who fishes vintage tackle?

[keebranch]

All I have wondered about how mnay of the members fish vintage tackle. I for one colllect, but I mainly fish older glass rods or reels.

Often

sometimes

never

[keebranch]

I hope someone will come along and add to this discussion/poll.
As mentioned before I fish my vintage tackle all the time, and I've seen some folks not call themselves collectors, but have a collection of Fenwicks which they fish.

Here's a closeup of my Berkley Curt Gowdy model PG40 8 1/2 8wt fly rod paired with a 3 7/8" Langley 192B. i took this photo on a recent outing on a west Texas lake hunting big LMB. A cold front spoiled the catching, but not the fishing

[Bill Sonnett]

After seeing Jim's outfit I thought I would share my Summer evening bass outfit. Yes there are a few modern baits in there but most of my fishing is surface and the old timers do the trick in shallow water on evening Largemouth
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[keebranch]

Bill,
That's cool, I love seeing old gear in action. By the way what make is that rod and casting reel?

[Bill Sonnett]

Since you asked ---The rod is a True Temper Dynamic seemless tubular steel, the reel is a Shakespeare Marhoff and the line is 12 lb braided Nylon.

[Willis Logan]

Years ago after coming out of the Marine Corps, and starting college. I became interested in fishing. Purchased a freespool reel, and put mono line on it.

At the local lake one day, while trying to fish, observed an old gentleman fishing with a pflueger skillcast fsihing reel, using braided nylon fishing line. He was fishing a Hawaiian Wiggler # 2 1/2 over the weedbeds. He was left-handed, threw the bait left handed, and reeled right. Prettiest thing you would want to see. Bottom line---I asked: if I could try throwing with his reel. Then I was hooked, and have been ever since.

Basically old casting reels and braided line are a rush.----Reference--my post on ---Gunfighting Reels.

[gadabout]

Well I guess it depends on the definition of vintage but a majority of the tackle I fish is 1960's or earlier.

[keebranch]

Well I guess it depends on the definition of vintage but a majority of the tackle I fish is 1960's or earlier.

True, we could be talking-vintage, classic, or not-so new. Since I was born in 1960's I'm feeling like a classic- not ready to be called vintage yet.

Les

[SWIM JIG]

jump jump usa , I trust by classic, or vintage or just pre 1960 reels, its classic? With todays plastic JUNK! and poorly made reels? We most likly will all start using reels, and rods that will land fish! My arsenal includes many different pre 1935 rods and reels, and a lot more pre 1995 rods and reels! These items with decent care will be catching fish and winning casting contest long after I am on the banks of that Fishing stream in the sky with Harvy, and my grandfather and my dad! (This modern throw aways with plastc parts, pot metal gears etc are desingned to catch a fisher persons check book!) I am starting to notice a FEW companies are building a selection of rods and reels VERY FEW! all the Clasics ie 20 years or older require is a decent cleaning and lube and some decent handling, YUP! use a old Pluger, South Bend Shakesper, Penn or even the DIAWA 47 Line counter and with a bit of service will keep on going! The list keeps going and I see by the above post, the people will be buying up a lot of pre 1960 items! The Fish dont care what we use , however a plastic reel can easly be destroyed by a 10 lb salmon on lake ERIE! lets hear more from all your clasic items you use! Col. Milton lorens aka swim jig of Amherst Ohio

[Warren Platt]

Using old tackle - What great fun! Bass fishing with tackle from the 1920s and '30s since the mid 1980s has provided me with some of the most enjoyable fishing memories that I have. Over the years I've gotten to the point where I seldom fish for Bass with anything else. The old time tackle works well for my favorite type of fishing - topwater. Here's a few photos I thought you might enjoy.

A look inside of the tacklebox that I used in the first "Missouri Ol' Time Bass Tournament". The year was 1987 and the tournament is still held each year and is open to anyone that wants to join us.


Tackle used to land this beauty was a Midget Darter, Deluxe Pflueger Nobby reel with braided nylon line, and tubular steel rod.


Jack Looney shows what can happen if you use a Darter, J. A. Coxe #25c reel, and a Heddon steel rod.


And just to show one of the other things that can happen with the great old gear. A little backlash now and then is just part of the fun. I promised Frank Lewis I'd never tell who made this cast - so I can't tell you who it was.

[keebranch]

Now, that's what I'm talking about.
great photos by the way- I really enjoy seeing the older stuff in use. As I'm only 49 and grew up using glass rods and old ABUmatics, I appreciate seeing pople using equipment other than graphite. Now I have more gear and tend towards fly equipment.
This is a fun discussion.

Les

[Bill Sonnett]

Not to let Warren out do me! ----- Shakespeare Mouse, Pflueger Reel and 1953 Heddon solid Glass rod and a nice lillypad bass.

[steve399]

I guess you may or may not call 1979 'vintage' but I've grown to like this one for lighter salt water inshore very much


http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m127 ... 001501.jpg

[keebranch]

I still have my Ambassador 6000C which my grandfather gave me back in 1974. Great reel- I'll probably give it to my nephew when he gets older.

les[/list]

[Reel Geezer]

I guess you may or may not call 1979 'vintage' but I've grown to like this one for lighter salt water inshore very much

Sure you can. It's vintage 1979.

[Warren Platt]

NOTE TO BILL SONNETT -
Very nice bass, you've become one of my more successful students. While you've been somewhat of a slow learner, you're getting there.

[gadabout]

...

Jack Looney shows what can happen if you use a Darter, J. A. Coxe #25c reel, and a Heddon steel rod.
..

Hey, isn't that Dr. Henshall himself?

[quashnet]

Hardy St. George 3-3/8" fly reel with Paul H. Young Co. Para 17, built late 1956. This season I hope to set up a Young baitcaster, built 1953, with a Pflueger Nobby reel, and a Young fly/spin combo rod, also built 1953, with a J.W. Young Ambidex reel.

[Walter_Lars]

well if you considered when a reel was designed anybody who uses a penn squidder jigmaster or the senator line is useing a a antique design

[Ron Mc]

[fritzmerde]

I hear that 10, 20, 30, 40 years is vintage-hmm. First, I'm not a collector per se, if I'm not going to use the rod, reel, tackle-I won't buy it. There are exceptions of course. Born in Philly I love Penn, 80% of my gear came from Otto and his company. of course Ocean City, Pflueger & anything else with the made in USA stamp. When it comes to lures I have to admit that many won't be used again. My buddys like to bug me,-Hey are we fishing in the 40s or 50s today? I enjoy my old gear, to each his own.

[reelworks]

I pretty much don't want to own anything I can't fish with. I get ribbed all the time for using rods and reels that most don't even remember or recognize, often that can mean something only 30 or so years old. I have plenty of modern tackle, but find myself migrating towards the old stuff over and over. Whether it's a 20 year old reel I pieced together from spare parts or one that's twice my age. I am a bit cautious with old bamboo rods but the rest get fished.

[Ron Mc]

25 years is venerable; 50 years is vintage; 100 years is antique.
Most of the reels I fish are 70+-y-o

[reelworks]

When did anti reverse become a standard feature? I see a lot of old reels, most twice my age, which have no sort of anti reverse, even larger reels. I can't imagine fighting a really big fish with only your thumb to stop the fish.
I do like the feel of those older drop seat style handles, I've got an old steel rod with a cast aluminum handle with a Bronson Lashless reel, I found it at a yard sale in a huge lot of modern tackle. The rod is super soft, like a whip, and the reel has a levelwind but no antireverse. It's spooled with old braided nylon cord. It's super comfortable to hold but I couldn't imagine getting a big bass or pike on it.

[Bill Sonnett]

I think a lot of freshwater fisherman got conditioned to reels with anti-reverse and drag systems when spinning came along which for me was 1955. The first baitcasting reel I ever saw wth a star drag was an Ambassadeur 5000. I bought one in 1964 and enjoyed the easy casting but really did not like the anti-reverse feature. Frankly, I want to play a big fish "under the thumb". I feel more connected with the fish and my thumb seems a lot more dependable than most drag systems which always seem slow to "let go" and start slipping. Should you tie into a big fish (bass, pike, carp, catfish, muskie) and use only your thumb for a drag, I think you will like it and feel that you have done battle with the fish and not had some mechanical device do it for you.


Coxe 30C reel, P&K 6ft soft glass rod, Heddon Midget Diget River Runt plug, Cortland braided nylon line. Bass 6 Lbs 13 oz