I often bemoan the disappearance of the cheap two hooks, a sinker, some green seine twine on a wooden frame that you could buy for a buck. Being curious I wondered just what it would cost you if you wanted to build or buy one in 2024 money.
So, let’s see…
- a couple of hooks (twenty cents)
- a sinker (25 cents)
- fifty feet of seine line (a dollar)
- a frame of sorts to put it on (something easily cobbled or found for free)
Apparently, these days a cheap plastic handline with some twine will cost you four bucks + shipping from eBay but won’t include hooks or sinker as “child safe” is a thing these days. Anyway, so all up the cost of a $1 handline is about ten bucks or so.
Yeah, I’m old enough to remember when a candy bar cost a nickel.
Of course, the $1 model is OK for fishing from the dinghy or a local pier and not what one needs for fishing under sail. But, more on that tool of choice next time.