I caught this 45" musky on an ultralight spinning rod with 6lb line. I was walleye fishing when it bit a small jig tipped with a minnow. Took about 5 minutes to land. I've caught hundreds of small mouth over 5lbs on spinning gear. 6lbs pounds is probably the biggest large mouth I've caught on spinning gear. If you have decent equipment the drag will have no problem doing it's job.

Pond fishing when a 7 lb'r hit on an ultralight spinning reel with 6 lb test.... Terrifying. My heart starts racing again whenever I think about that morning.

I can’t say I’ve caught a really big one on a spincast, but I carry a pocket fisherman in the toolbox of my SxS and have caught quite a few decent ones with it at the deer lease. It definitely adds a to the challenge.

I'm still fishing with this exact setup. The rod gave up a few weeks ago (repair video below) but the 1968 33 never has, and neither has Grandpa's '56 which I still use and did some overhaul videos with (below too). Caught many over 10 pounds (a few photos posted (me (70's) and him (60's):







Rod repair of pistol grip Ugly Stick (1970's rod):



Zebco 33 Cleaning Repair Restore Fix & Lube Grandpa's Old Reel Step by Step How To YouTube Video:



I understand there is a very active FB forum for overhaul/repair/parts for these as well (I'm the last person in America not on FB).

Dad caught a 7lb 12oz his PB on zebco 808. First time we tried a carolina rig or had even heard of it, red fliptail lizard.

I fished with an AbuMatic 170 and a Shakespeare spiral fiberglass 6’ rod for many years. Still have the rod, and went through several 170’s. Caught a lot of bass when I was a teen, up to 6 pounds, I think. Mostly bank fishing.

Caught this 7 3/4 crappie fishing on a Zebco off my dock. Can't remember model but a cheapie.

Personal best, just under 8 lbs. The pre-2000 Zebco 33 is all I fish with, caught too many 5+ lb fish to count. Made in the USA, quality reels. The newer 33s made in China are mostly junk.

back in mid 80's I lived in subdivision in macon,Ga. that had a small lake that was restricted to small engines or trolling motors...I heard the fishing wasn't very good but one afternoon,took my wife with me and we put my bass boat in the lake...only had couple hours to fish...I fished a long ways down a bank throwing normal assortment of lures and didn't catch anything...headed back to the ramp and on the way back saw a minnow skip out in open water...picked a small 5 1/2 ft spinning rod with a zebco cardinal 3 reel,6lb test and a Rapala and cast it out ...what looked a small bass hit it,I set the hook and it pulled hard enough that I thought it might be a 2lb ….I kept pulling on it and I couldn't make any progress getting to the boat....I'm fishing near the dam,one of the roads to the subdivision crosses the dam,it's little after 5:00 pm and car are coming across the and stopping to watch me fighting this fish...
about this time, the fish rolls on top and it looks like about a 4lb fish...couple minutes go by and I'm not putting a lot of pressure on the fish because I haven't retied recently plus ain't no telling how long that line had been on the reel....finally get the fish up near the boat and it's frigging monster bass...get my wife to untangle the net and I finally net that bass...hold it up and half dozen cars and people are cheering and blowing their horns...several hollered out "how big is it"...told them I think around 10 lbs...didn't have any scales so I put the fish in my livewell and took him to a small grocery store nearby and weighed it...9lb 2oz...took him back to lake and turned him loose...

Little over 6 lbs, way back in the day on Wheeler Lake...using a pre-2000 Zebco 33....chartreuse H & H spinnerbait....Trilene 15# Big Game

I caught a 14.11 lb on CA Delta on a pink trick worm wacky rigged on a 1/0 red Gamagatsu hook with 30lb braid. Saw fish sitting on bed and first cast she flared and attacked. She swam under a couple of docks, then tired pretty quickly! Then went down the bank another 15 yards and caught a 7.6 the same way. Best morning of fishing in my life This was on a spinning reel, not a spincast, sorry. I have a zebco 33 on a 36" kids rod I keep in by golf bag w/ a frog tied on. I have caught numerous 4 to 5 lb bass on golf course ponds over the years!!

Caught just a few minutes ago (wide mouthed 5 gallon bucket - fish used for sizing) with a 1968 Zebco 33 and 1970's pistol grip Ugly Stick (my day in and out reel & rod):





Vintage Zebco buying guide: how to pick a good year, features to look for & changes, etc: