Mine was a Ambassedeur 1000 in red. 1980 or 82.

I purchased it from BPS back when they shipped C.O.D. I spooled it with Stren 12lb. test yellow, that I recieved in my little goody bag for being a member of the Bass Master Sportsman Society.

Ventured out to the back yard to teach myself to throw a baitcaster. Needless to say, after attempting to pick the birdnest loose, I ended up respooling with blue/clear and by weeks end I hit the water.

After watching Virgil Ward, I was pumped up. I caught my first bass on a blue freck BPS worm, one color out of 4 diffrent that come in a little worm proof box.
Thousands of dollars later, I now have a collection of rods, reels, and tackel.......and yes I still sometimes get a little nest, but nothing worthy of a respool

I usually used my dads reels. I do recall a green Zebco 202.
First baitcast reel was a Ambassadeur 5000 bought used for $20.

Mine was a quantum ex501. I wore it out in six months.

zebco 404 on sale at the whites auto store in pilot point for i think $1.99 just a couple (ok a few) years ago.

Used dads for years. Bought my first reel when I started fishing in may 2011. H20 express mettle. Got into catfishing, now I own 7 abu Garcia ambassadeur 5500/6500s, 3 mettles, a pfleuger reel, a couple cheapy spinning reels. My wife isn't too happy about it I don't think. Haha.

First baitcaster? Abu Garcia Black Max combo.
First spinning reel? Some $13 Wal-Mart Ugly Stik combo.

Ocean City level wind bait caster.....black braid line. Non-descript solid glass rod with two eyelets and a tip top. Total price including a Mepps gold spinner.....less than 4 dollars.

The year, you ask??? A lonnnnnnnnnng time ago! (1952)

I had an EX500. Still used it some 2 seasons ago. Had it matched with a Bill Dance fiberglass rod.

I have to be honest, that reel could sling a crankbait. I still use the rod form time to time as I love glass for cranks.

I purchased a US Tour 300 and the thing screemed on the first cast and always has. Needless to say I dont use it and I plan to have it serviced. It was the last Quatum reel I ever purchased.

If I could get my hands on a Team Daiwa reel from 1992,the TDH 1H I think it was, I would be in heaven. I loved how the Daiwa and the EX 500 fit in my hand.

1st bait caster was a Abu Garcia 6500c followed shortly by a 5500c, 1st spinning reel was a Mitchell 300. Both were bought in the late 1960s. I still have the abus but the Mitchell was donated to a young fisherman.

Jim

Mitchell 300 spinning reel in 1966. I still have it too!

When I was a kid, I used hand-me-down Zebco 33s' and 202s'. Then, back in the mid 80's I bought a Johnson Country Mile spincaster on a Wally World special 5'6" pistol grip rod. T-rigged a 6 in. worm on it and practice tossed it from in front of my garage and completely lost sight of it (expecting it to only go about 20 yards or so), until I started reeling in and it was stuck in the rain gutter on the roof of the neighbor across the street. Sweet reel until I hooked a nice sized pond bass, and couldn't hardly crank it afterwards. Oh well, it was only about $12.

Mitchell gold 310 in the Bass Pro Shops catalog. Had bad luck with the combos I was getting for Christmas/birthday gifts so I scraped and saved to buy the rod I wanted and reel I wanted seperately. Mowed yards and made honor roll the whole year. Still a history connoisseur to this day as a side effect. The one spring and summer in H-town that wasn't a drought,at least that I can remember in my childhood. Learned a lot on those stream and creek banks that year out in EasTex.

Mine was an Ambassadeur 5000c I bought with grass cutting money. Still have it. I have been buying them ever since and still have all of them.

A zebco spinning reel with the trigger that opened the bail and held the line.

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Mitchell 300 in 1962.

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Grey Daiwa spinning reel with a non-rotating line guide. It also had a click clack anti-reverse and a non-skirted spool. Paid $12 for it and was proud to have bought it myself with saved allowance money.

Garcia 5000, bought at Bruce Wiggin's sporting goods Beaumont Texas in 1972 for $23. Got that and an Eagle Claw worm rod with money I earned working at a swimming pool that summer.

Spinning reel "DELTA"(made in Romania),in year 1960.

Ryobi V-Mag 3...my 1st bait caster. Bought it with my own money when I was 12 years old in '87 (I think). I think it was $29.99 or $39.99...but I was PUMPED! NOW I was going to be fishing like the PROS! LOL!....soon there after...I learned what a backlash was..................

I can't remember the model number but it was a red Abu Garcia round reel. I want to say it was around 1987 or so?? Whenever I was old enough to start riding off on my own and picking up cans on the side of the road to sell. I caught all my fish on it on cheap eagle hooks, split shot weights, and purple walmart worms.

Those were the days, now I've got Revo Premiers on Cara rods and don't think I catch fish any better than I did then, in fact I know I don't. What a bunch of buffoons we all are hahaha.

Hi =) I remember how I bought my first Ambassedeur=) It was in 1996. It was wonderful!!!

Garcia 5000 D (green reels)was the first decent one, after I got my first real job I bought myself and my father each one. I have them both now, and they still work. The one I gave him has a clicker on it. probably in the early to mid 70s.

The first one I bought was a Garcia-Mitchell 330 spinning reel. I bought it Alaska while still in the service. I wish I still had it. My very first reel I owned was a Zebco 202 that my Dad gave me. About 1965 or so.

My first one was back in the 60s. But I don't remember exactly when. it was a Penn levelwind 9 or 209, I can't remember which. I caught many fish off the Bolivar Pier with that rig. My brother had it for ages and when I wanted it back, he said he couldn't find it. Not sure I beleive that, but oh well. I have another 209 on an Ugly Stick that I picked up off of Craigslist to catfish with. What wonderful old reels.

My 1st spincast reel was a zebco 202 that my dad bought for me when i was 10 years old. My 1st baitcaster was a quantum 1310mg. I saved up money from cutting grass and splitting firewood and bought that reel and a 6' ugly stik. Spooled it up with 12 lb big game 3 times the first day i got it due to the infamous "professional overrun". I miss those days runnin home with my little tackle box, rod and reel and a stringer full of 2 pounders, strutting around like a professional!