Old Dogs That Still Hunt (Vintage Reels)

[Big Hands]

Back in the 80's when this reel was produced, I was presented an off I couldn't refuse on some Daiwa PT10ZX and PT15ZX reels, so I bought four of them (two of each). I remember that I loved fishing with them, but I fished them pretty hard. I sold three of them that were either going to need some work or be used for parts, and kept the one I felt best about (a PT10ZX).

 

The bearings were shot, but I scrounged a couple this morning from a couple spools from a different (newer) reel just to see what was up. Just put it on a 6' medium action rod with a .32 ounce sinker and went out to take a couple casts. I figured I was probably remembering things a little too fondly, LOL. But, much to my surprise this old dog can still hunt.

 

It feels a little clunky, the bearings were still a little noisy, and the anti-reverse is not instant compared to today's reels, but the drag still feels decent and the casting is still as good as I remember (excellent) at least from the few casts I took with it. I think I'll go ahead and get some new bearings and maybe some new drag washers and put this baby back into the rotation on a newer rod. 

 

 

 

So, since many of you are still in hard water season or like me where the only lake I can fish without going through quagga quarantine has water quality similar to chocolate milk, just curious how many others are still fishing with reels from 'back in the day'?

[JediAmoeba]

I use a Daiwa TD-X from the late 90s. 

[Mobasser]

I use an ABU 4600C.Over 20 yrs old. Smooth, and still working well.

[Eric 26]

Here’s my 2 oldies but goodies. The Ryobi is mounted to the rod in the photo and the Daiwa is generally bounced onto a few different rods ?t

[BrianMDTX]

I still have my 70’s vintage Daiwa Millionaire 3H. It’s now retired. And so is my Garcia Mitchell 300 from the 60’s. 
 

They were good in their day, but today's reels are so much better. 
 

The thing is…if I live long enough, can the same be said of my newer reels? Those old reels were built to last for sure. 

[DitchPanda]

I've got a Garcia C3 5500 I got for my 13th birthday...ill be 40 this May. I've replaced the Pawl a few times, but that's it. Caught alot of nice channel cats with it last fall.

[redmeansdistortion]

[roadwarrior]

13 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

They were good in their day, but today's reels are so much better. 

 

                                           

[bulldog1935]

The parts made today for old reels can make them better than today's reels.  

  

  

[Jigfishn10]

Probably doesn't belong here but my US 300 (now 600, added bearings) is still bringing some saltwater fish up from a 100' deep. 

@bulldog1935, those pics never get old.

@Big Hands, sweet reels!

@Eric 26, who said Ryobi makes bad tools.  

[ska4fun]

Calcutta 51B going strong, casts lures between 5-10g and easily.

[WRB]

Daiwa TD SS1300/1600 spinning reels are old dogs still in production over 30 years now!

Tom

[crypt]

Ambassadeur 1600 pro max and black max. 6 of em left in my collection. also 4 45/4600s that still get used all the time. all over 25 years old

 

[redmeansdistortion]

3 hours ago, WRB said:

Daiwa TD SS1300/1600 spinning reels are old dogs still in production over 30 years now!

Tom

They just stopped making them last year.  The 700 and 1300 are near impossible to find outside of eBay now and go for good money.  People will fondly look back on the SS Tournament the same way they do the ABU/Zebco Cardinal.  They were made from '87 to '22.  I have a pair of 700s and a pair of 1300s.  One of those 1300s I bought with money from my first job in 1992 and it still feels just as good as the ones I purchased more recently.

[Bankbeater]

I've got an Abu 4600C3 that I got used back at the end of 2005.  It was probably about 10 years old at that time.  It was the main reel I used for moving baits until the middle of 2018.  Now it is semi-retired, and spooled with braid.  I use it to punch mats now.

[redmeansdistortion]

6 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

Actually, the parts made today for old reels can make them better than today's reels.  

 

  

Is that a titanium Haneda Craft I spy on your Plugger?

[bulldog1935]

actually both of those reels have titanium H/C handles - the 6.3-geared reel has the long one with the torch finish.  

 

[redmeansdistortion]

1 minute ago, bulldog1935 said:

actually both of those reels have titanium H/C handles - the 6.3-geared reel has the long one with the torch finish.  

The top looked black at first look probably from the angle of the lighting.