us also
nobody in my house now will hold the pencil for me

Such great memories for all of us.
I recall the old story of my dad and his cousin fishing with their bait casting reels.
His cousin saw a kid using “something different” and said “ hey kid, let me see that a minute.”
He then looked at my dad and said, “ now every ( blank, blank) under the sun is going to be a fisherman!

I got used Johnson Century and Pflueger Saturn reels from my Grandpa’s best buddy. My wife’s parents were Zebco 33 fans. Still have a bunch of reels, and I have rebuilt the Zebcos, but can’t rebuild the Pflueger. Amazing that you can still get the zebco parts.

Wore out plenty in the late 70’s-early 80’s

50% of the time a humpback Rebel was tied on,the other 50%, a speck rig for Reds and Trout.

Awesome!
I spent a big part of my early life with a zebco 33 in my hand with a Tiny Torpedo or Road Runner tied on. And somehow it feels like I caught more fish then than I do now carrying around hundreds of dollars worth of equipment.

I have a really unique Zebco that I bought when I was 9 (I'm 73 now) It has a button on top that you push down to cast. A thumb wheel on the back that you release as you cast forward and to also use to feather the cast. Then you push IN on the retrieve handle to retrieve the line. Still works great but needs a thorough cleaning.

Wayne

Never had a 33 but definitely tore up some 202s. Graduated to a Mitchell 300 and then my first red Abu 5000.

I own 4 Zebco 33's from the 80's-90's
Can change from right to left retrieve.

also own a Mitchell 300, Johnson 125, and Shakespeare 727 and 737 I have had since 1974

Used the Zebcos a few weeks ago to catch my sons first Bass

Lonestar Renegade tv on YT. Johnny B' Bassin'

The little lever is your anti reverse, fipped one way and handle reverses when you pull on line,
the other, and the line will not feed out till drag slips and lets it . Still have two, and they have been the
death of many fish over the last 40 years. Great newbie reels

Still have all of mine from my childhood and others I have bought later in life!

I had one of my old ones on a rod for my wife to use and the "rubber" part on the front of the bail disintegrated!

Went and bought her a Zebco Bullet and out it on a St. Croix Mojo Bass rod for her!

All I remember about 33’s is what junk they were.

My Mom worked at the plant. We had a bunch of 33's and 202's with blemishes. One breaks or needs gears throw it away and get a new one. Heck they were free so we didn't worry too much about them breaking.

I also have a Mitchell 301 that was my great uncles. It's got 2 extra spools in plastic cases in the bottom of my bath draw. I have had it for 40 years and I don't i was before that.

Plenty of memories with that reel!

Pretty sure my first reel was a 33. We would buy H&H spinner baits for .49cents at Gibsons. Then off to the tank or creek and get after them.