Obsolete bass tackle still excels where it counts

Maybe it’s because of loyalty, or maybe because of habit, but I tend to favor outdated but familiar fishing tackle.

I have many of the newest, most technologically advanced baitcasting reels, but most of them are still in their boxes. I tell myself I’ll use them when I wear the old stuff out, but whenever I wear the old stuff out, I rebuild it and make it new again.

Thursday’s fishing trip to southeast Arkansas was a prime example. I had two baitcasting reels and two spinning reels. Curiously, I trend more modern with spinning gear. That could be because my skills with spinner gear are a lot more advanced, and so I am pickier about my equipment. It could also be that modern spinner gear is demonstrably better than old stuff.

My favorite is Wavespin, the most advanced of all. Ironically, it is also extinct due to the sudden death of Doug Hannon, its inventor and main promoter.

I used a Wavespin 5000DH on Thursday mated to a 20-year-old, 6-foot, 6-inch medium-heavy Falcon Lowrider rod. The line is 30-pound test (8-pound test) Spider Wire Ultra-Cast braid.

I used to tie on a fluorocarbon leader until I realized the folly of intentionally inserting a weak link in the form of a knot to employ a length of weaker but much thicker diameter leader. Without a leader, your line strength is only as weak as the knot to tie your lure.

For a while I experienced severe knot failure issues that cost me some big fish. I solved that by tying an additional hitch to prevent slippage of the primary loop knot.

This is my primary inshore saltwater rig for redfish and snook, but it excels for big bass in heavy cover. The combination of the stiff rod and non-stretch line eliminates the need for an overpowering hookset. A gentle sweep is all it takes.

The baitcasters are classics. One is a 22-year-old Quantum Iron IR4CL, a round reel that’s so old that it still says Zebco on the frame. Today’s reels have a thumb bar to disengage the spool. The IRL-4 has a button on the side of the frame. I actually prefer it because it eliminates the possibility of accidentally mashing a thumb bar when you set the hook with a hard set, as happened at the cost of a fish with a more modern reel Thursday.

Two weeks ago, the IRL4 had a maximum casting range of about 50 feet with a 2-ounce spoon. I took it apart, cleaned it, and slicked it up so that it’s now as smooth and buttery as when I first unboxed it in 1997.

The rejuvenated IRL-4 deserves a better rod than the old Berkley Cherrywood with its spinning replacement tip. I replaced it with a new Powell Inferno Jerkbait, Crankbait, Topwater rod. It has a medium action with a moderate fast action, and at 6-10, it provides a plenty of casting and hook-set leverage.

I used this rig with a Live Target hollow body sunfish. I neglected to tighten the drag, so there was no resistance when I set the hook on a 3-pound largemouth. I was halfway through the hookset when I jammed my thumb on the spool and finished the sweep. The hookup was solid, and I tightened the drag while I fought the fish.

Only 12 years old, the second baitcaster is a relative youngster. It’s an Abu Garcia 6601 C4. Despite its age, this is a remarkably advanced reel with an outstanding drag. It’s 1.5-inch wide spool holds a lot more line than a conventional size baitcaster.

It is mated to a 20-yearold, 6-10, heavy-action Falcon Grass Rod, another fabulous relic that Falcon discontinued years ago. It is designed for punching big jigs through — and wrestling big bass out of — the kind of thick grass you find on Lake Okeechobee or on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Florida. It easily handled the biggest bass of the day Thursday, a 5-pounder, and made short work of a pair of sub-threes.

Like all old reels, the Abu is not as smooth as it should be, and it squeals when it casts. That means I’ll have to devote some time this weekend to tearing it down and slicking it up, too.

All the fancy reels in the boxes will get their day when I match them to a specific purpose.