First decent reel.

mick dunn

Well-known member
I remember years ago(30) when me and my mate Peter Norris (nosher) bought our very first proper reels. We went to a tackle shop in Middlesbrough and we both bought Abu 8500 multiplyer reels. These were the bizzthey had blue casings. No level winders. I loved that reel and caught my biggest ever fish on it.

You never see these reels now do you.

Mick.
 
I saved up for what seemed like years to buy an abu reel when I was a bairn, relative to a weeks wages they were outrageously expensive back then

was gutted when the gears stripped after a few outings. didn't touch another abu reel till about 5 years ago, broke after a few outings again

wouldn't have one given now
 
I seem to remember my first "good" reel was an Abu too. An Abu 7000 if I remember correctly, I packed in fishing for a while and washed and cleaned it, wrapped it in a nice soft bag and put it in the cupboard till I would need it again. Didn't realize that there was some dampness in the cupboard and when I went to get it back out the casing was all but rotted away.

I had one of the black 6500? reels a while later and the gears went on that one. I do own one Abu reel now and must say that the quality is much better now but still prefer my Penn 525s.

Jim.
 
My first decent reel after my mitchell was also an ABU 7000, my sister got it out of her catalogue for me, cost well over £100 25 years ago, I had to babysit every friday night for a year to repay her. I used to put masking tape on the side plates to protect it from scratches etc, it's still going strong today.
 
Agree with that original 7000 red and 7000C black converted to CT,chrome on brass cage as good as anything made for heavy fishing since.As long as you never left them damp for a while;)
 
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I still use my 20+ year old ABU 9000C off the rocks side by side with a Diawa Saltist and it stills gives a good account of itself for sheer winching power (and its the easier of the two to cast)

Got admit though that the build quality on my old red 7000 was a bit iffy, the levelwind broke, the gears stripped and then the side casings just rotted away.
 
Old reels.

Old reels.

The reel of the day 30 years ago was the red abu 7000 with the level wind. To this day i still admire this reel. It was what your 525 Mag extra is today.
Penn when i wore a lad were nowt flash. They used to make a cheap reel with red plastic side plates. We used to call them Penn screamers. Crude reels.They may have been Penn Squiders. I was shocked when i returned to the sport to see how the make had improved.
I also remember a guy on the heugh using a scarborough reel and a 10 foot rod he used to cast out all of twenty feet and still catch fish. He used an odd casting method and fished off the side wall out of the way of everyone. He used a side sweeping motion to get the bait out.

On another note my earliest memory of fishing was off the Middleton. The regulars used to hog the top corner and cast out into the sea at an angle. Cod used to get pulled in left right and centre at this prime spot.
Snotty nosed kids like us were pushed back.

I also nearly died one night on the end of the Middleton. I went on the end which had a coned shape and was trying to grab a line to handline in a big fish. I slipped about 2" and it felt like 20 feet. I remember my hands going out backwards and somehow my nails stopped me sliding in.
No floatation suits then it was Taylor Woodrow top and bottoms. The suit i had on was a big heavy plastic suit and i would have sunk like a brick.

Getting back to the reels I also had a Mitchell at some time this had the white side panels. A good solid reel and loads still for same on e-bay.
The Abu 9000 was also very popular but way out of my price range.
As Mark said my old Abu cost almost a weeks wage at something like £22.
As purchases go that reel was one of the most extravagant things i had ever bought.

Mick. (At the time 1979 ish, apprentice bricklayer on £20 a week).
 
I still have my abu 8000c and my abu 9000c, allthough permanently retired from any use any more I would not part with them.
 
Okuma Magnatex

Okuma Magnatex

It may have been an 8000 i bought. It was that long ago. 8500 rings nearer the mark. Did they make these. I,m going to google it.

I,m thinking of getting a new reel for the next season fancy an Okuma magnetex without level wind they seem like a good deal and are different. has anyone heard much about them.

If not Okuma i,m going to either get a new 7000 a mag or a slosh. I,m watching a slosh on e-bay but for an extra 16 quid i can get a brand spanking new Okuma with a five year guarantee.

Not bothered about the level wind as i believe i will gain another 30 yards without it.

Mick.
 
a mate of mine has a okuma magnetix ive cast it a few times on the feild i find it as good as the pen mag's im going to have one my self for the winter season
at £60 bargain
 
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