Antique Tackle Or Gear

[whitwolf]

These are not antiques but more sentimental:

 

The first baitcaster I bought back in '80.

 

http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr290/whitwolf/SANY0953_zps45cefbf6.jpg

 

 

Some old rattle trap baits with a plastic insert. Definitely not old and more of a gimmick but kind of cool nonetheless.

 

http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr290/whitwolf/SANY0557.jpg

 

These bring back great memories:

 

Top left Is the first balsa bait I ever bought. In was around '80. Top right Is a weighted crank that was given to me when I first started to bass fish by the two guys that took me. 

 

Bottom left Is the same as above. I owe those guys a lot for introducing me to bass fishing and taking the time to teach me what they knew.

 

Bottom right Is the first crankbait (given to me by those same folks) I ever fished(second day out) and I caught 7 nice bass in the prespawn. It's called and "angel eye" and It's a square bill. 

 

 

http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr290/whitwolf/SANY0763_zps052c713b.jpg

[Josh Smith]

Here you go:

 

These are not antiques but more sentimental:

 

The first baitcaster I bought back in '80.

 

Some old rattle trap baits with a plastic insert. Definitely not old and more of a gimmick but kind of cool nonetheless.

 

 

These bring back great memories:

 

Top left Is the first balsa bait I ever bought. In was around '80. Top right Is a weighted crank that was given to me when I first started to bass fish by the two guys that took me. 

 

Bottom left Is the same as above. I owe those guys a lot for introducing me to bass fishing and taking the time to teach me what they knew.

 

Bottom right Is the first crankbait (given to me by those same folks) I ever fished(second day out) and I caught 7 nice bass in the prespawn. It's called and "angel eye" and It's a square bill. 

 

Nice stuff!

 

Josh

[Catch and Grease]

I bought the Oldcaster, as I affectionately call it, at an antique store, so I guess it's an antique, well worth the $7 I paid for it. The reel is a Bronson Mercury, don't recall what the rod is. I still fish it for fun every now and then, and it is a whole different kind of fight with even a 2 pound fish, but there's a reason nobody fishes with 4' steel rods and 12 IPT reels anymore. Old gear is neat, though, no question.

Unremarkable fish but I recall that it was a first cast win on the way to work.

3.5 lbs is my personal Oldcaster best. Believe that's a Buck-A-Roo sticking out of its mouth.

I'll take it off your hands for 8$... Haha kidding aside what reel is that? I'd have bought it for 7$ too...

[Jolly Green]

That's a Bronson Mercury No. 2550.  I'm not a tackle historian, so corrections are welcome, but I believe they were produced in pretty huge numbers in the mid-1950's.  It was a complete piece of crap when I bought it, but the key word is "complete"; I see them all the time in flea markets and antique stores and they are either way over-priced or missing parts.  It breaks down into all of maybe 15 parts, lol, so it was pretty easy to clean and lube, and some judicious polishing shined it right up.  The engraving on some of those reels is pretty cool (see: Hootie's Summit) and like nothing we're ever likely to see on reels again.

 

I run 50 lb. braid on it because it just makes it so much easier when -- not if -- it blows up, and also because there's no drag of course.  I've tossed 1/4 oz. swim jigs (with trailer) but it's really most cooperative at 3/8 oz. or higher.  Other than the spool tension knob, it's all thumb, baby.  When I was first learning to cast it I dialed in to where I could get 30 yards with a practice plug about every 20 casts, but in reality if you were to cast that far consistently you'd also be stuck reeling that far consistently, at 12" per turn, and your arm would basically fall off. Gives you renewed appreciation for modern gear.

 

It's funny, I've had plenty of random people tell me that it's probably worth $75 or more (it's not, not even like new), but none of them ever want to give me $75 for it!  Someday...

[Josh Smith]

Two of the three I'm working on:

 

 

 

And I just bought these:

 

 

... so I guess I get to learn to build rods.

 

Something did occur to me the other day:  These new, fast reels have large cranks for the most part.  Large crank = slower cranking.

 

In other words, you increase the gear ratio, and then decrease it again with the crank!

 

The red reel is intended to crank hard due to its role as a heavy spinnerbait, crankbait, and worm rod.  The black reel I built to crank faster because it's on a medium rod and mostly sees topwater.  (I have another red reel that's currently on a 7' MH rod, but I might just put it on the 5'6" MH Lew's fiberglass rod.  That red one is pimped out with mother-of-pearl handle knobs.)

 

These two and the ultralight always go fishing with me.  The red one gets used the most.

 

Josh

[warpath58]

I found this one at a yard sale last Saturday for $8. The best I can tell is that it is a J. F. B.F. Meeks #2 circa 1845 I can't read the name on the side plate and it doesn't have the #2 below the name and the screws aren't numbered. So I don't know for sure if its a earlier reel or a little later. If anyone has any info on it please let me know.