I just finished watching Matt Nelson catching SM using an old reel/rod and an old Heddon Crazy Crawler from the 1940s. I've got probably close to 50 of those old Crazy Crawlers and hundreds of other Heddons dating back to the 1920s in my collection. As much as I've wanted to over the years, I can't get myself to tie on an old vintage lure and fish it. However, I enjoyed watching this old gear being used and I hope you'll enjoy watching it too, if you haven't already.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thbkQ1KQrGo

 

Great clip. Thanks for sharing. I’ll have to dig up some of my old stuff from when is was I kid. And let my grand kids fish. Not as old as your old crawlers but rods, reels and lures from the 60’s and 70’s. 

Awesome.  I have a bunch of vintage muskie lures from my grandfather and great grandfather.

Edited August 27, 20196 yr by JediAmoeba
Upside down picture.

One of my oldest fishing partners from back in the mid 60's grew up fishing using the same Langley 330 bait casting reel as I did in the 50's. Ron and agreed to go out ounce a year and use our vintage tackle and we did this for over 50 years, great memories of catching bass on our wooden lures.

Tom

2 hours ago, WRB said:

One of my oldest fishing partners from back in the mid 60's grew up fishing using the same Langley 330 bait casting reel as I did in the 50's. Ron and agreed to go out ounce a year and use our vintage tackle and we did this for over 50 years, great memories of catching bass on our wooden lures.

Tom

How did we even get any bass in the boat with those low gear ratio reels? I guess we just turned those handles as fast as our arms would move.

A few times a year I break open a pack of Rebel Ringworms. The majority are 40 years old and they still catch fish! 

You can't be in a hurry and must actually fight the bass. Not only were these reels direct drive, no anti reverse, the handles were tiny and knobs close together. You load up the rod and try to keep it loaded, the drag is your thumb pressure. The trick was getting a good hook set without loosing a grip on the reel handle. Sometimes a big bass would run turning the handles backwards while you try to keep a hold on them...knuckle buster!

Lots of fun a few blisters and some lost bass.

Tom

1972 this was my tournament setup & by that I mean it was the only setup I had. If I wanted to change lures I sat in the bottom of the boat, cut off what was tied on & tied on a new lure.

 

Every once & a while I'll take it to the lake just to remind me how easy we have.