What was your first rod and reel?

[Swimmer]

I remember clearly casting a small freshwater stick outfitted with a Zebco 202 pushbutton reel when fishing the many freshwater ponds in Eastham on the Cape in the fifties. Fishing with worms and probably 20 lb. test I landed many bullheads and pickerel. We couldn't afford lures, so natural baits always were the choice of the day. Sometimes I would catch a perch or two depending on where you were fishing. I did try fishing with this outfit in the saltwater, but needless to say, nada. I beat this combo mercilessly as I recall and it just kept on working.
Just a thought I had early this Saturday morning. What about all of you. How old were you when you started and what were you lucky enough to be using?

[Bob Senior]

My first reel was some kind of Mitchel or HI or something conventional (in the '40s). Then my dad got my brother and me a Zebco closed face, probably the same one you had Swimmer.

I remember when spinning reels were first introduced and how no one thought they'd work. They might have been right!!!

[Slipknot]

I was about 4 or 5 and I'm pretty sure it was a closed face Zebco of some type on a short rod. Caught many panfish,perch,catfish and pickerl on that sucker. Mostly used worms for bait.

[Mike P]

My first set-up was a 6' glass spinning rod from Benny's and an old Alcedo spinning reel, both of which were hand-me-downs from Dad.

The first set-up that was all mine was an 8' Berkley glass rod and a Pfleuger spinning reel marketed under Shakespeare's label.

First reel I bought with my own money was a green Penn 704. I still use it. It cost me about $25 and another $10 worth of parts over 30 years---I'd say I got my money's worth

[Roccus]

Hmmm...my dad made my first rod for me...it was a fencing epee, a thin but pretty rigid dueling foil, he soldered on twisted-wire guides and a clamp for the reel...it already had a pretty comfy handle (angled, to suit a fencer's grip) and I had an old Shakespeare bait-caster reel (had that little red jewel on the side) and heavy, black nylon line that burnt leathery ridges in my thumb before I figured out how to cast with it...I was around 8 or 9 and I thought it was the best piece of gear on the lake. Lost it as I was subduing a particularly feisty rock bass and accidently knocked the rod off the dock into about twenty feet of water...wasn't much of a swimmer yet but tried like hell to get down and get it...disappeared in the mud bottom, though...if I could have seen it I'd probably have drowned trying to get it back.

[bloocrab]

...I think it was either a "Zebco" or a "SilStar"....now the rod ....I'm not sure it even had a name! ...

[TheSpecialist]

It was a 6" daiwa fod and an old Mitchell spinning reel. ACtually the rod may have been a Daiwa lower, and some other brand for an upper.

[RickBomba]

It was definately a Mitchell reel with some type of cheap (whatever was on sale) rod.
The old man loves Mitchells (since all of his from the 60's are defunct, he cries every time he uses my Penns). Rods, on the other hand, especially freshwater, were the cheaper the better.
For salt, we used mostly customs from a sweet, very cheap rod bulder named Alex from Agawam.
Alex also made jigs, sinkers, and had a great array of fake wild animal statues strewn about his house...it was my FAVORITE place to go as a kid.
Wow, that brought back some memories.
Rick

[RickBomba]

An Addendum:
Alex lived in West Sprigfield.
I also have a vague memory of #^&#^&#^&#^&ie making me write a letter to South Bend Corp (at age seven, it was tough) to explain just how my fishing rod had broken.
They sent me a new rod; thanks Dad!
Rick

[AnthonyN]

My first reel was a Zebco 202 pre spooled with line. My father bought it for me. The rod was made by the same company I think.

[Got Stripers]

It was a Mitchell spinning reel and it was on a broomstick Diawa rod, because I had just gotten back into fishing and that's what I assumed was necessary to properly fish a plastic worm for largemouth bass. I fished as a kid, but can't remember anything other than it was spinncast, crap I can't even remember what I did 2 weeks ago. It's simple amazing what's available today, especially when I think back on all the crap and mis-applied equipment I've fished over the years.

[chris L]

My first rod retired 3 years ago . Its a Garcia conolon 5'6 spinning rod with a Mitchel 204s reel . I have it hanging in my rod rack and it has done me well over the many years Ive had it . I got it in the late 60s or very early 70s .
Before that I had something else with a spincast reel that didnt last too long .

[redcrbbr]

wow...my first fishing experience... was living in mansfield in the early 60's. a friend of my mothers, son, went and bought me this pole and reel combo. it was about 3 feet long made of metal with plastic eyes with a plastic conventional reel with some kind of rope for line. i honestly can't remember if i caught something that day. i do remember having my first snarl. the friends name was paul and he was also the person who took me by train to my first red sox game. he was killed in vietnam in 69. truley a very special person.

[Fishpart]

"My" first rod was a True Temper 5 1/2 foot boat pole with two guides and a top coupled with a Berkley spinning reel far too small for it. We used to do some saltwater bottom fishing as well as some fresh so my dad wanted me to have an all purpose set up. I caught a 5lb 12oz largemouth my first time out with it. Filpped it over and threw my 6500 on it last summer and my son caught his first sea robin on it.

[JohnR]

Zebbies for Sunnies on Wormies on vacation in New Hampshire - I was about 4. Shortly afterward, my father bought a 20' Welcraft step cuddy and we (occasionally - the boat ALWAYS broke) fished the Bodkin Creak in Chesapeke Bay for "ROCK"...

It's funny, I have more memories of being towed with that boat than actually fishing

[Saltheart]

My first real set up was a Garcia Mitchel301 on a Garcia Mitchel 2508B rod. I still have it too.