The days of old are all but gone….. Or are they?

By Gunner

In a recent chat with a few fishing buddies, and then after another hour quest spot on "Classic Country Outdoors with Calvin Pyle" radio show, a few things have crossed my mind on the subject of then and now.

How has fishing changed for us now that, in many ways, is better, but in some ways that are not so good?  I made a comment on the radio show that got me thinking on this subject that is now turning into this article.  I said to Calvin, “Once you use this, you will wonder how you ever got along without it.”  I was talking about my Cobra chartplotter for the boat, but this could have been said about any of the modern-day electronics that we all have become so dependent on in today’s world of fishing.

I have to think back to my grandfather, who got me started in this hobby that is becoming a career...not only for me, but for a few others that have become our fishing team which is now more like a family.  He only had three or four fishing poles and reels, one of which was a Garcia Mitchell 301 spinning reel and the rest were Zebco 33’s with his newest at the time being the Zebco Omega One (all of his Zebco’s were spincasters).  I stated in my “Take A Child Fishing” article a few years ago that he did try an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5500D, but he took it back to the store.  He had more bird's nests and under-runs than the old saying at that time, “Carter has liver pills”.  He went back to his tried and true Zebco reels, with his comfort area back in place.

He also only had one tackle box, until I upgraded and gave him my old Brown and tan “Old Buddy” box.  He used it, but never had it filled to capacity.  His box had in it the necessities and only that.  He had one spool of line, a knife, hundreds of split shots, bobbers, and hundreds of hooks and swivels.  He had band-aids, ointment, bug spray, and one of the old metal stringers.  A screwdriver, a flashlight (that never worked), five or so assorted sizes of cork, old pill bottles with matches, and steel wool.  Just a few lures that he swore never worked anyhow but looked good, and that was about it.

So, most of the compartments on the 4-tray box were empty, as most of his gear was on the bottom.  I sit and think now how many fish he caught over the years with only that gear, and I look over at my 11 tackleboxes, and think how times have changed.  I have over 65 reels and poles, and so many electronics to help find fish, while he had only one...it was a floating light that you threw in the water and it would blink at an adjustable rate to attract fish.  I don’t even think he used it and I believe it was given to him as a birthday present one year.  I remember tossing it in the water a time or two, but I really don’t recall if it did what it was supposed to do.

I sit and think, if he were here, how he would tell me ninety-five percent of the equipment I now use is a waste of money...that all you need is a sinker, a hook, and a Zebco.  It has been seven years now since my grandfather has passed away.  It is true that times change and things get improved over time.  Today’s gas prices would have just set him into the old depression mode he lived through in 1929, at the time of the stock market crash.  He would be planning one monthly trip to the store to stock up on food, supplies, and medicines once a month, whatever it took to drive as little as possible.

He did not care for the newer cars in the 1990’s.  He still drove a 1971 Olds Cutlass until 1990 at which time his son (my uncle) gave him a 1985 Olds Delta 98 which he thought was too plush and had a lot of things that were not needed.  So, his outlook on new and improved things was simple...why fix something that is not broke?  The Zebco 33’s still caught fish, so why spend $100 or more for a reel that will reel the fish in just like his $14.99 Zebco 33?

You sit and think now I “NEED” to have this or that on my boat...but truth be told, you caught fish before in your boat without all this fancy gear, so is it really needed?  You caught fish on the old Zebco Horizon pole and 33, so do you need to have the new $200 reel?  The answer, depending on your level of fishing, is yes, yes I do need this “stuff”.

Truth be told, how many times did that old Zebco 33 or even the plastic 202 break, just when you have the biggest fish of your life to date on the line?  I can recall that happening many times in my past, which caused me to make a promise to myself that I would always get the best equipment I could afford so this would not happen to me again.  Now, I have reels that can haul in a 1200-pound shark...so a 10-pound bass, 70-pound flathead, or a 40-pound muskie is never going to be a problem!

Same can be said for rods...I remember after learning how to cast my first Ambassadeur 5500D in the yard, I went to the Ohio River to try my skills!  I tied on a spinnerbait and walked to the edge of the water, which was up a few feet due to some big rains for a few days.  I put my arm back and whipped the pole forward, let my thumb off the spool and watched a beautiful cast of my spinnerbait, rod, and REEL go into the water.  I was shocked, standing there holding the pistol grip handle of the Zebco Horizon pole.

After I got back to Grandpa’s house, he got mad and sent the handle back to Zebco (later, they sent me a new pole).  I had to wait until the water went down, and then I took a 12 bamboo rod with a big treble hook taped to the end and started to drag the area.  Now, as hard as it is to believe, I got the reel, rod and bait back!  That also started my career of repairing and cleaning Ambassadeur’s, as I had to tear my reel apart to get the mud and sand out of it.  So, from this I made another promise, to always get the best rods I could afford.  I am a firm believer in custom built rods...yes, they cost more, but if you add up all the money spent on broken rods, plus lost gear because of the broken rod, you will see that you could have bought a couple of custom rods that are better than ANYTHING you can buy off the wall at the stores.

Not only is the quality better and top notch, but the performance is many times better!  I have a few rods from Neal Hall of Classic Destiny Custom Rods out of Kansas.  You can see his work on our site, as he is a sponsor of "Reel Fishing with Gunner", or visit him at www.classicdestiny.com.  A custom rod that is made just for you and your reel is so much better than anything you can buy off the rack.  To give an example, while fishing from the bank of the Ohio River at Pike Island Dam in Yorkville Ohio, you have about 150 to 200 yards of water till you get to the wall on the West Virginia side.  With a store-bought rod, you cast out maybe 50 to 70 yards with a live bait fish or a big chunk of cutbait.  Now, think of the thousands of fishermen who have fished that same area for years, from the shoreline to 70 yards has been cast and beaten to death.  But beyond that 70-yard mark to the wall has been open to only a few that had the gear to get there.

When Classic Destiny made my first catrod, I asked for something that could CAST up to 12 ounces of weight over 100 yards.  But, I wanted a certain size and feel to the rod...and Neal Hall gave me that rod!  When I got it in the mail I went to the high school football field, put 6 ounces of weight on it, and stood behind the goal line and cast…and cast it did, past the goal post at the other end of the field, which all in all comes out to be around 130 yards.  With 25 pound test line also…  So, now when I go to this sacred flathead spot at Pike Island, I am fishing in water that for the most part is untouched and not pounded daily.  In turn, that means big fish more often, and that will justify the cost of a custom rod in any fisherman’s mind!

Depth/fish finders are a great tool to have, but paired with a GPS unit it is a combo that can’t be beat!   Underwater cameras are always a smart investment...to see the actual bottom and the fish can be priceless in some minds!  (Not to mention, if you have equipment go overboard, it can be easier to retrieve!)  I will admit, it is neat to watch your live bait hanging there over the side and watch a fish come and take it!

So, new equipment is a good thing...and yes, if you are a serious fisherman or coming up in the ranks of tourneys, working on a TV show, or even a website, you need to stay on top of your new equipment game.  Still, you see the older guys at the ramps with an old weathered 12-foot aluminum boat, old 1960-something pull start 5hp motor, bench seats, and the old plastic or tin one-tray tackleboxes.  To them, this stuff is not needed, and you are just throwing money away.  Let them stay in their comfort zone and enjoy the only way of fishing they know.  Matter of fact, they love to be asked how they did and what they caught their fish on...I ask every time, they love it!

However, for me, with the website, radio spots, seminars and a TV show in the works, and starting to fish the tourneys again after a 15-year break, I need this new gear.  I have to learn how to use it for me, and I have to be able to show it and explain it both to you the reader and people at the seminars.  The jump in gear from my last tourney in 1993 till I started back up in 2002 was staggering.  I did fish in those years, but not at the 250 days a year I was fishing up to 1993.  So what I had that was new in ’93 worked great for me...until I started back on ’02.  Then I had to get back into the game of it!  I was amazed at the advancements across the board and the biggest surprise was in line.

I have used the big name lines for years...I even had a friend of mine that worked at DuPont in the 80’s when they made Stren Line who sent a big box of line to me every year, enough for the entire year.  So I have had and tried them all.  I have to say now, the best casting, best performing, strongest line I have EVER used is a newer line company called “SUFIX”, and I have turned many people onto Sufix now as they can not believe the performance of this line.  They have now changed their reels to Sufix.

Yes, Sufix is a sponsor of Reel Fishing with Gunner now, but know this much...I purchased and used this line for a year on my own.  I gave it praise and told people about it before Sufix picked us up to sponsor.  The way they do their winding on the Siege line makes it fifteen times stronger than other lines with near zero memory, which you KNOW is a great thing!  Cleveland Pete (Team member of RFWG) had a snag while fishing on the bottom for catfish, so he started to pull to break the line as everyone does.  He actually cut his hand while pulling on the line and could not break the 20-pound test!  In fact, after a minute or two it finally came loose, so we concluded the knot he tied came undone, not a line break!  Now that is STRONG LINE!  Also, he told me the other day of a trip back to the river and with 20-pound Sufix line he pulled in a 60-foot long 3-inch round waterlogged tie cable for a barge that weighs about 130 pounds!

In short, the debate about new versus old will always go on and on.  The simple fact is, both have their place and time in today’s world, and can and have continued to work together throughout the years.  So when the older guys give your electronic-filled heavy boat the old strange 'deer in the headlights' look, just smile and wish them luck on their outing!

Hope to see you out there!

Ron, “Gunner”

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