Old Faithful

[dave]

This is not your typical "what's your favorite rod" thread.   It is very possible that only those with some "experience" (older guys) can have a real answer.

 

No matter how many rods I buy or how many times I think that "it's new so it must be better so I need it" thoughts pop into my head,  I seem to return to one particular rod.

 

It is a fifteen plus year old Castaway HG40 Pro Signature Series Bud Pruitt Flippin Stick.  

 

It is 7' 6" telescopic, heavy power,  slow, parabolic action.  No other rod I have purchased to replace it EVER matches up.  I had read posts from other sites of guys that loved this rod and I bought one used about eight years ago.  I can't put my finger on why,  other than it just pitches,  flips and fishes better than any rod I've tried to replace it with.  Every year it seems,  I pick it up and wonder why I ever even try to replace it.

 

Do any of you with a few years on you (I am not ruling out younger guys having some good input) have what is considered an "Old Faithful"?  A rod (or reel) that despite it's age and it seemingly being out of fashion,  just continues to be a main player in your arsonal?  I imagine some of you might have some much older rods in action.

 

By the way,  this rod was also made in a 7'6" MH power.  I want one.  If anybody has one,  PM me...

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Old faithful for me is a original pistol grip lightning rod med action 5'6"

[new2BC4bass]

I've got an old Berkley Lightning spinning rod that is somewhere in the neighborhood of 35-45 years old.  Have a few newer spinning rods, but this is still a favorite when I need something for lighter baits.  These days I am almost always fishing with a b/c, but this rod has caught beaucoup fish.

[Bluebasser86]

I've got the first nice baitcasting setup I ever bought, a Curado 200B on a 7' M/F St.Croix Premier. Not really old but over 10 years old anyways. I've used it to do about everything, including catch my second biggest bass of the year so far last Thursday.

[chelboed]

I've got my original nice rig too. 25y.o. Lew's BB-1 LMG and a 6'6" Medium Abu 2000 IM-6 rod. That rod is still impressively light and sensitive. I caught my old PB on it until I upgraded to a Bucoo Micro / Speed Spool combo last year and bested it by 2#...then upgraded to a Team Lew's combo this year and bested that by another 2#.

My original rig is retired.

My Team rig is retired only because it's my first award sized fish. I'll be mounting the reel, anglers award, lure, and picture in a box frame.

I will say to the OP...I can appreciate technology in reels more than rods. I still prefer my newest rigs over my old stuff, but reels are night and day.

[scaleface]

Old faithful for me is a original pistol grip lightning rod med action 5'6"

I have a couple of those and a 6 footer. They are still my go to rods for topwater fishing .

[Raul]

Old faithful for me is a original pistol grip lightning rod med action 5'6"

 

In my case is the MH ( LR16 MH ) and the AbuGarcia Abassadeur XLT PLUS series reel, that´s the real old faithful for me but hardly the "main player" in my arsenal anymore, it was the main because I only had 2 more setups and nowadays I hardly use it anymore, I do take it out sometimes when nostalgia kicks in, pretty much like when I play NES games.

[NathanW]

I have only been doing this for 8 years which is a very short time compared to most but I have yet to find that rod. In fact its been quite the contrary. Every time I have a set of rods which I think are the holy grail last rod I will ever fish type deal I break one, replace it with something newer, then realize that the products in this industry keep getting better and better and better each and every year. One brand comes out with a 100 dollar stick and blows everyone away and the next year another brand copies their model but makes it ever better/lighter/cheaper/stronger. As a consumer you just have to love it. 

[icatchlittlebass]

I like how young guys can't have an old rod, my first rod and reel combo was a browning, caught me my first bass and a ton since. It is 10 plus years old now and I have since quit fishing with it, really don't want to break it, I think I would cry. It has a spot in my heart forever, as well as the jitterbug that I caught my first bass on that is sailing around Lake Arthur, although I like to think some younger kid found it and caught his first bass on it as well.

[Hogsticker]

My old faithful was an original Kistler Helium LTA built on a Shikari blank. I made the mistake of trading it in for an American Rodsmiths Titanium model. Company came and went pretty fast. I think I bought the Kistler in 02, and got rid of it in 09. I'd love to have it back and rebuild it.

[scaleface]

I still have my Shakespeare Wonder rod spinning rod , that was my birthday present in 1969. I got a Shakespeare reel with it but its long gone. I loved that combo. 

[k3bass]

My old faithful reels are my 2 curado d's and my trustworthy old daiwa ss1300. I bought the daiwa in 1990 or so and it still works perfect.

I also have an old all star flippin stick with a telescopic handle that I would trade for anything.

[k3bass]

then realize that the products in this industry keep getting better and better and better each and every year. One brand comes out with a 100 dollar stick and blows everyone away and the next year another brand copies their model but makes it ever better/lighter/cheaper/stronger. As a consumer you just have to love it.

I'll agree with the "cheaper" part, but that's it.

[FishTank]

I kind of did away with most of my old faithful stuff but I do have 2 reels that are now almost 8 years old.  I have a Shimano Core that just keeps taking abuse.  I also have a Shimano Calcutta 251A that will probably last my lifetime.  It is just built like a tank. 

[Jrob78]

I have an original All Star Zell Rowland Topwater Special.  I still love that rod.

[Silas]

Have a couple of Lews Speed Spools and pistol grip Lightning rods plus some Fenwick Eagles

I think my Original Speed Spools (BB1 and variants ) do shallow to medium Squarebills better than ANYTHING I've got. They are fantastupic casters.

Also have a couple of Daiwa Procaster Sm-1 and Sm -2. Use them for frogs on a Kunnan stick.

And tucked away somewhere is an Abu Ambassadeur 1500 C. I loved that little reel!!

[dave]

Old faithful for me is a original pistol grip lightning rod med action 5'6"

I bought one of those at a flea market in Deale (being a local you'll know Deale) for $5,  perfect condition.  Sold a few weeks later for $20 at another flea market.