# Retro Fishing Fans?



## -db- (Jan 12, 2016)

Approaching 50 years of age, I grew up fishing, heavily, as a kid in the '70s and '80s. Spent almost every day with Dad on Erie, practically living on the water, killing walleye (does anyone even go out and drift Erie Dearies anymore?) and when we weren't doing that we were up north fishing inland lakes. Anyway, by my late teens I was completely burned out on fishing and eventually got busy with college, a stint in the Corps and working for a living and never touched a rod again until a few years ago. The spark had returned and I am right back into it but had to start from scratch gear-wise. An old-fashioned traditional type, I decided I'm only interested in fishing with stuff that would have been around when I was a kid (or stuff my Dad and uncles would have been using). No modern plastics, no graphite/carbon, everything must be from the '80s or earlier. Every one of the 40 rods I now have are 'glass or cane/bamboo with cork. Every tackle box is vintage '80s or earlier. You might spot a newer lure or two among my collection but the bulk of it is old. For the most part, I try to concentrate on Made is USA stuff, and especially old Michigan tackle (you'll spot a lot of Heddon items, for example). Some photos:










































































































Anyone else here do something similar? It's kind of strange, I know, but I find the searching and collecting a lot of fun, not to mention using such old gear.


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

I do something similar. Due to economy most likely! L.o.l..
What worked then still works now.

Have landed tons of fish with a Couple Mitchell 300's.
Used to clean the grease out each winter and used one at least for ice fishing.

Might have a couple rods that have eyes that will tolerate braided line , but run mono mostly anyways.

Nabbed up an old Zebco rod with the reel partially built into the rear of it. 
Nostalgia of being a kid made me do it.
Still nab a 202-404 if they're cheap and clean them up.
Get one worn out now and then , and that's alright too. Parts is parts.

A old Johnny Walker glass rod is one of my "big game" rods.
A chunky Berkeley open face on it has done "reel" well..


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## -db- (Jan 12, 2016)

Good stuff, Waif. No braid here, all mono. 

And that's a good point you make about expense- 90% of this stuff I have I got dirt cheap on eBay and Craigslist. The idea of paying $100+ for a rod or reel to me is absurd. Not when I can find good ol' US-made stuff for much less, and in many cases it's better than the new expensive gear out there today.


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## Decoy Hound (Apr 21, 2018)

That’s a really nice collection of vintage tackle!!!


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## -db- (Jan 12, 2016)

Waif's mention of Johnny Walker reminded me I've got a nice old one, a thick stubby baitcaster that should make for a decent ice pike rod:


















Some musky tackle (I still need to get a lot of this stuff organized):










Old poppers and deer hair bugs:


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## Decoy Hound (Apr 21, 2018)

Nice stuff!!!


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Whoa! 
Not only vintage , but great shape too. Those deer hair bugs are sweet.

In a fencing/sword fight , my money is on the Johnny Walker...:lol:


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## -db- (Jan 12, 2016)

A few more pics for tonight, some of the nicer boxes I've put together.

A My Buddy Tacklemaster in near mint shape:


















An old fiberglass Kennedy box with fly gear:


















VLCHEK Adventurer, maker of my favorite basic plastic boxes:


























So, yeah, I _really_ dig fishing. Old-style.


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## Decoy Hound (Apr 21, 2018)

You got some awesome stuff!!!


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## mjh4 (Feb 2, 2018)

Good old American fishing gear. I like it!


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

Did any of you ever see a steel fishing pole. I have my dads and my uncles. They are for a bait casting reel


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## -db- (Jan 12, 2016)

Scout 2 said:


> Did any of you ever see a steel fishing pole. I have my dads and my uncles. They are for a bait casting reel


There are lots of old steel rods out there. Some of the more interesting, and quite collectible, examples are from Hurd, an old Michigan outfit: https://www.hurdsupercaster.org

Orchard Industries is another old well-known Michigan maker of steel rods:










And then there are the old hardware store brands like True Temper, etc. who marketed steel rods. Heddon also sold some steel rods.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

I too collect and use some vintage tackle. I have like 35 old Zebco 33 reels all but a few are still usable and used. Buy every one I see.


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## MallardMaster (Nov 17, 2003)

This stuff is too cool!! I never get sick of looking at those old lures. You did a great job keeping them all in great condition.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

When I was working yet I bought a tackle box full of lures from a gyt at work. He was selling off stuff that was his dads after he passed away. in this box was a dare devil that was 3 to 4 inches wide and as long as the tackle box. The hook was so big it just set in the palm of your hand. I had a friend that owned a sporting goods store and I traded it to him for something that I wanted. He said it was a store display lure that DareDevil made for display. This b


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## tincanary (Jul 23, 2018)

Great stuff! The American and European made stuff is worth some money. Most of these companies are now owned by large multinational corporations and make their gear in SE Asia now. I see you have some Ambassadeurs in your collection. If you ever decide to get rid of some of those, talk to me


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## Blaze (Oct 13, 2005)

Very nice collection, great shape and clean. I have some old gear as well, including a steel fishing rod with baitcasting reel. Also some hand made wooden crank baits my dad made years ago before my time and I'll be 63 soon.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

I just "refound" don't remember when or where I got it, a green square fiberglass rod.


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## fishinthed (Nov 7, 2007)

Nice gear! I've got some vintage gear myself. Most of my trolling reels are US-made Penn reels that are about a half century old. Back in the day Ambassaeurs were cutting edge, which seems reasonable seeing as how they're _still_ as good as any baitcasting reels. And those old lures still catch lots of fish, too!


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## tincanary (Jul 23, 2018)

Ambassadeurs haven't changed much the last 30 years, and the design before that didn't change much over 30 years as well. The biggest design changes were going from a fixed spool shaft to a free floating spool in the late 80s (Ultracast design used now) and going from a 2 pin to a 6 pin brake about 15 years ago. I usually convert all newer Ambassadeurs to the 2 pin brake as it's much easier to tailor to the fisherman. Abu doesn't make different weights of brake shoes for the 6 pin brake, but there are 4 different kinds for the 2 pin. The white shoes are heavy, black are medium, blue are light, and the Abu Rockets use super light fiber blocks. I use break shoes according to lure weights and how far I intend to cast. FWIW, the new production Abus still made in Sweden are the C3, C4, CS Rocket, Ambassadeur Beast, and Morrum. Every other reel they make now is constructed of Chinesium of some sort.


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## -db- (Jan 12, 2016)

Old muskie lures, the trolling spoon is a patent-pending "The Champ Junior" from Homer LeBlanc of LSC muskie fishing fame, painted in a Detroit Lions scheme.


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

-db- said:


> Old muskie lures, the trolling spoon is a patent-pending "The Champ Junior" from Homer LeBlanc of LSC muskie fishing fame, painted in a Detroit Lions scheme.


I hope it’s not still patent pending. In the decades since, the application would have been granted and long sense expired, or never granted in the first place.


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## -db- (Jan 12, 2016)

I've wanted one of these since I first saw one years ago and finally found one, a "Trik-Kup" from fly fishing legend and Detroiter Paul H. Young. Not really a piece of tackle but nevertheless a neat item, it's a small foldable drinking cup. Made of thin stainless steel, it lays flat for storage in a pocket or fly wallet and is flexible enough to be manipulated into a shallow watertight cone shape for drinking, holds about 5 ounces I'd guess, just right for dipping into a cold stream.


































From a 1930s PHY catalog:


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

-db- said:


> I've wanted one of these since I first saw one years ago and finally found one, a "Trik-Kup" from fly fishing legend and Detroiter Paul H. Young. Not really a piece of tackle but nevertheless a neat item, it's a small foldable drinking cup. Made of thin stainless steel, it lays flat for storage in a pocket or fly wallet and is flexible enough to be manipulated into a shallow watertight cone shape for drinking, holds about 5 ounces I'd guess, just right for dipping into a cold stream.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have an aluminum one that collapses to about 1 inch thick. I got it sometime in the late 50's when I was a boy scout


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