Gear removal (if you need to do that too):



If you want to buy one & fish with it (models & years to look for):



The differences in how old reels were constructed & new:

My first 10 plus pound fish (carp) came using a Zebco 33. Still use one every once in a while.

Great reel.

Thanks for that and agree (naturally).
Fish my Grandad used to bring in regularly with the '56 (above):
(fish as big as the beagle (Little Pup)


And what we use his '56 for mainly today (Connie with her morning catch):

"Lifetime Memories" right there for sure. The Good Old days are sometimes the best ones! Life was simple back then.



Side Note: I have plenty of pictures of my dad with the fish he caught. Again some "Lifetime Memories".

Love these videos sir. They're great!!!!

Plus #1.

Thanks to you both and to the fellow who replied on the bottom video on YT (bait-caster & conventional) I would really recommend looking at the 146 (my reply there) - you can get these for little to nothing (any of them really - a good friend looks for USA Senators at the flea market for $50< and uses them for tarpon tournaments rather than Chinese stuff (and I look for the other models mentioned, especially anything Pflueger (absolute best in that era for heavy fish along with Finn Nor):

Travis. If you want a really good caster that will double as surf, jetty, pier, and boat reel, start checking the flea markets, eBay, etc., for a Penn 146. This is a narrow spool version of the bulletproof 140 & by being narrow spool it needs on winding mechanism (so you can tackle really big fish level wind free). Many videos on overhaul & lube on the channel, the ones by Dennis (2nd Chance Tackle) are excellent. Ocean City is great for this too - similar number system (they were copied by Penn). Level-wind: The problem with a level wind and why you seldom (and that is generous) see one with big fish is they are so easy to foul when line is screaming out. If the line and winder get mismatched (often) the line is on one side of the spool, the winder at the other and the moment you apply pressure to the fish - pop - the line snaps. Best to look at spool designs that simply eliminate it. An Ocean City in this genre reel would be a "Seal Beach" "Jones Beach" or anything with "Beach" in it. Look carefully at the 146 spool on the Penn - that is what you want in any mfg.'s reel - self leveling. Good luck and good fishing!

Pflüger Templar:



If you don't know what we're talking about (how to get away from plastic gear reels - large gear inside in this case (Diawa):