Rook

Not the original Mitchell in France. All that's around today is the name.

All of my reels cost less than $50 bucks and the newest one I own is 46 years old. Most are 50 to 65 years old and they'll still be around long after I'm gone. And there are still plenty of used ones around to be bought even though Mitchell has been out of business for 35 years.

Reloading tons of ammo in preperation for future zombie attacks.

If my 50 and 65 year old garcia conolon rods and Mitchell reels ever wear out I might buy something else to compare them to. But it looks like they're gonna out last me so I'll probably never know which is the most over and under rated rods and reels.

I keep my Mitchell reels and Garcia Conolon rods in my old gun cabinets. Some of the cabinets I put glass shelves in for the reels.

I would bet that over 50% of the reels that have line rollers with bushing or bearing are locked up. They've been corroided since the first year they were used and they've never been cleaned and oiled.

I wouldn't have to because I'd never buy either one. If it's got plastic I don't want it.

I use a Wheeler gunsmithing screwdriver set on my reels. I also throw away reels with plastic gears.

All of my old Mitchell's have a lube port screw. Some of the models have a larger one on the side plate instead of at the bottom. Such as this model 302 salt water reel. The 402 salt water reel also has the larger port. The 408 ultra lites have the screw on the side that removes the whole side plate to make it easy to get to. The 308 ultra lite side plate removes like the 408. The 406 side plate removes. And the 306 side plate removes. Other models like this 300 C have the lube port screw at the bottom. I bought this old Mitchell 406 model and found that somebody had put plenty of grease in it. The side plate that's easy to remove makes it easy to get to the gears to clean and grease.

I spend quite a bit of time cleaning and refurbishing my old Mitchell reel collection. After so many years of use it's sometimes necessary to redo the whole thing like the Mitchell 300 that I bought back in 1973 in the photo below. I've used it for a lot of years in all kinds of weather and conditions including salt water. So I gave it a face lift along with a good cleaning.

Well why are you arguing about it then? There's no arguing. Just show one case where this has ever happened instead of what your cop friends have told you. You can't because it's BS!

Well for me I'm still stuck in the 50s. I don't use anything but NARMCO and Garcia Conolon rods. They're still working just fine after more than 60 years of use. Time is the true test of fishing equipment.

All of my rods and reels are pretty much old favorites. I don't have anything that is not at least 40 years old. Most all the fishing I do these days is with ultra lite stuff. So I usually have my trusty old Garcia Conolon 4 star 5 1/2' #B501-A rod with me and one of my Mitchell 408 or 308 reels.

That old wives tale has been going on for as long as the Internet has been going. Show one court case where someone has been convicted due to using reloads. You can't because it's never happened.

I've always worked on my own reels. I collect old Mitchell's. I like taking old corroded reels that people have given up on and bringing them back to life. This old Mitchell 301 on top in the photos looked pretty bad but it cleaned up pretty nice after some cleaning, sand blasting and painting.

I've been fishing for the past 64 years and never saw the time I would need to use 40# or 50# test line. Even in salt water I never used anything close to that. What are you all doing? Pulling stumps. ?

My first rod and reel back in the mid '50s was a hand-me-down Airex Bache Brown, Model 3, half bail reel with a Narmco Conolon rod that I used until I could afford a new Mitchell 300 and a Garcia Conolon rod. I wore that old Airex reel completely out and the rod broke off at the handle while I was trying to land a pretty good size cat fish. I still only fish with my old Mitchell reels.

I carry a S&W 340PD .357 Mag in my pocket. It just weighs 11.58 ounces including a set of Crimson Trace laser grips.

For creek fishing my old Garcia Conolon 4 Star, B501-A, 5 1/2' rod and one of my Mitchell 308 or 408 ultra-light spinning reels is what I've been using for the past 50+ years. They still work as good today as they did way back then.

I've been carrying a S&W 340PD .357 Mag revolver since they first came out in the early 2000s. It only weighs a little over 11.5 ounces including a set of Crimson Trace Laser grips. If the recoil is to much for someone in this light of a gun they can carry .38 Specials in it instead. It's not a gun to shot for fun but it's one you can carry all day in a pocket and not feel like it's pulling your pants down. According to what I'm wearing in the summer I often carry my 1st generation Kel-Tec P3AT .380 that weighs a little less than 7.5 ounces which is about an ounce lighter than the newer generation. After many years of carrying heavy guns I got tired of them and would often go out without a gun on me. I finally decided to find the most powerful light guns that I could find to carry so now for the past 18 years I've always have a gun with me when I go out.

I like the old stuff. I can't list just one favorite but I do only fish with one brand of reel and one brand of rod which is Mitchell Reels and Garcia Conolon Rods. All my reels are at least 50 years old and most are over 60. And my boat motor favorites are a 61 year old Evinrude and a 52 year old Johnson.

Here are a few of mine. Winchester Model 12's. Browning A-5's. A 20 ga. 3" Mag. on top and a Sweet 16 on bottom. Lever action rifles. My great grandpa's Marlin Model 1889 .38-40 that he bought new in 1892 on top in the photo. A Marlin Model 94 .44 Mag at the bottom of the photo and a Winchester 94 .30-30 at the center of the photo. A couple of sporterized rifles. A Remington 03-A3 .30-06 in the rear of the photo and a 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser in front. Windham AR-15 Desert Eagles. A .50AE, .44 Mag. and a Baby Eagle 9mm. S&W 500 Mag. Ruger Vaquero's .45 Colt. S&W 340PD .357 Mag. S&W Model 66 .357 Mag.

I wish I had a crystal ball that would let me know when and where that I don't need to carry a gun but since I don't I always carry at least one gun.

My pocket guns are: A S&W 340PD .357 Mag Snubby that weighs 11.58 ounces including a set of Crimson Trace laser grips. A Kel-Tec P-40 that's a .40 Cal. that weighs just over 15 ounces. My always gun is a Kel-Tec P-3AT .380 that weighs 7.48 ounces. This gun is so light that I always carry it no matter what other gun I may be carrying.

You can get these wooden tool boxes at Harbor Freight for $74.99.