Ray K

I started in my 20s in the late 1960s. This pic is circa 1970, I'm on the left. Lake Kissimmee, Florida.

What lb test braid do you use?

I've always used mono or FC for top water fishing but, wonder how many of you use braid for top water. Seems like the low stretch might make for better/higher percentage hook-ups. If so, what line test is preferred?

The 17" basic Sea Nymph weighs in the 700 lb range. Add to that about 300 lbs for the motor and fuel and about 400-500 lbs for a trailer and you probably were towing a little less than 1500 lbs. Your Jeep probably didn't object to that load at all.

If you mean switchable 4 wheel drive and high ride attitude, no. The escape has optional all-wheel drive. It does ride higher than a sedan but, not meant for off-road.

Pretty "all the time" statement without any factual info as backup. How many small vehicles have you trailer-ed with and what kind of problems have you had? I have trailer-ed Three 3000+ lb rigs over the past 20 years with 3 separate vehicles (Tacoma, Mercury, Ford Escape) with zero trailering related problems. All had either factory towing packages or heavy duty items added for towing.

As an example, a Tracker Pro 16 with a 40 HP has a package weight of just over 1400 lbs. With fuel and gear you're easily at 1500 so, you're at the limit of the Tracker's towing capacity. While many would discourage you from using the Tracker at its limit, I feel if you do all the upgrades you talk about, you could get away with it for short hauls in Florida. You could also look at a small SUV with a better towing rating. I have a 2014 Ford Escape with the factory towing package. Believe it or not, it has a factory rating of 3500 lbs with this package. I trailer my Nitro Sport with a 150 on a factory trailer that comes in at over 3200 lbs and it does fine. It's been all over Central Florida. I even trailer-ed the rig back from northern Alabama to Florida after buying it (over 650 miles) and it did fine. Has over 50,000 miles on it now and no problems yet. Another SUV to consider is the Jeep Cherokee or the Honda CRV. I believe they are rated for 2000 lbs.

Good point on the bearings vs. bushings but, the Ryobi and Lew's reels of the 70s/'80s also had ball bearings although only 2 or 3 vs. 10+ in today's reels. They were pretty smooth and actually began the low profile "palming" trend of reels we use today. I was curious about weight so weighed my Ryobi AD4000V from about 1980 and my Lew's Tournament MB bought this year. The Ryobi weighs 6.7 oz. and the Tourny MB 6.8 oz. The Lews and Ryobis of the day were the lightest of the baitcasters as the Garcias, Daiwas, Penns were 8 to 9 oz. or more. Just a bit of vintage tackle trivia for any that are interested.

Tell me about it. I've got mostly Lew's Tournament reels (MB, Lite, & ProG) and they cost from double to about triple what this reel would cost. I just like to fish with vintage tackle sometimes and thought it would be a cool reel to own.

Good points but, I enjoy using gear that was state of the art 40 years ago. My arsenal also contains several Ryobi AD4000V reels with the V spools that I still use for cranks and top waters and that I've owned since new. They are mounted on 6 ft. vintage Berkley Lightning rods and will cast a 3/8 or 1/2 oz lure almost as far as any of my Lew'sTournament MBs Lites or Pro Gs. I Also have an original Lew's BB1N that is like new and mounted to a vintage Fenwick Lunker Stik. Fun to fish that one too. And, what application would you suggest?

I've been offered this Daiwa Millionaire GS-2000C for less than $50. It's in pristine condition and working fine. Has two ball bearings, anti reverse switch, and on/off clicker switch. It's a mini bait-caster and super small but, I can't find any info on it anywhere online. The only one I see is one on the auction site asking $150 but, not sold yet. Does anyone have any info on this reel, like when they were made, how they compare with the other reels in the Millionaire line, etc.? I think it may be a Japan only reel and possibly not offered in the US. It has "made in Japan" stamped on the bottom. So, is it worth $50? I would probably use it on a 5 ft light action rod for cranking and possibly finesse fishing light plastics.

Some might be surprised at the fairly active market in vintage fishing tackle existing on eBay and other sites. Some 70s rods and reels are selling for more than they went for new. As always, condition and desirability determine price. The OP should post some names and model numbers for opinions. Pics would also help.

Well, I'll give you an opinion from another angle. I own several Lew's reels including a Tournament MB and I really love it. Similar to the first respond-er, I own mostly Lew's and no Shimanos or Daiwas (except a vintage PL1000). The MB is now available for just over $100 and for the money has many of the features of much more expensive reels. There is a dual braking system which I like. It has both an externally adjustable magnetic brake and an internal Centrifugal brake. Casts very far.

I'm with ya 100%. My favorites for top water also lightning rods with Ryobi 4000 (the original Lew's BB1) and Daiwa PL100. So easy to twitch top water with a pistol grip.

A beauty!

I'm also getting ready to try the Drop Shot method and have been reading this thread with interest. My question is, why such small hooks? If we're using 3/0, 4/0, and 5/0 hooks for Texas worming and 2/0 and 3/0 for Shakey Head fishing, why is 1/0 usually considered the largest hook used for drop shot-ing? Seems like a thin offset shank hook in the 2/0 to 3/0 range would also work well.

I'll be fishing a tournament there in late October and might not get a chance to pre-fish it. Can anyone that has fished it lately give me a report ? Which of the 4 pools to fish, lures, techniques, etc.

Agree that wind is the main factor in how many backlashes I get. If wind isn't a factor, I get zero backlashes in a day of fishing. If fishing against the wind I may get one every half hour or so. One way I minimize backlashes when fishing in wind is to re-adjust and check my brakes frequently. When the wind kicks up, add some more centrifugal or magnetic brake and/or keep light thumb pressure on the spool during the cast. Takes practice, I know.

Just so happens I'll be at Gander Mountain tomorrow so, I'll see if they have it in the store. Sounds like a good deal.

I appreciate all the informative replies. I think I've decided to go with a 2500 this time around to go along with my Penn Battle 4000. The Penn is also used for inshore snook and redfish with 50 lb braid and also works fine in fresh water. But, the lighter 2500 or 3000 reels should provide less fatigue and handle any bass I might encounter.

I see, so if I were to go with the Supreme which size 25, 30, 35 or 40 might work best for finesse fishing with say, 15 to 20 lb braid + FC leader?

Thanks for the tip. Hadn't thought about IPT.

I looked into the Pfleuger Presidents but, they are all 5.1 gear ratios. I'd like a little better retrieve like a 6.2 perhaps. Does Pfleuger make high gear ratio reels?

I've got mostly casting tackle (Lews Tournament reels) and only one spinning combo which is a 6'6" BPS Carbonlite rod with a Penn Battle 4000 reel. I really like this combo but want to add another spinning combo or two to the arsenal. The Penn 4000 series seems comfortable but, I'm wondering what size reels I should consider for the next set-ups? They will be used mostly for finesse fishing (Flukes, soft jerks, shakies, etc.) and perhaps some cranks in open water on occasion. I'm looking at Penn 2500, 3000 and 4000, Daiwa SS1300 & 1600, Lew's Tournament Pro TP 200, 300, & 400. My main quandry is the size. I want the lightest possible that still does the job. I'll be using 20-50 lb braid and 10-14 lb mono mostly. Capacity isn't an issue. Suggestions?

I live in Mount Dora which is about 30 miles northwest of Orlando and about 40 minutes north of Windemere. If you'd like to fish the Harris Chain which is one of our best fisheries, PM me and we'll try to hook up. I'm usually available any day and the next couple of weeks could work for me.