pouring/Injecting custom baits...

I appreciate the detail and effort that goes into a soft plastic much more now

Still...a pack of Yamamotos...Lord a mercy!

And yet probably the least expensive item in a tackle box.

I was talking with a friend of mine last week that contracts out the production of his baits. Recently the shooter put his order back 6 wks. The reason, they (in the US) had a $3 Mill order to fill that was going to be shipped to...China. Couple of things that stand out to me. It's cheaper for the big bait companies to have their product made here in the US & it's cheaper for the big companies to have it packaged overseas. This is one reason why your plastics are getting more expensive, by the time the cost to ship out of the country then back there you have it.
The bigger picture if you care is the Fed excise tax for the product = 10% of the gross sale. $3 mill = $300K that the fed earmarks for Parks & Reaction. Problem is this, the shooter is not charging 'market price' because it's mfged for export and they bypass the fed excise tax. The mess leaves us paying more for the product and getting less as anglers.