Zebco fishing reels

[davidpt40]

After 11 years, it was finally time to replace my Zebco Bullet '38' fishing reel/rod.  This was probably the best fishing rod I have ever had. Who knows how many fish I have caught on it, thousands, maybe even tens of thousands.  But as of last year, I had started to have problems with it.  Line was backlashing for no reason (in a backlashless reel), even after changing to a lighter tangle free line.  

So today my fishing partner and I headed to walmarts.  Since we are going to TN over spring break for a fishing trip, figured it would be time to outfit our selves with new equipment.  I was a little disappointed to see that Zebco does not make the 'Bullet' anymore.  Instead, they seem to have focused entirely on the 'Rhino' series of reels.  The two main series of Rhino fishing reels were pretty tough looking, comming equipped with 10 and 20 pound line, 4 steel ball bearings, reversable crank handle, and even a rubber boot over the push button.  The only thing I didnt like was the size line on the reel.  I prefer a 6 pound line.  Sure, its taking a risk if I get caught on some logs or rocks, but very rarely have I had a fish break my line.  The new rhino reel also has a very large drag knob directly centered above the push button.  This feature right here is a big improvement over the old Rhino and Bullet reels, which had tiny drag selectors.

So I went ahead and got the rod/reel combo, a casting net, some jig heads,rooster tails, rubber minnows and 6lb line.  The war, the economy, school....aw who cares, I'm going fishing.

[SirLoin]

Zebco 202..My first real reel...Lol,the memories of being 12..

[sling322]

Penn 4300 ss

Best fishing reel ever made.

[ra]

n/m

[capt. apathy]

I'm still using the same mitchel 350 that was handed down to me in the early 70's.  great reel

[Tommy]

I bought a Zebco classic last year from Bass Pro. Found that Zebco is totaly made in china now. Closed factories in Tulsa. Well the quality was way down, I remember how reliable they used to be held up to the most torture but now cant cast an inch. i took it back and got another one it was worse then first one. Took it back again and they said they were haveing alot of problem with the lower end equipment from Zebco. I bought a ABU Garcia Closed faced reel and it works fine.

I was never so dissapointed in my  life about Zebco. I grew up using them and I thought that they would have been great for my wife and daughter to use as beginner fishermen. Well be careful what you buy from Zebco if it looks cheap it is.

My favorite stick and reel combe is an ugly stick with a a ABU Garcia bait caster on it.

Happy fishing:cool:

[Udie]

I'll never use anything but Ambasadour's for bait casting. Best reels ever made.  I got a Rhino last year and that thing just sucks.  It has backlashed on me just about every other cast from the day I got it, and it even has a magnetic break on it.

[Steve]

Heheh my first rell as well.. Zebco 202.  There are some great reels out there these days... I tend to buy the higher end of the Shinano reels.. but man  you could spend sveral hundred  dollars on a high end baitcaster.

[slimm50]

Abu-Garcia open-faced reels...I love 'em.

[Golfer]

Originally posted by Udie
I'll never use anything but Ambasadour's for bait casting. Best reels ever made

No doubt about that.  I bought the rod/reel combo out of a bass proshops catalog (i believe) about 6 years ago.  Liked it so much i bought another.   (once i finally figured out how to cast and was an expert of fixing backlashes as well as about 5 miles of line later)  Now the original rod/reel combo sits in the garage awaiting springtime and the second one resides on a telescoping rod i keep in my golf bag.  Golf courses are great places to fish, over populated, under fed, and never fished.  Caught a bass in less than a minute in Kansas City, MO while golfing with my U.S.M.C. Squdron buddies at our first reunion in 2001.  Caught about a 4 pounder at OSU Scarlet during the second round of the State High School Golf Tournament.  By the time I broke out the fishing rod i was out of the running to win and competing as an individual.  I got more applause for landing a largemouth bass than i did for making any putt that day.  Oh...i didn't make any putts that was my problem.  Gonna have to find a picture of my then-fat self and post it.  heeeeere fishy fishy fishy.

[hyena426]

my brother had a nice zebco,,,it was called the zebco quantum,,it had a trigger fire system under the reel like a gun,, and would cast with out making any noise hardly,,,,i guess at the time it was the most complicated spinning reel made,,had over 75 parts in it,,costed him 80 bucks and for a zebco thats spendy,,,but i had to say,,one of the best zebco's i ever seen,,,they got this othere fishing company making reels called quantums,,but there cheap compared to the zebco model they use to make

[davidpt40]

Quantum "snapshot" is what they are called.  I bought one when they first came out.  I don't even think I was a teenager yet.  I still have mine, use it as my catfish pole.  

My dad once got snagged on something while trolling on a local lake.  We stopped the boat, and he started slowly reeling in whatever it was that had snagged his line.  Well he finally go it in, it was a very expensive spinning reel and pole with a huge turtle attached to the other end!  Still have the reel and pole, though the tip broke out a few years ago.

[Golfer]

Here's that photo I mentioned at the U.S.M.C. squadron reunion golf tournament.  Tossed in my jig and had a hit in about 5 seconds.  Grim kept yelling at me to hurry up (I was in no rush, I drove the green on this 320yd par 4) and I said no I got a bite!  Yeah yeah yeah yeah he says.  Lo 'n behold out I yank a fishy.  My group was laughing (Myself, Grim, Spydr, and Bake) their tulips off and Grimmy snapped this photo for posterity's sake.  Since then i've dropped 50 (okay...47 pounds) and my BMI is no longer "obese" (which is a BMI of 33+ i believe).  Less online time and more running around time really does wonders with the lovely (well, some are) girls here at OSU.  Enough of the healthy diet lesson LOL!  Oh well...one can never love fishing too much, and yet another chapter in the history of Golfer's antics.

(edit:  Yes the rain was cold)

[davidpt40]

Tiny fish...

[Wlfgng]

that's not fishing....