adrenalnjunky

Hey all, I know this is one of those threads that will probably have answers all over the place, but I'm looking for a general consensus. Haven't been actively fishing in 20+ years, so most of my gear was late 80's vintage. My "vintage" gear (All reels have been completely gone through, even updated with new bearings, or added some bearings here and there) Reels: '87 Shimano Bantam Mag 10X 4.7:1 ratio??? '89 Shimano Bantam TX100 Mag 5.0:1 ratio '79 Abu Ambassadeur 5000D (Direct drive model) - standard 3.6:1 ratio '79 Abu Ambassadeur "Striper Special" 5500 - 4.7:1 ratio Rods: (2) Lew's Graphite speed stick (5' 6" Medium/Medium) - these are pistol gripped, and match a modern 6' rod from the reel seat forward. (2) Lew's Fiberglass rods (6' - but same as above - more like a 6' 6" modern rod) Feel like Medium/Medium as well Then I have a few newer pieces: Picked up a new Abu OrraSX combo for a steal the other day - 6.4:1 reel, 7' MH/F rod setup Grabbed a G Loomis Mossyback 803 rod at an estate sale ($20!) - 6'8" MH/XF And last night ordered a Daiwa Tatula CT-R in 7.3:1 (Because there isn't a "Best reel for around $100" thread on this board that doesn't end up with a ton of positive feedback on the new Tats.) I'm trying to not blow just tons of cash on all of this (yeh, right?) But I'm primarily fishing second-spot out of a 16' boat, and space is a premium - 2-3 rods is about all I have room to add. (And sometimes the 3rd rod is my kiddo's spincaster) My plans: Keep the Shimanos on the older Lew's graphite rods for crankbaits and slow-rolling spinnerbaits Run the Orra setup as is for an all-rounder - spinnerbait, medium crankbait, texas rigged,brush hogs, etc Tatula on the Loomis - texas rigged/plastics/jigs/lipless cranks How far off am I here?

Walked in to my local Academy the other day - looking to spend around $100-120 on a new reel to rig out a rod I have. I noticed 2 lone Abu Orra 2SX rod/reel combos that had been re-priced using an old-school mom-n-pop style price gun sticker, in 3 spots on each setup. They were priced at $97.49 (odd right?). The same reel alone was $99 regularly priced on the shelf. ($79 on several other sites). I figured WTH, I don't mind having another 7' MH/F rod around, basically I'm getting it for free. I walked out with one, after the manager had to be called over to override the regular $139 price. Next day I caved in and went back for the other one, but it was nowhere to be found. YMMV - but might keep an eye out for random pricetags. Wondering if there might have been a big tent sale or something.

Is the Lew's Laser series even in production anymore other than the Laser MG? You see the higher end Laser series reels on sale all over the place, but Lew's doesn't list them on their website anymore. I've been contemplating a new reel, with my pricerange closer to the $100-120 mark. I can get a Lew's Tournament MB LFS in the $115ish range, and the step down Speed Spool LFS for about $86. Side by side you'd have to work really hard to convince me that the BPS PQ2 isn't made on the same line. Lower bearing count than the Lew's, but appears to have the nicer brake system of the Tourney MB - seems like it should slot in between those 2 Lew's reels, if they were all in the same product line. I was also considering the Abu Revo SX for around the $110 mark.

Hey everyone, new guy from NELA. Long story short, dad quit fishing back in the early 90's, and as a teen that wasn't allowed to trailer the boat yet, that kinda was the end of my trips as well. Flash forward 25-ish years, and I got the itch to find "yet another hobby" as the wife puts it. My father-in-law is an avid angler, but I've just never really had the time or want to get out in the boat until my now 5-year-old wanted to start taking trips with his Paw-paw, so I decided to tag along. Dug all of my gear out of storage, and went through the reels, cleaned up the rods, and somewhere in that process I found myself standing in the fishing section of a store looking at new gear when I haven't even been out on the water yet. I also found I really enjoyed resurrecting all my old Shimano Bantams and a couple of late 70's Ambassadeurs - adding some bearings and whatnot. The old Lews graphite speed sticks I had seem to have held up well, even if they are pistol-gripped and shorter than what seems to be more common these days. Those old slow reels pull a crankbait just fine, but I'm itching for something newer/faster for spinnerbaits and soft plastics. Dear lord my old tackleboxes had gone nuclear though - melted plastics everywhere. I emptied them both out and cleaned them up - but by that point my brain was already looking at something new. The past couple of trips have been fun, plenty of fish on the line. Also helps that my father in law knows some good holes, that no one else seems to be fishing.