Oldest tackle

[billmac]

What's the oldest equipment that you are using?  I was out of fishing for several years, so I bought a bunch of new (inexpensive) stuff, but a few weeks ago I threw one of my old Ambassador 1000 reels on an old rod so I could have more setups in the boat.  Not to mention my '88 boat.

[new2BC4bass]

6' ML Berkley Lightning and Penn 430SS.  Probably over 45 years old.  Combo doesn't get used much anymore because it is a spinning outfit.    Baitcast reels are the way to go. 

[MN Fisher]

Pflueger 640 on a Diawa 1312 (6'6" ML/F) - my backup panfish rig...both bought in the 70s.

[camman]

I have an old Penn Senator from probably the 60's.  Its spooled with 65lb braid on a busted saltwater rod that I use as a ghetto downrigger for the occasional time I troll for trout.

 

 

[BrianMDTX]

This Shakespeare 2052 was mfg in 1970. 
 

 

This Garcia Mitchell 300 is from the 60’s. I haven’t been able to narrow the actual year down as the serial numbers are hard to read, but I’ve had it since I was a boy. 
 

The 2052 is responsible for my PB. I also have some lures that are 60s-70s vintage. 

[Mobasser]

ABU Cardinal 4, 1976. Mithcell 308, 1965, and 1980. Both reels get some use, and both still work well. Lews Speed Stick spinning rod, graphite Tennessee handle 1995. One of my favorite rods

[5/0]

Rods at about 20 years old:

Shimano Crucial

GLoomis IMX

GLoomis GL2

GLoomis DSR

2 BPS Xtremes

2 St. Croix Glass

Daiwa Heartland

Daiwa Procaster

 

Newer Rods less than 2 years old:

Dobyns Champion XP
Dobyns Fury

BPS Carbonilite

 

Reels at about 20 years old:

4 Curado 200Bs

Shimano Castaic

2 Shimano Sedonas

2 Shimano Stradics

 

Newer Reels less than 2 years old:

Daiwa Fuego CT

Curado DC 150

Shimano Nasci

 

[new2BC4bass]

13 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

This Shakespeare 2052 was mfg in 1970. 
 

 

This Garcia Mitchell 300 is from the 60’s. I haven’t been able to narrow the actual year down as the serial numbers are hard to read, but I’ve had it since I was a boy. 
 

The 2052 is responsible for my PB. I also have some lures that are 60s-70s vintage. 

My first reel was a Mitchell 300 in 1954.  Wish I had kept that puppy.

[BrianMDTX]

3 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

My first reel was a Mitchell 300 in 1954.  Wish I had kept that puppy.

It’s noisy and a little rough by today’s standards. But it’s built like a tank. And it is a true classic. 

[billmac]

I bought a Daiwa Millionaire baitcaster in the late 70s / early 80s.  I loved that reel and I became kind of a baitcaster pioneer in my neck of the woods.  I still have it but it's kind of beat.  I wonder if it could be refurbished.

[BrianMDTX]

29 minutes ago, billmac said:

I bought a Daiwa Millionaire baitcaster in the late 70s / early 80s.  I loved that reel and I became kind of a baitcaster pioneer in my neck of the woods.  I still have it but it's kind of beat.  I wonder if it could be refurbished.

lol. I have one of those, too. My buddy bought a Daiwa Millionaire 5H (the bronze one). I didn’t have as much $$ so I bought a 3H. Still have it and fished with it this spring until I bought new baitcasters. It’s a little geary. I’d like to get it refurbished as well. It will still bomb a 1/2 lure. 
 

[WRB]

Every year for over 60 years I take out my tackle form the 50's and use it.

I sold my 1947 era free spool Langley 340 Target reel to a BR* member. My favorite is Langley 330 Lure cast knuckle buster and used vintage Bomber**!lures listed on Flea Market. I have lures that date into the 1900's over a 100 years old now.

No longer fishing so keep a eye on Flea Market as I am selling tackle to BR members at very reasonable prices.

Haven't listed antique only vintage tackle that covers the past 60 years.

Tom

* maybe the member will share a photo

** the original Bomber lure that look like a bomb are sold. My late brother Bob and returning from a tough day on lake Casitas made a cast at the marina jetty using Bomber 300 black-orange craw color, we caught several 7- 8 lb bass before the ranger kicked us off the lake because they were locking the exit gate. This same lure was included in the sale. Memories are priceless. 

[billmac]

Brian: I think it cost me $58 around 1980, which was a fortune to me, and I spent a very frustrating week learning how to cast it, but once I learned, I didn't think I would never go back to spincasting.  Like you said, it would cast a mile, and I still occasionally had some epic backlashes.

[Catt]

Like @WRB once a year I break out my old combo just to remind myself how easy I have it!

 

 

[BrianMDTX]

33 minutes ago, billmac said:

Brian: I think it cost me $58 around 1980, which was a fortune to me, and I spent a very frustrating week learning how to cast it, but once I learned, I didn't think I would never go back to spincasting.  Like you said, it would cast a mile, and I still occasionally had some epic backlashes.

Not sure which model you have, but mine has this fancy silver knob with a numbered color wheel for setting spool tension. The brake is about 2-1/2” long and permanently attached to my right hand lol. So yeah, epic backlashes were the rule when I learned how to cast it lol. 

[Captain Phil]

In the late fifties, the reel to have was the Pflueger Supreme. It was one of the first free spool casting reels and all the best fisherman had them.  I couldn't afford a Supreme, so I bought the Pflueger Akron.  The old Ambassadors were great reels. Tough as nails and anyone could tear one down and fix it.   When the 5500C came out, we thought it was the greatest reel ever made.  I still have one that I fish with once in a while. I have a new in the box Mitchell 300 that I have never used.  That reel changed everything because it allowed the casting of light plastic worms.

 

 

[redmeansdistortion]

I have a Mitchell 300 and a 408.  They're outright coffee grinders, but man are they a hoot to fish with.  I love how the bail snaps shut like a mousetrap, puts a smile on my face every time.

[Tizi]

Here are some of my oldest lures.  I have a bunch of old Shimano Bantam Magnum Lites and Lightening rods.

[OnthePotomac]

My two Curado 100B's are now 15 years old and fish like they just came out of the box.

[BrianMDTX]

6 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

In the late fifties, the reel to have was the Pflueger Supreme. It was one of the first free spool casting reels and all the best fisherman had them.  I couldn't afford a Supreme, so I bought the Pflueger Akron.  The old Ambassadors were great reels. Tough as nails and anyone could tear one down and fix it.   When the 5500C came out, we thought it was the greatest reel ever made.  I still have one that I fish with once in a while. I have a new in the box Mitchell 300 that I have never used.  That reel changed everything because it allowed the casting of light plastic worms.

 

 

That’s definitely an older 300 there. It has the original AR switch. 

[soflabasser]

I have Penn reels that are over 25 years old and I still use them for saltwater fishing. I have caught sharks, groupers, snappers, tuna, and other powerful fish. These reels where made in the USA and I hope more reel companies start making reels here again. 

[billmac]

I don't know if I still have it, but I used to have an old Pflueger Freespeed spinning reel.  I think I inherited it from someone.

[roadwarrior]

DVT is working on a couple of Swedish built Abu Garcia that I recently inherited cc late 50's, early 60's.

I may sell them. Let me know if you care or just keep an eye on the Flea Market.

 

[frogflogger]

22 hours ago, WRB said:

Every year for over 60 years I take out my tackle form the 50's and use it.

I sold my 1947 era free spool Langley 340 Target reel to a BR* member. My favorite is Langley 330 Lure cast knuckle buster and used vintage Bomber**!lures listed on Flea Market. I have lures that date into the 1900's over a 100 years old now.

No longer fishing so keep a eye on Flea Market as I am selling tackle to BR members at very reasonable prices.

Haven't listed antique only vintage tackle that covers the past 60 years.

Tom

* maybe the member will share a photo

** the original Bomber lure that look like a bomb are sold. My late brother Bob and returning from a tough day on lake Casitas made a cast at the marina jetty using Bomber 300 black-orange craw color, we caught several 7- 8 lb bass before the ranger kicked us off the lake because they were locking the exit gate. This same lure was included in the sale. Memories are priceless. 

Loved my old Langley Lurecast - it was the first good casting reel I owned.

[Bankc]

My topwater/occasional crankbait rig is a Abu 5000D made in 1974 on a 5'5" Daiwa Apollo pistol grip rod made in the mid 90's.  

 

I also have another Abu 5000D on an old Abu fiberglass rod from the same period, and a few other rods and reels from the 90's, but they don't see much use.  I did use an old Shimano B100 Mag for a while for my main crankbait reel, but recently replaced it.  

 

That topwater rig gets used almost every time I go out.  It's a challenge not to backlash and the handle spins backwards when the drag is engaged, but it still works and those quirks make it fun to use.