# Whats a good Reel ?



## SVNET (Aug 3, 2008)

Well,

I know like with anything else, you can go crazy with fishing equipment in a search for the best and how much it cost to get it.

Well, in 2004 I as at the Waldo Flea market and I decided to get a fishing rod, which I did without knowing what I was getting.
I ask the old me I needed something to learn with, he sold me a Zepco 33 and I have owned ever since with no problems, I actually like it very much.

But now that my wife also want to fish and my song is old enough to enjoy coming along, I decided to go to Walmart and get a kids rod and another Zepco 33 for my wife. Well, last time we went fishing we got nothing but trouble with the new zepco...

Now I am thinking of getting a replacement rod/reel and I saw that walmart has a nice looking rod/reel for $17, the kind that the line is exposed and moves back and forth but it doesn't come with any line.

What is the best way to get new line into the reel ? Any tricks or do I have to just byte the bullet and roll it in on revolution at a time...

What other reel do you recommend and where to get it ? I do must of my shopping at walmart, but I would take the challenge of going else where to explore....

I got down how to cast with the zepco and the big black button, but these other kind of reels I don't have a clue...


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## DahFISH (Aug 3, 2008)

Welcome SVNET, 
Nice to have you aboard. If I am understanding you, it sounds like your looking to get a baitcasting reel. These reels can be tricky at best if your not used to them. They require a certain amount of thumb presure on the spool when casting or you can get a nice tangle of line. You might want to consider an openfaced spinning reel as your next upgrade. These types or reels are more user friendly right out of the box. In these days I know the meaning of a fishing budget, but you do get what you pay for. I would be warey of a $17 combo. I prefer Abu Garcia reels they have all types and price ranges to suite anybodies needs. As far as rods I make my own so I real cant help much there, but an Ugly Stick would not be a bad one to start with. They are pretty durable and not to much out of the wallet. I hope this helps, have fun and enjoy you new hobbie with your family.

Lar


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## Jim (Aug 3, 2008)

I agree! Consider getting a spinning reel first. A baitcaster has a little bit of a learning curve to it and can get frustrating real fast.


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## Waterwings (Aug 3, 2008)

Jim said:


> I agree! Consider getting a spinning reel first. _A baitcaster has a little bit of a learning curve to it and can get frustrating real fast_.



Concur on that. That's why I only use spinning reels, lol.


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## SlimeTime (Aug 3, 2008)

SV- Being as you're admittedly new to the sport of fishing, I'd suggest you keep things "simple" in the beginning, and that includes using closed-faced spinning gear (like the Zebco 33). It will just eliminate alot of aggrivation at 1st, and leave you fishing more & fooling with problems less.

Look on YouTube and I bet you can find a video on respooling your reels. Also, before giving-up on the Zebco 33 you have, try respooling it with some good quality #6 pound test. Factory usually spools them with cheap line, and Wal-Mart is notorious for beating manufacturers to death on "cheap", so they have to cut costs somewhere.

If you have a few extra bucks, get yourself a light-action open-faced spinning rig (rod & reel), and practice with them at home in the yard. they aren't difficult to use, just take some getting used to. Again, once you get the method down, spool them with some quality line.

Baitcasters are the going to prove to be the most difficult to master, so when you get to that point....know you're going to be dealing with backlashes (birdnests) and buy a couple spools of cheap line, because odds are good you're going to just be cutting it off.

I use all 3 types of reels. I only own 1 or 2 closed-faced spinning reels I use for panfish, several open-faced rigs, for panfish to bass to catfish, and several baitcasters for bass & catfish. Seems that there are certain situations where I prefer one over the other...but much of it is strictly personal preference. Use what fits you best, and don't worry about what the guys on TV use, they're getting paid to push it.

ST


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## Waterwings (Aug 3, 2008)

> ...Use what fits you best, and don't worry about what the guys on TV use, they're getting paid to push it.




Well said!


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## SVNET (Aug 4, 2008)

Hello all,

Well, I meet up with a motorcycle friend who is also into fishing and has much more experience then me.

We went out fishing today, but again, the lake we choose and who had great fishing reviews on the internet, well it is now dried... What a shame, this is the second lake that I find dried up in this area, I don't know what is going on...

We kept driving to a different lake that we knew is still wet, and found this great place to rent and launch a canoe, $10 the whole day. We were having a blast until my son (4) started crying and we had to turn back... Not fun!

About the new type of reel I tried today:

I went to walmart and exchanged the defective Zepco closed face for an Open face Spinning reel ($17) and some 8lb test.

What a world of a difference, I love the open face, how smooth and sensitive, how far you can cast, just a much better system in my opinion. I still have a closed faced Zepco 33, but that won't get much use from now on until I gain more experience and find a preference for it...

I also had the opportunity to cast a couple of time with my friend $100 open face spinning reel unit, I could not really feel the different between his and my $17 unit, except his looks much nicer with the black and gold color combination.

All in all, a very good day.

Now my friend and I are trying how to make our motorcycle fishing friendly so that we can ride to the lake with our fishing gear and then rent a jon boat for $10 all day and just fish....

If any of you have found or seen any article on motorcycles and fishing gear, please steer me in that direction...


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## dedawg1149 (Aug 4, 2008)

i have about 15 zebco 33 i have caught alot of bass over 10lbs on them i have also caught flatheads as big as 30lbs on them just keep them clean and have good line on them and the drag adjusted proberly and they will last a lifetime


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## Jim (Aug 4, 2008)

Start looking at 2-3 piece rods. BassPro sells one for 65 bucks on sale that comes in a a nice case. Also maybe consider either tackle box backpack or just a regular backpack with some plain white boxes stuffed in there with a little tackle.


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## Popeye (Aug 13, 2008)

One thing I would like to say is when fishing with small children, they are the ones that set the tone for the day. It is a day for them to have fun fishing and the parents to have fun watching and/or helping them. Parents fishing comes second to the kids. Generally that way everyone has a better time and the kids don't get turned off or burnt out on it. And don't make them go if they don't want to. Lessons I wish I had figured out years ago. To this day my 21 year old daughter won't have anything to do with fishing, the 25 year old son doesn't do much fishing anymore either but says he might be interested in going sometime and the 28 year old daughter is the only one that still likes fishing. When we move back to Texas I won't be making the same mistakes with the grandkids.


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## SVNET (Aug 14, 2008)

flounderhead59 said:


> One thing I would like to say is when fishing with small children, they are the ones that set the tone for the day. It is a day for them to have fun fishing and the parents to have fun watching and/or helping them. Parents fishing comes second to the kids. Generally that way everyone has a better time and the kids don't get turned off or burnt out on it. And don't make them go if they don't want to. Lessons I wish I had figured out years ago. To this day my 21 year old daughter won't have anything to do with fishing, the 25 year old son doesn't do much fishing anymore either but says he might be interested in going sometime and the 28 year old daughter is the only one that still likes fishing. When we move back to Texas I won't be making the same mistakes with the grandkids.



Hello, I did not even noticed your post until now, but I am in total agreement with those words of wisdom, because I did learn that the hard way the first time out.

I invited my friend to go fishing with me and I took my son with us for the first time, bad choice. I ruined the day for both of them and I will never do it again. From this point forward, when it is my son day out fishing, it is all him and all about him and until he gets tired at which point we pack and go weather we catch something or not.

If the kid is hooked on fishing, then you can go out fishing and have the kid as a helper.

If you are trying to get the kid hook on fishing, then forget about you doing any serious fishing.

Just bring the kid out for him/her to try out and you are there just as a helper to coach and encourage.

I won't even bring anybody else at this stage, until my son is all into it, it will only be me and him out there,
it is all on his terms, until he gets tired and only when he wants to go, that is for sure... Learned lesson.

If you don't follow this rule, then you will get frustrated because you can't fish and they will get frustrated because they get tired and just want to go home and it becomes a complete mess. No body is happy at that point.

The way we did it last time, I hardly got to use my own tackle, most of the time and energy went to get my son to use his tackle correctly and it paid off, he got his first catch and everything went very smoothly. Now he is all excited to do it again, but once again, it will be only me and him.

Now when I get my boat and I want to go out for some serious fishing for myself, then my son will stay home.


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