DON1937

NICE SEATS!. Did you do the upholstery or have it done? The cockpit seat on my Alumacraft is in bad shape and I got an estimate on having it repaired. Cost more than the Wise top of the line seat. I have no experience with Wise but they look good. Thanks for posting the photos!

Tackle Warehouse gives a pretty good description of the different reel models they carry.

I e-mailed Bass Tracker for a manual on my boat and they e-mailed a copy.

I use the sizzers in my Swiss Army Knife

It's very easy to do yourself. I took my first 5000 apart the day I bought it. I put an old white sheet on a table and took it apart. There is nothing that will "spring" apart. Just pay attention to the way you take it apart. Now that phones have cameras just take pictures of each step and it'll be a cinch. DON"T over lube the innards.........I use a very light grease in very light doses.

Tackle Warehouse has had the ABU REVO S on sale for $99 with free shipping. All the rods seem far too stiff for me coming from all glass rods but the $59 H2O rods from Academy get good reviews. I have two but haven't had a chance to use them yet. This could get you into a good BC system for about $160.

A good cleaning may help. There is a small brass gear that shifts the reel back in gear when you turn the crank. You'll have to remove the two small screws from the crank side of the reel to see the mechanism that may need cleaning.

My wife was an avid fisher and we took our grandson fishing when he was around 7yrs. old. He's now a dyed in the wool fisherman! He started with spinning equipment and now fishes almost exclusively with fly fishing gear. He's a high school coach so he's off during the summer :respect-059: . He travels to fly fishing seminars and learns about the different types of insects and how to match his flies to what the fish are eating. He sure won't inherit any $400 rods or reels or $50,000 bass boats. What he will inherit is some good practical blue collar fishing gear that will work for quite a while. He may inherit a 17.5 Bass Tracker unless I manage to sink it before I sink myself Getting a child interested in fishing is one of the best things you can pass on.

That is amazing work! You have real talent for this type of work. I have a 15'Alumacraft that I bought for my grandson that needs a lot of work and I'm not sure I'm up to the job.

Asking questions, answering and having a discussion are what makes any forum interesting. The search functions are often worth just what you pay for them. I've never understood just what it is that turns people off when someone asks a question that's been answered numerous times. If have extensive knowledge about a subject I am glad to answer the questions of persons new to a forum. If we could all find the answers we needed using the search the forum would slow down and the number of posts dwindle. The people on this forum have been very helpful to me and I'm thankful you're here!!

Thanks. I e-mailed ABU before I received your answer.

I did a search and came up with nothing. I bought 2 of these reels yesterday thinking they had "centrifugal" brakes which forum members seem to think is better than the magnetic type. That's what it says on the box but the owners manual says it has a 6 way magnetic brake. May not be a big difference in casting but I'm wondering why the box says one thing and the manual says another. Anyone who owns this reel feel free to comment. TIA

I'm just getting into Bass fishing and the "bait monkey" is weighing me down every time I get near lures of any kind Most of my fishing experience has been in salt water......bays and surf. In the bays I carried all my bait in my shirt pocket. A couple of Sprite Spoons and two or three short plastic worm jigs. Made sure to carry a dime and a bail spring for my Mitchell 300. In the surf a couple of spoons and a 3' Mirro Lure! I lived in a little town called Port 'O Connor and every permanent resident there used the famous red bait casting reel and a "Popping" rod, live shrimp and a "popping" cork. With these rigs they could give a 5lb Red water skiing lessons

I don't know enough about modern spinning reels to say that any of them are heirloom quality. From what I've seen I don't think that many of them will be around after 50 years of use. I have 2 Mitchell 300s that are nearing the 50 year mark and work as good as they did when new. They're not as pretty as some of the modern reels and their straight cut gears can be noisy. I can change spools just by pushing on the front of the spool without disrupting the drag setting. I have two Shakespeare reels that I bought in 1976 for $9.99 at K Mart and they are both as smooth today as my new Pflueger Supreme. Fishing equipment is like guns.......I don't have to need one to buy it. My Glocks are ugly to some people but they always go bang and will be around long after I'm gone.

Nice rig! Please post any mods you make with photos! I have a V hull Alumacraft 15ft. with a Evinrude 35hp 2 stroke. !992 model in good condition except for carpet and one seat. I'm getting it ready for my grandson. Previous owner left old gas in tank without Stabil. I hope changing to fresh gas will make it run a bit smoother. I'll post pics. if I ever learn how.

Absolutely marvelous collections. Thanks to all for posting although I'm feeling very ancient right now with my 5000s, 6000s and Mitchell 300s and fiberglass rods. My little 300s cost me $15.50 in 1964 and the 5000 cost $25 in 1972. The little 300s are amazingly durable and have been used for years in salt water to catch any thing from Specks, Reds, Sharks, Blues, 60lb. stingray on 10lb line, logs, one tire and one bicycle.

I fished for several years in saltwater.....bays and surf and never knew the name of the knot I was using. Just now went to a site called Animated Knots and discovered that I was using the Palomar Knot all along.

I'm 74yrs. old and never owned a boat. We have 2 dealers in town who sell fishing boats but their inventory is sorely lacking. About 3 weeks back I was at a dealer that sells ski boats and personal water craft (whatever that is). I asked about fishing boats and one guy remembered that they had taken a Tracker in trade. It was a 17.5 Tracker Team Pro with a 60hp. Mercury 4 stroke and Min Kota trolling motor. It looked practically new with just a couple of spots on the carpet. Two days later I made them an OTD offer way under what they were asking. Now I have my first boat I've waited till I got insurance and tags before I take it out for fishing. I'm living with heart failure, neuropathy and bad knees but I have to at least try to see if I can manage the boat and a day of fishing. I'm retired, live alone and I'm absolutely debt free with a small but adequate retirement income. No family within 350 miles and no fishing friends If you can manage it I say go for what you want. We live only once and not for very long. Good luck....be happy.....get your boat and enjoy!!

Restoration threads are enjoyable. Your's is very thorough. Thanks for posting and keep it up!