What was your first real fishing reel ?

[bisleyfan41]

Penn 716, green and silver.

My dad won it in a casting competition in the 70s. Put it on a 5' fiberglass rod, 2-piece with a metal ferrule. The rod is long gone, but the reel is still cranking fish in 40+ years later.

Imagine building a fishing reel that can last a lifetime?!?!

[NSB]

Mitchell 301 (left hand). I still have it someplace. It was a good old reel. I use mostly baitcasters now but I do for four spinning also. Love bass fishing.

Mitchell 300. Still have it. It’s REALLY OLD. So am I.

[ACC]

Garcia Abumatic

ACC

[MOA]

South bend level wind about 1959.

But then I went to work for Academy in Texas about 1982 an bought lots of reels Diawa, Penn, ABU Garcia, Mitchell ect.both saltwater and freshwater.

[Rockingkj]

Zebco 202 with a yellow fiber glass rod. Birth day present from an Uncle in about 1966. Caught a lot of fish with that rig as a kid.

[Electrod47]

Penn "Long Beach" No. 60

[brass410]

Ted Williams spinning real on 11 ft rod combination bought at Sears Roebuck took all summers worm sales to buy it. (Approx 1974/75) Lost it two years ago, when a windstorm flipped my 16'aluminum lund in open water.

[Bmi48219]

First rod and reel combo was a spring steel bait cast rod with an Ocean City level wind reel. Dad’s buddy gave it to me.
First reel I purchased was a Mitchell 300 $9.98 I bought at EJ Korvettes. As soon as I got it I ordered the deluxe ‘football-shaped handle and crank arm plus a third spool, to gussy it up. Still have it although the sleeve bearing for the crank shaft is a little out of round.

[Dancing Bear]

Zebco 33, purchased with Top Value stamps! Took me a lot of chores to convince my mom to to part with that 2/3 of a stamp book!