Your first real combo. Still have it???

[PhishLI]

I grew up a few blocks from the largest lake in the area. Armed with crusty hand me down spincasters we'd fish when we could. Worms from anyone's vegetable garden were the bait of choice, but I got bored of that fast.

 

If we hit the lake on any summer morning at around 5:00 am, the first two guys there would always be old man Charlie and old man Bill. Old man Charlie was truly old. He was like a gregarious character from a movie set in Brooklyn in the '40s. Old man Bill was probably only 40-45, but anyone with a touch of grey looks old to a little kid. He was reserved and quiet, but kind. He was always in deep concentration it seemed. Looking back at it, the dude was just grinding. I can relate to that now. Both of those guys caught bass. They were both "The Man" to us.

 

Charlie would sling out Killies on 3 ounce sinkers with knuckle busters, or bobber fish, then sit around and wait for a bite. That wasn't much different than what we were doing with worms. Bill, on the other hand, had a slick spinning setup and was strictly throwing chuck-and-wind baits. He never stopped moving. That really appealed to me. I had to have a setup like that. I needed to fish like Bill.

 

I saved up money from mowing lawns and shoveling snow for the next several months. I had my eye on a nice setup at the local B&T, but the pricetag was way up there for a 12 year old. But I had to have it! When that day came and within a penny, early in '78, I was there with wings on my feet. I'd explained to the owner where I fished and he suggested the Arbogast Hawaiin Wiggler to get through the weeds and pads. I was sold, but I needed to save up for that now! I eventually did. I grabbed a few Super Vibraxes too, and I was ready for battle.

 

I really cleaned up with my setup that spring. I started catching bass regularly while my friends were stuck with sunnies and yellow perch. I managed to hold on to the Daiwa 1000C and the Ugly Stik all of these years later. I still fish the combo now and then. And the Wiggler still gets their attention.

[Derek1]

Cool story

[Fishes in trees]

I still have the first "nice" spinning reel that I bought - a Garcia-Mitchell 300.  It is retired now and hangs out in a plastic shoe box with other retired reels.  It has never occurred to me to pull that reel out and fish it again because, well, I own many better reels now.  If I ever got an indoor man cave, I'd probably put I on a shelf to display

[Paul Roberts]

Man... several come to mind. But first "real" one... Guess they were all "real" to me, although none would have been top of the line by any means.

 

It was all glass back then (through the 70s). My first "bass rod" (to me) was a 5'6" Berkley "Gray", M to ML, and a Mitchell 300. I caught a lot of bass and other fish on it. I recently found the same exact rod at a thrift store, and was almost tempted to buy it. But... it wasn't as I'd lovingly remembered it. I thought it was a pretty classy looking rod back then.  I left the store without it, which felt a bit like I was betraying some old friend, or, that kid I left behind. 

 

But, I've made up for it since. :)) I suppose my first "REAL" rod was a Skyline 6005. It was my first graphite rod and I paid $64 for it back in 1981. That took a chunk of my paycheck back then! But... I'd never seen such a creature. I still have it and use it regularly. I ❤️that rod.

[WRB]

I was 12 years old working for my brother at a boat landing in '55 to save enough money to buy my 1st reel a Langley 330 and Connolin tubular glass 5 1/2' bass rod.

I still have the reel, the rod is long gone. 

Tom

PS, my 1st lure was a Hawiian Wggler #3 weedless spoon.

[NYWayfarer]

I have my first reel. It’s a Mitchell 300. Chipped away a lot of paint but it still works.

 

The rod was probably an ugly stick but is long gone. Can’t imagine I broke it so I probably gave it away after I got my first graphite rod.

[DanielG]

1960ish J.C. Higgins bait caster (a Sears brand) and a trigger nylon pole. It was a fairly higher end setup back then. Belonged in the family and I used it as a kid.

Was it "real"? It was at the time.

[GReb]

My first open face combo was a cheap Shakespeare combo. It was terrible and my father knew it. He did it on purpose to make me learn how to throw a bait caster. Still have it somewhere. 
 

First nice combo was a Quantum Energy e600 and Shimano rod. Just cleaned the Energy and it still works well. The rod broke about 5 years ago when I hit it on the trolling motor. I don’t remember the model but it was green with EVA handles. I’m sure it was fairly inexpensive but it caught many big fish. 

[FishTank]

No but I wish I did.  The first reel I got, like most kids, was a Zebco 33.  The first combo I got was a Daiwa Minicast with a rod that broke down and went into a traveling case.  I later got a Daiwa Goldcast, followed by a Ryobi (SX-1 I think) spinning reel.  None of these I still have but the Daiwa Minicast was something special. 

 

 

[Jig Man]

I don’t even have my first 20 setups.  I normally sell off and buy new every few years.

[new2BC4bass]

Like several others my first reel was a Mitchell 300 back in '54.  However, my first nice combo was a Penn 430SS and 6' ML Berkley Lightning in the late '60s.  Yes, I still have it.  Yes, I'd use it, but almost never grab a spinning rod.

 

My first nice baitcast reel was a TD Fuego.  Still have it and use it.  Although I still have the first baitcast rod I bought, I don't use it because it feels dead to me.  Not sure which rods were my next purchase, but an early purchase was a 3-rod package deal of original Falcon Experts.  The Medium was a favorite.  Fell face first into a pile of rocks and broke two 4 inch pieces off the tip.  Have since replaced it and still use it.

[DogBone_384]

Yes I do. A Shakespeare spinning combo I bought from BraWey Sports in the late 70’s, early ‘80’s. 
 

I don’t use it anymore. I guess I keep it for sentimental reasons.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

My first real combo was a abu metal framed spinning reel with a fastcast trigger and a black conolon rod it lasted about 5 yrs no clue where it is or what happened to it before that it was zebco 202 combos that lasted about a 1yr ...i did have a quick reel modern in early 80s it lasted a few yrs ...then i saved up for a silver shimano 10 bantam and a fenwick pistol grip rod had that combo for ever about the same time i got my drivers  license and discovered girls i loved them both and caught my PB with that combo 10.4 oz in maryland using a purple manns worm and 14 lb stren line...anyhow girls where more important for about 3 yrs of my late teen life and i didnt fish much if any after that big bass ...miss them days of bass fishing from about 5 yrs old to about 17 everyday...then boom girls caught me

[PhishLI]

On 10/18/2019 at 3:45 PM, WRB said:

PS, my 1st lure was a Hawiian Wggler #3 weedless spoon.

You have good taste, Sir!

 

This past April we were on a good bite one day, then hit a multi hour slump. The conditions by that point screamed spinnerbaits, so we tied on willowblades. Zilch. But because I had my entire box of spinnerbaits that day I also had my Wigglers. I tied on my yellow perch looking version. The original yellow and black skirt had turned to goo, so I'd replaced it with a generic Wht/Yel. I targeted a juicy looking spot and went to work. On the second cast I flung it into a stand of cat tails because you can do that with the wiggler. I reeled it out about 5 feet then felt a hard pull. Fish on, but just barely. The trailer hook had found just enough thankfully. She was a dandy for these parts. My son in law couldn't help but laugh and shake his head as this wasn't the only time this ancient lure has hit paydirt while I was fishing with him. The corkscrew blade gives it an almost chatterbait-like action. It's still a great bait, IMO.

 

 

[zell_pop1]

I still have a Daiwa Apollo rod and Daiwa Silvercast reel from when I was a kid in the 80s. Caught alot of fish of all kinds on it.

My 1st strictly bass tournament type rod and reel was Shimano Citica 100DSV and Team All Star SBR1 rod. I still have the rod I use as all purpose for river Smallies the reel was sold(now use Pflueger Asaro very similar reel).

 

[PhishLI]

On 10/18/2019 at 3:34 PM, Paul Roberts said:

But... it wasn't as I'd lovingly remembered it.

Same here! However, after I'd readjusted to the '78 Ugly Stik's odd action, it's very clunky and whippy, it can be fun. I think most people can adjust to anything eventually. I had no problem target casting with it once upon a time. The reel's still tight and was pretty fast for it's day. I don't mind it too much, but it's a little weird being the only guy at the lake with a constantly engaged clicky anti reverse. I'd never considered the noise the reel made back then, and I used to catch lots of fish with this setup. Now I'm positive the clicking sound scares them away! Ignorance is bliss.

[Darren.]

Negative, as to the first setup, but I do have some others

shortly thereafter.

[Smalls]

Nope, unintentionally high-sticked it while trying to grab a fish. Fish slipped out of my hand, and just like that I was in the market for a new rod. 

[J Francho]

I had a bamboo rod and green Zebco 404.  Long gone at this point, almost 45 years later.

[Paul Roberts]

19 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Same here! However, after I'd readjusted to the '78 Ugly Stik's odd action, it's very clunky and whippy, it can be fun. I think most people can adjust to anything eventually. I had no problem target casting with it once upon a time. The reel's still tight and was pretty fast for it's day. I don't mind it too much, but it's a little weird being the only guy at the lake with a constantly engaged clicky anti reverse. I'd never considered the noise the reel made back then, and I used to catch lots of fish with this setup. Now I'm positive the clicking sound scares them away! Ignorance is bliss.

 Yes, we can get used to almost anything. Until we get used to something MUCH better. Then, it's darn tough to go back.

[Rook]

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.

 

 

 

[Bankbeater]

My first real rig was a Shakespeare 2200II spinning reel on a yellow 5’0” Eagle Claw rod. The rod met an untimely end due to a tail gate, but the reel served me well for about 31 years until I retired it. 

[Bluebasser86]

9 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

My first real rig was a Shakespeare 2200II spinning reel on a yellow 5’0” Eagle Claw rod. The rod met an untimely end due to a tail gate, but the reel served me well for about 31 years until I retired it. 

I had the same bright yellow Eagle Claw "Featherlite" with a 1000 Shimano TX I believe.

 

I still have my first "nice" baitcasting rod I ever bought, a 7' M/F St. Croix Premier. I've replaced 2 guides and the tip top guide but it's still hanging in there. I was 16 when I bought it so it's getting up close to 20 years of service.

[CrankFate]

I have my original Shimano ax trigger reel and red Berkeley rod that I bought maybe 33-35 years ago, with my own money. Except the original rod got hit by a car. I replaced it with a re-released replica of the same rod from Berkeley in the mid 1990’s. Great rod. And it appears to be the exact same rod. No top guide insert, though. They always pop out if you overfish them.

 

It was real back then. But today I wouldn’t consider it “real.” I’ve become a snob since then.