Pointless Abusive Van Staal-Bashing Thread

[fishweewee]

"I hate mine so much I want another one."



I think Steve is being a little harsh, but he's entitled to his opinion.

Folks who fish on the wet rockpiles of Rhody, the Elizabeths, and Montauk have a slightly more charitable opinion of the VS reel, but given the foibles everyone hears about, there's not much patience for a $500+ reel that fails.

[tlapinski]

that response by Flaptail stirs many emotions in me. sure, any one can have an opinion, but to insult someone based purely on the reel they fish with, i do not agree with. sure, some people buy VS's for the "status" they see in the reel, but not all. i have tried every spinning reel out there and the VS fits my needs the best. that is why i fish with them.

to say "did the reel make you any better of an angler?", if you really think about it, makes you look just as stupid as someone that owns a VS. if a reel does not affect one's ablity, then why don't we all fish with a soda can wrapped in fishing line?

now don't get me wrong, purely owning a VS does not make you a better fisherman. you still have to know what you are doing. for me, the VS allows me to do what i want, how i want, and be that much more successful.

if you still think a penn would be just as good and survive some of the places i fish, i invite you to join me in may on the CT river.

oh yeah, i do drive an SUV too.

[fishweewee]

Ahhhh, feel the

[tlapinski]

mad love!

[fishweewee]

[RIROCKHOUND]

Toby, I agree, I own (1) VS thats it, and it was bought specifically b/c my penns didnt like getting soaked everynight.....
It's a personal choice, not status, and I'm broker than anyone here I wager.. I dont make Shiiiite... just a poor, fishing grad student... but I wanted a reel that held up, so far so good, no mobies this year but had my share of 20's... and it seemed fine... to each his own... DId you make the trek today?

'hound

[chris L]

I didnt see an " all of the above " . I thought he was talking about me until I found out it was about VS owners . I dont own one but if I see one unattended Ill steal it .

[fishweewee]

Originally posted by chris L
I dont own one but if I see one unattended Ill steal it .

Now that is the most intelligent thing I've heard all afternoon...

[Christian]

Originally posted by chris L
I dont own one but if I see one unattended Ill steal it .

good answer.

[fishweewee]

Christian's no dummy.

[Christian]

haha, didnt even see you posted that too haha.

[Mike P]

If you decide (like I did) that you don't give a rat's arse about the warranty, and keep them turning yourself, all of the headaches go away. They're the same inside as a Luxor 300 and not much more complicated than a Penn series 700 Spinfisher, or a 380/390 series Mitchell, and much simpler than a Mitchell 302 and any Japanese reel.

You'd be surprised at the places you can find many of the components, like bearings, O-rings and seals.

They stiffen in cold weather---like any reel with heavy grease or 80 wt gear oil in them. You just go to a lighter oil in cold weather, like drivers had to do when I was a kid (remember single weight oils and changing from 30 or 40 weight to 20 weight every November?).

You can open one with a $10 Sears strap wrench--who needs a $90 self service kit. And the new ones open with a 22 mm open end wrench. So you ding up the paint a bit---so what---it gives the reel a little character. Looks like a fishing tool instead of an SUV. BTW, I've pulled out stuck F-150s with my Grand Cherokee

Worst thing they ever did was go from a hardened stainless steel shaft to a titanium one, and a titanium roller. Fortunately, they did this after I bought mine :

[fishweewee]

DJ has spoken!

[chris L]

I am the batman

[fishweewee]

Batman has spoken!

[likwid]

For stripers and the beach, I'm a Penn man.

For offshore, I'm a Fin Nor/Penn man.

VS, Penn, and the rest can't hold up to multiple BFT's in one day like Fin Nor reels can and keep going with just a hosing.

Ahab and Tycoons all the way.

Screw VS, I'll take REEL engineering.

[JeffH]

Man I remember getting into it pretty good a few years back with a guy named MikeP about the merits of a VS, to think he would actually own one

I got my 150 and 200 back from VS last week, it only cost me $55 beyond the standard service charge. Those Snoppy geniuses removed my Penn drag washers from the 200 and replaced them with Rullon (sp?) only cost me $3.50/washer and $2.50/SS washer, I could have replaced them myself with the 12 washers I have. Then there was that $18.50 handle stud?????? whatever that is.....

Going to Sears anyone need anything.....................

[Flaptail]

Hey! "Status" was the word I was looking for, like in status symbol! Thank you T. Lapinski! Oh by the way, I drive an SUV also. It's a 2001 ZR71 two door black s-10 blazer, you know, the high rider model, made for off road use and thats what I do with it. Now for the challenge of the CT River, I fished there for shad and bass before. Is the challenge getting through Holyoke safely to the river and having your car or "SUV" still there when you get back and if it is there, is the thing stripped down and on blocks cause someone stole the tires and ripped off the sound system and the airbags? I can see there is a challenge there and you definetly need a well built reel to survive that! Sorry but I couldn't resist. BTW, the "challenge" thing is sooooo.......whatever.

Now before you blow another gasket because you own a VS or a couple of VS's or maybe a herd of them, and you are offended there is a modicum of truth in what I am saying. You know, I have been at this fishing thing for the better part of 40 plus years now so I think I can comment on reels and tackle somewhat. I used to fish to make a living. I put myself through college catching bass for the market, I started doing that at 17. Paid cash for my first truck. A brandy ass new 3/4 ton chevy pick-up with a 350 4 barrel crb, stripped with 4 wheel drive and hit the beach. I have guided, worked charter boats, commercial codfished for years off shore and now spend the better part of 60 nights a season on the beach driving the sands of the outer Cape looking for Striped Bass. I have two Penn 704's that my Dad bought me in 1969. The drags are as smooth as they day I opened the boxes and they work like charms. Penn F-----d up the ss series reels in thier recent redesigns. But my older 750's and my older 650 ( which has recently been repainted because I wore the finish right off through years of 5 nights a week Striper fishing) still runs like a charm as well as do my Daiwa BG-30'S AND 20'S and my two Shimano Spheros and my old reliable Alcedo's. Proper care will let any reel perform well and you definetly do not have to spend a ton of dough to have a reel that performs well under the most adverse conditions. It's a myth.

[fishweewee]

Flap is a yuppie.

[Christian]

ya right, i seen what you drive weewee.

[fishweewee]

Moi?

[bassmaster]

every thing sucks
vs are fag reels
buffy plugs for 25$
2 fish @28"
and last but most least fishing clubs and the internet
lets rock

[NIB]

I use a 706 have for yrs. I'm in a fishin club I'm a dweeb.Thank U for ur support.

[bassmaster]

thank You nibula, what have You been up to any way?
I stirr the [pot] good no,,,,,,,,,
u been making any more plugs?

[Billybob]

Uh-Oh, I must be a flappy yuppie.

I own a VS200
(gift from an old fishing friend)

I run a 23 Seacraft
(30 year old junker I restored myself)

Dodge Ram (is that o.k.)

I've never had anyone work on anything of mine - except a doctor, so I think I can handle a simple reel.

Ah, prejudice is a beautiful thing ain't it.

Sometimes I drink Bud

Thanks for the info.

Bill

[bassmaster]

anither Hi dollar vs fishing sinkercraftinfishinbubbahgrumpaholic

[fishweewee]

Billybob must be a yuppie.

[bassmaster]

Originally posted by fishweewee
Billybob must be a yuppie.

your a yuppie now go away

[Krispy]

[bassmaster]

Originally posted by Krispy

look You grumpy bastage