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View Full Version : Gear that won't die.


Bushleague
04-26-2017, 06:04 PM
I was re-spooling the fishing rods today and noticed that a Shimano Sahara I bought for my wife last season is already getting pretty sloppy, I doubt I will get more than another couple seasons out of it. Meanwhile a Pflueger Trion I've had for 3 seasons is in far better shape... which sounds pretty good until I compare it to my Mitchell 300 that was made in the late 50's and is still catching fish...

So just wondering what gear you guys have used over the years that has lasted a long time? I've got some ancient Ugly Stiks, some other assorted fiberglass rods, and a Japan made Berkley Cherrywood that just refuse to break. Besides the Mitchell's I have a Daiwa Black Gold spinning reel that I've had for about 8 seasons that still feels as tight as the day I bought it, and a cheap Shimano FI that cost me all of $11 US while on vacation over 10 years ago that I just cant seem to kill.

pikergolf
04-26-2017, 06:51 PM
I have some Abu Garcia bait casting reels from the late 80's. Don't even know what the model was at that time, they had a 4600, 5000, 6500 and 7000. These are the 5000. The more I use them the smoother they get. I bet I have a hundreds of miles of retrieves on them. All I ever did was keep them clean, greased and replace the worm gear pin. Awesome reels.

npauls
04-26-2017, 06:56 PM
Pflueger presidents and trions that have been used and abused more than i care to admit. They are still going strong and are silky smooth.

bubba 96
04-26-2017, 07:05 PM
I was re-spooling the fishing rods today and noticed that a Shimano Sahara I bought for my wife last season is already getting pretty sloppy, I doubt I will get more than another couple seasons out of it. Meanwhile a Pflueger Trion I've had for 3 seasons is in far better shape... which sounds pretty good until I compare it to my Mitchell 300 that was made in the late 50's and is still catching fish...

So just wondering what gear you guys have used over the years that has lasted a long time? I've got some ancient Ugly Stiks, some other assorted fiberglass rods, and a Japan made Berkley Cherrywood that just refuse to break. Besides the Mitchell's I have a Daiwa Black Gold spinning reel that I've had for about 8 seasons that still feels as tight as the day I bought it, and a cheap Shimano FI that cost me all of $11 US while on vacation over 10 years ago that I just cant seem to kill.


I just bought a Mitchell 300 for 2 bucks at a garage sale last wknd, luv those old reels..almost looks new..

slingshot
04-26-2017, 07:05 PM
Rods and reels I think it all depends your usage and where you use them. I found river shore fishing the worst. Fine sand kills all

Bushleague
04-26-2017, 08:01 PM
Rods and reels I think it all depends your usage and where you use them. I found river shore fishing the worst. Fine sand kills all

True this, I've found that fishing rivers from a canoe or kayak is about the worst thing that you can do to them. You are in and out of the boat and it ends up with mud covering the bottom, then you end up having to dodge a sweeper while fighting a fish... open the bail, throw the rod into the mud pit and back ferry, resume fighting. Snag a log while drifting down stream, not to mention the stress of trolling a deep diver or 3 oz of weight on a 3 way rig back upstream for hours on end...

I did a lot of this, 2-4 times a week before I had kids. I'd go through 2 rods in a season and at least one reel every two seasons. That's when I went back to using Mitchell 300's and vintage Daiwa's, they may be rough as heck and inferior in every way compared to a new reel, but they will take the abuse.

Michael_Brown
04-26-2017, 08:04 PM
If your Shimano is getting loose, pack it up and ship it to the warranty center for repairs, great company that looks after their customers and the warranty center is excellent to deal with. It may just need a minor adjustment, I have shimano's from the early 90's that are just as tight as when they were new and they get used a lot.

the local angler
04-26-2017, 08:08 PM
for myself is my favorite shakespeare outcast spinning reel i bought in the late 80s early 90s. the bail is starting to show some wear but still going strong.
next is my berkley power pole, i believe its the series of rods before your cherry wood. other then the trunk lid taking of 2" off of the tip its also still going strong.
next is the same mitchells 300a spinning reel like yours, no drag!!! still going too. if i ever snoop around some yard/garage sales and see a shakespeare out cast reel its going to be mine lol love those reels

bobalong
04-26-2017, 09:07 PM
I have used some of the reels I have now for 10-15 years. Spinning reels are all Shimano, all still work well. I have a few different level winds, Shimano, Quantum, Okuma, Abu Garcia had a bit of trouble with one Abu Garcia, all the rest still work well. Have used many different rods, Shimano, Quantum, Rapala, St. Croix. In about 45 years of fishing I have broken five rods that I can remember, two on a snag, and the other three by accident, when I was not fishing with them.

trigger7mm
04-26-2017, 09:46 PM
I have a Mitchell 300 that I still use. I've had it for probably 30 years or so.

catnthehat
04-26-2017, 09:50 PM
I use a 50's era Pfluegar Supreme and a Summit That are fantastic reels
My Heddon 8 weight that I got in 1966 is still going strong - I RE- guided it after a trip to Mexico in'92 however.
Caught lots of big pike and some saltwater fish on it as well :sHa_shakeshout:
Cat

58thecat
04-27-2017, 05:44 AM
I just bought a Mitchell 300 for 2 bucks at a garage sale last wknd, luv those old reels..almost looks new..

The old ones were great but find another in any condition for parts.

Bushleague
04-27-2017, 10:10 AM
I just bought a Mitchell 300 for 2 bucks at a garage sale last wknd, luv those old reels..almost looks new..

Yeah, I have two 300's and a 308 ultralight, they are a tough reel for sure. One of my 300's is so old it doesn't even have the model stamped on it, the manual that came with it simply refers to it as a "Mitchell Reel" because at that point they only made two reels, the model I have and a larger "Saltwater Mitchell".

Its still in great shape.

Lowrance Fishburn
04-27-2017, 10:18 AM
Funny you should mention the Shimano Sahara. I have both the 2500 and 4000 series Sahara and after 1 and 2 seasons respectively, both reels started acting funny and wouldnt reel properly - like it was gumming up or something. I took it apart as best I could and oiled and greased where I was able but it didn't solve it. I have both reels in right now at The Reel Doctor. My first time using the services there so im hoping it can be taken apart completely and fix whatever problem they've got.

Anyone else have experience with The Reel Doctor in Edmonton?

Other than that though I love Shimano. They make the best rods IMO and I know there are a lot of good ones out there but thats just what I prefer. I run a medium extra fast Crucial and a Medium Fast Compre and they are great twigs.

THERICARDO
04-27-2017, 10:52 AM
Funny you should mention the Shimano Sahara. I have both the 2500 and 4000 series Sahara and after 1 and 2 seasons respectively, both reels started acting funny and wouldnt reel properly - like it was gumming up or something. I took it apart as best I could and oiled and greased where I was able but it didn't solve it. I have both reels in right now at The Reel Doctor. My first time using the services there so im hoping it can be taken apart completely and fix whatever problem they've got.

Anyone else have experience with The Reel Doctor in Edmonton?

Other than that though I love Shimano. They make the best rods IMO and I know there are a lot of good ones out there but thats just what I prefer. I run a medium extra fast Crucial and a Medium Fast Compre and they are great twigs.

You will be happy with Reel Doctor, Trev runs a good operation, is fair and his work is always fantastic. NOt the most handosome of men but a good guy haha

Bushleague
04-27-2017, 11:37 AM
Funny you should mention the Shimano Sahara. I have both the 2500 and 4000 series Sahara and after 1 and 2 seasons respectively, both reels started acting funny and wouldnt reel properly - like it was gumming up or something. I took it apart as best I could and oiled and greased where I was able but it didn't solve it. I have both reels in right now at The Reel Doctor. My first time using the services there so im hoping it can be taken apart completely and fix whatever problem they've got.

Anyone else have experience with The Reel Doctor in Edmonton?

Other than that though I love Shimano. They make the best rods IMO and I know there are a lot of good ones out there but thats just what I prefer. I run a medium extra fast Crucial and a Medium Fast Compre and they are great twigs.

I've never had them fix a reel for me, but when I was a kid they were just starting up and they were buying old reels. Not the guy who runs it now but an older fellow if I remember right. I needed a reel and had no money, and lived in Millet at the time. That guy drove all the way out to Millet, asked me how much money I needed, and gave me $40 for a box of reels that were most likely worthless. Great guy.

I've had terrible luck with Shimano rods. I had two break on one trip to NWT and both broke just while casting, and had the tip snap off another one while flexing it a little in the store to check the action. Just curious, are your Sahara's the new compact body style or the old ones? It seems like a bunch of people I know had bad luck with various Shimano reels when they went to the new body.

Lowrance Fishburn
04-27-2017, 01:37 PM
What were u casting to break those rods? Ive never seen that before! Flexing rod tips to test the feel is a tricky thing, you never wanna grab a high end graphite rod by the tip or its gonna break. The cheaper fiberglass rods like an Uglystick you can bend pretty much any which way you like as they are durable as snot but lack the stiffness and sensitivity of a high end graphite rod.

Safest way i've found to flex a rod is to use a flat ceiling and place the rod back against the ceiling floor and pull up and into the ceiling. You will get a good feel for the power of the rod and the backbone it's got.

I think the Sahara's are the newer type as they are only a couple of years old. Hoping they are fixable cuz that would be a major bummer if they crap out that fast.

Walleyedude
04-27-2017, 02:36 PM
I think the Sahara's are the newer type as they are only a couple of years old. Hoping they are fixable cuz that would be a major bummer if they crap out that fast.

Send them in to Shimano's Service Center in Peterborough.

They'll come back a few days later as good or better than new for not much more than the price of shipping. I send my Tekotas in every couple years for a tune up. The guys at the service center do awesome work.

I'm surprised at all the people wearing out reels and breaking rods. I've never had anything fail on me and the only rods I've broken were my own fault due truck boxes or door jambs.

Some of you guys are hard on gear!!!!!!!!!

Lowrance Fishburn
04-27-2017, 02:43 PM
Well shoot, would have been nice to know before I gave them to the Reel Doctor for a tune up at the price of 35-40 bucks a reel. Well, now I know - thanks.

Bushleague
04-27-2017, 03:19 PM
What were u casting to break those rods? Ive never seen that before! Flexing rod tips to test the feel is a tricky thing, you never wanna grab a high end graphite rod by the tip or its gonna break. The cheaper fiberglass rods like an Uglystick you can bend pretty much any which way you like as they are durable as snot but lack the stiffness and sensitivity of a high end graphite rod.

Safest way i've found to flex a rod is to use a flat ceiling and place the rod back against the ceiling floor and pull up and into the ceiling. You will get a good feel for the power of the rod and the backbone it's got.

I think the Sahara's are the newer type as they are only a couple of years old. Hoping they are fixable cuz that would be a major bummer if they crap out that fast.

I was casting spoons and plugs up to 1 oz. Slightly more heavy than the rod was designed for, but IMO neither rod should have broken. I've never seen a rod break that way either. I'm aware that one must flex a rod with care but.... I do it to my own graphite rods, as well as rods in the store regularly. When I buy a rod I usually test every rod of the make and model I intend to buy as there are often slight variances, and pick the one I like the best. I've never had a rod break before or since so I'm 100% certain it wasn't a flexing technique problem that caused the break.

One thing I now do differently when flexing a rod is make sure my face is out of the path of a potential rebound... it was a med/ heavy rod and though I didn't bend it very far when that tip snapped the rod sprang back and gave my face a pretty good welt.

Oddly enough I've never broken a rod in transit or in a door. About the closest I've come is smashing a reel with my knee while diving at a nice walleye that popped off the hook right in my ice fishing hole... kind of a bummer but I did get the fish.

Michael_Brown
04-27-2017, 07:58 PM
Send them in to Shimano's Service Center in Peterborough.

They'll come back a few days later as good or better than new for not much more than the price of shipping. I send my Tekotas in every couple years for a tune up. The guys at the service center do awesome work.

I'm surprised at all the people wearing out reels and breaking rods. I've never had anything fail on me and the only rods I've broken were my own fault due truck boxes or door jambs.

Some of you guys are hard on gear!!!!!!!!!

Nailed it.

:character0053:

pikeman06
04-27-2017, 08:36 PM
Mitchell 300 here too. Drag siezed up. Just slide that big chrome lever across and fight them in back reel mode makes for a better fight. For awhile Mitchell made a fly rod I believe it was the sovereign. If anyone has one in a 7 weight or up please sell it too me. Taught a few fly fishing classes and could dazzle the crowd by casting almost to the backing. That rod had a wonderful action and a backbone as well. Priced for the common man and built to fish with.

walleyeca
04-28-2017, 04:22 PM
Well shoot, would have been nice to know before I gave them to the Reel Doctor for a tune up at the price of 35-40 bucks a reel. Well, now I know - thanks.

$35-40 bucks a reel?? Umm its $28 each guy and they are done!

KegRiver
04-28-2017, 06:55 PM
I've got a couple of collapsible 6' rods that I bought in the 1970s that are still my go to rods and a Zebco 33 bought in the eighties that lives on one of those rods and still works the same as it did the day I bought it.

All have caught hundreds of fish over the years, from 1/4 pound Trout to 20 pound Salt water uglies.

I also have boxes of other gear that has failed, often in less then a year.

Last year a gave four Mitchell 300s to big brother. He likes open face reels and I prefer closed face. The Mitchells were from the 70s 80s and 90s.

fluxcore
04-29-2017, 05:41 PM
Those old mitchel 300 reels are bullet proof, the "new" versions I'm not sure about.....

Bushleague
04-29-2017, 08:20 PM
Those old mitchel 300 reels are bullet proof, the "new" versions I'm not sure about.....

I've found that there are a number of vintage reels that are very tough, but only the Mitchell 300 made provisions for using shims to take up wear in the gear train to extend the life and keep them running smooth.

I would not call them the toughest reel of that era, but this level of "built to lastness" is unique to the 300 as far as I am aware.

In the late 80's my grandfather bought my brother and I Mitchel rod and reel combos. They weren't the 300 obviously, the reels were graphite and had a rear drag. But those combo's kept me and my brother catching fish from early childhood into into late adolescence, despite absolutely no maintenance and an terrible amount of misuse. The next Mitchell reel that I bought would have been around 2004 and it was a complete piece of garbage.

gbart
04-30-2017, 09:35 PM
The older Ugly Sticks made with aluminum reel seat components. Made and assembled in the US are nice rods and will last for ever under normal use. They seem to loose a bit of quality once they started assembly in China.

Big fan of the older Mitchell reels manufactured in France and before they/Garcia made them in the pacific rim. The 300 series on a nice older Ugly Stick is hard to beat.

Lots of info on the net if you like these reels:
http://users.skynet.be/bk292282/sitemap.html

Lowrance Fishburn
05-01-2017, 08:36 AM
$35-40 bucks a reel?? Umm its $28 each guy and they are done!

Hey man! They are done? Nice, thanks! I couldn't recall exactly what you said the cost was so I was just assuming it was in that ballpark. Not trying to make your services seem more expensive than they are. Sending the gear to Shimano like the one poster said seems like a good idea but I once broke a rod and sent it back and didn't get my replacement for almost a full year so in that regard, I'm happy to pay the fee locally. Did you find out what the issue was?

asimpatico
05-01-2017, 11:01 AM
The best reel that I have used is a okuma reel. Been using it for quite a while now and it is the best reel I have ever used. The model is the Okuma Ceymar
Hope this helps.

petew
05-01-2017, 03:29 PM
I still use my Mitchel 300 I bought in the early 60's ,and the rod that I got with it then too. The rod has had new guides as the originals got grooves in them. I still use an Ocean City fly reel from the 50's , and a few other's from that era as well as Glass fly rods from the same time. Yearly clean and grease seems to work for the reels.

Drewski Canuck
05-02-2017, 12:58 PM
If you ever see an old "Damm Quick" at a garage sale, get it. They were built in Germany. Otherwise a Mitchell 300, or if you can find the old Shakespeare spinning reels, they were pretty good.

The new reels actually are pretty smooth with all the extra ball bearings, and the materials on any Abu Garcia are really very high end. The Chinese have driven the quality for price ratio to deliver some pretty good value. Reels used to be pretty expensive to get quality products.

All the same, there are some classics out there that you can fish your whole life with and be happy.

Drewski

metalwrench
05-05-2017, 01:11 PM
My father's got a lot of Shimano gear and it's still going strong after 10 years.

Bushleague
05-05-2017, 01:30 PM
If you ever see an old "Damm Quick" at a garage sale, get it. They were built in Germany. Otherwise a Mitchell 300, or if you can find the old Shakespeare spinning reels, they were pretty good.

The new reels actually are pretty smooth with all the extra ball bearings, and the materials on any Abu Garcia are really very high end. The Chinese have driven the quality for price ratio to deliver some pretty good value. Reels used to be pretty expensive to get quality products.

All the same, there are some classics out there that you can fish your whole life with and be happy.

Drewski

I had a DAM reel a while back and it was a pretty tough reel. Somehow the drag washers got lost at some point and I threw the reel out rather than try and find new ones. I now regret this because I've had pretty good luck punching leather washers out of old welding gloves and greasing them up.

At some point I'd like to try a vintage Penn, but I've really developed a liking for the old Mitchells, and at this point I've got several reels that will probably outlast me, so who knows if I'll ever get around to buying one.

The new reels beat the old ones in every department except longevity. I happen to fish quite a bit, and as I get older I've developed a general distaste for disposable items, so I'm learning to live without double digit bearing counts, silky smooth operation, and instant AR in return for much a longer service life. I don't think it costs me any fish.

EZM
05-06-2017, 11:12 PM
I have some really really old Mitchel and Abu Garcia reels that are still pretty darn smooth passed down from my dad. I don't use them anymore, but keep them for mostly as sentimental objects.

In my opinion the best stuff out there for mid to high end reels are still Abu Garcia and Pfluger stuff.

Shimano is and excellent product but comparable, in my opinion, only at the high end of their product line - For the mid range stuff (like $120-$200 per reel) I prefer Abu Garcia over a Shimano - silky smooth drag.

Most of my stuff is Shimano, Abu and few Pflugers and some Okuma reels for baitcasters, level winds, spinners, counters, etc..

I've had bad luck with Quantum and Rapala reels. I purchased mid priced products expecting at least a comparable products and was disappointed. The Rapala level wind blew up and gears jammed after 90 days of use. The quantum's drag was jerky and sticky with a lack of finite adjustability you would expect from a $150 purchase. It also got loose and sloppy after some moderate use.