your first baitcasting reel

[BassSteve]

What was your first baitcasting reel, and how old were you when you learned/started using one? For me, I was 14-15, around 2006 with not much money, it was a silver quantum escalade. At the time I thought it was awesome, but had no experience/idea of what a great quality baitcaster was lol. Now I love my Shimano reels, and baby them like heck, can't help it. 

Edited April 12, 2020 by BassSteve
additional info

[Armtx77]

Abu Garcia BlackMax in left hand...circa 1994. Still have them and my dads house and I still catch fish on them.

[garroyo130]

2005 - Pinnacle inertia finesse. I was about 19.

 

Fished it as my only baitcaster for about 10 years. No pinion support and graphite frame were its only downsides.

Good reel to learn casting and maintenance. 

 

Still keep it around. Rarely fish it but when in doubt as to how different lubrication will make a reel feel, its a nice thing to have. Being able to feel how greased bearings feel vs oiled and how different types of grease feel on gears is great.

 

 

[12poundbass]

My first was a Black Rhino I got from Walmart. I was 22-23, that thing was a loud hunk of junk, I made it work though. 

[Bird]

It was a brilliant gold tournament series Shimano in left hand, guessing between 17 - 20 yrs old........lost it in a nasty boat flip years later. 

[Ogandrews]

I can’t remember the name of it but it was an early 2000’s low profile shimano my dad bought me. It was chrome silver, kinda looked like a Calais but it wasn’t that. It was a cheap real and was quite hard to learn on but I got a bunch of use out of that thing. Glad my dad got me started with the right company haha.

[Big Hands]

I think (early-mid 80's was a while ago) it was either an ABU Garcia 5000 or an ABU Garcia Ultra Mag XL Plus (which I still have). Or maybe it was a Daiwa PMF 1000. LOL. I honestly can't say I know for sure *facepalm*

[BassSteve]

25 minutes ago, Bird said:

It was a brilliant gold tournament series Shimano in left hand, guessing between 17 - 20 yrs old........lost it in a nasty boat flip years later. 

oh man that really sucks! sorry about that I can't imagine.

[dodgeguy]

1992 Shimano castiac. Nice reel at the time.

[newriverfisherman1953]

Red Ambassadeur 5000. Got two of them for HS graduation present 1971. Still have both of them. 

[BassSteve]

Just now, newriverfisherman1953 said:

Red Ambassador 5000. Got two of them for HS graduation present 1971. Still have both of them. 

Thats a sweet gift for HS graduation! I would of been happy with that too

[FrankN209]

Back in 2002 I believe. I bought a Abu Garcia Ambassadeur EON.

[MN Fisher]

Ambassdeur 500R - purchased late 70s...early 80s - can't fully remember. Still have it, still usable, but right now have no need of a 5.3:1 reel.

[BassSteve]

 

5 minutes ago, FrankN209 said:

Back in 2002 I believe. I bought a Abu Garcia Ambassadeur EON.

nice looking reel. This looks like a salt water style but is it for freshwater? I supposes you could use it for either

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, BassSteve said:

See now I had no idea just how far baitcasters go back, I assumed they came out in the 90s lol. This is really interesting to read your personal situations

I think my 500R was one of the early low-profile reels. Round baitcasting reels go back decades before that.

[BassSteve]

See I had no idea how far back baitcasters went, I assumed they came out in the 90s lol. It is really cool to read all your personal experiences

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Ambassdeur 500R - purchased late 70s...early 80s - can't fully remember. Still have it, still usable, but right now have no need of a 5.3:1 reel.

wow that looks crazy modern for what time period it came out in. looks like a nice little reel to use and I'm guessing but probably not so cheap at the time

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, BassSteve said:

wow that looks crazy modern for what time period it came out in. looks like a nice little reel to use and I'm guessing but probably not so cheap at the time

I don't remember what I paid for it - was a college student at the time and used some of my summer earnings to get it. It is mostly plastic - not even the modern graphite or composites they use now...so in a way it's delicate. Can't use acetone for a 'full flush' as it'd dissolve some of the parts.

[new2BC4bass]

Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5001C 40 some years ago.  BUT no Internet and I didn't know anyone using (or having used) a baitcast reel so it quickly got set aside.  In 2009 I decided to get back into fishing, but wanted to try a low profile baitcast reel.  Got a Fuego on closeout from TW.  I now have 3 of them. 

[jimmyjoe]

54 minutes ago, BassSteve said:

See I had no idea how far back baitcasters went, I assumed they came out in the 90s lol.

   My father had a Pflueger baitcaster that he bought roughly at the start of WW2. He had it on a stainless steel Tru-Temper rod. The reel was spooled with a coarse corded line that I assumed was cotton. I learned on my older brother's green Heddon baitcaster in 1963. It was spooled with 10 or 15 lb. braided nylon line. First bass I caught was on a black Hula Popper.

   I thought I was right uptown. Little did I know what the future would hold  ...........      ?       jj

[onenutinthewater]

Revo STX maybe 7 years ago- Never could cast it worth a d**n.

It is long gone but have about a dozen quality casters now ......

[GReb]

My first was some cheap Shakespeare model when I was around 10 or 11.  At 13 or 14 I upgrade to a couple of Quantum Energy's and Pflueger Supremes.

[Falkus]

2 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

My first was a Black Rhino I got from Walmart. I was 22-23, that thing was a loud hunk of junk, I made it work though. 

Same here ....That was my first one

 

Years later after acquire several reels like Shimano Core 50MG7, Dawia SV103H/XS, Abu Garcia Premier (Gen2) & etc.... 

[Hammer 4]

I'd always used spinning reels. About 1984 or 5. Bought my first BC, was a Shimano Bantam, I also bought the shimano trigger rod..What a game changer that was..Had blow ups for about the first 20 cast's..lol

[The Maestro]

A 2 speed Shimano Beastmaster circa 1989. That thing was a back lashing machine.

[BassSteve]

24 minutes ago, The Maestro said:

A 2 speed Shimano Beastmaster circa 1989. That thing was a back lashing machine.

Wow very interesting 2 speed adjuster lever there for gear ratios.