I’ve used Trilene XL 4 pound since it came out and still use it. I buy no less than a 1000 yard spool each early spring and go thru it by fall, but then I am religious about keeping decent line on the reels at all times. I don’t fil;l spools completely with new line, but rather leave about 2/3 of a spool of old line as backer and fill from that point.
I like my Shimano Saharas and Symetres, but have found a couple Scheels branded reels in the $140.00 range that are proving to be worth their cost. I have sevaral Sahara 1000 reels that are over 25 years old that are on rods I use today yet. I have two Shimano Nascci [sp.?] reels in the 1000 size that are nice reels for newer reels. In line with several other comments, I think the older products have a greater degree of quality so I go out of my way to keep these reels clean and functional. I don’t toss old reels that have died, but rather hold onto them to farm parts from when another like reels dies.
Rods? St.Croix has done me well. I have a couple of rods I made years ago that I still use and of late have added a couple of hand wraps on Rain Shadow blanks that are sweet.
Lure-wise, since I make my own I don’t really worry about what the market has other than to pick up some replacement Gulp stuff. I’m a color guy and will spend a lot of time looking at new colors that the major bait companies have come out with. If certain new color patterns jump out at me I’ll buy a bag of them, take out a couple to use as match samples then give the rest to someone who might like to use them.
Dutch mentioned old tackle doing as well today as the new fangled stuff and that comment is spot on. I still have Mitchell 300 reels that work like a charm as well as some very old Shakespeare push button reels, including an underspin full sized reel. I have plastics yet from over 25 years ago that do everything anything I make today or that I can buy today.
Here’s a Shimano Custom 1000 series, one of two purchased to go on a pair of 5’6” Berley Lightning Rods in April of 1984. Still in use today even though it is clunky by todays standards.
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