Dont buy Zebco

[RGINN]

Don't buy Zebco

I have used Zebco reels for over 50 years. They were made in Tulsa Oklahoma and pretty much a quality product. Now they are made in China. I had a little trouble with the last Zebco I bought about 10 years ago but thought it was just me. I thought I would buy a new one and this is it. Brand new, just out of the box. After the fourth cast. And yes I did check it out before I used it to see if the line was wrapped right, etc. Zebco is a piece of crap and my Grandpa is spinnin in his grave. Over them I would recommend reels by Shurfine, Starbucks, General Mills, Quaker, Whole Foods, or just anybody who decided they could add a fishin reel to their product line, get it made in a foreign country for a quarter and sell it over here for twenty bucks.

 

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[pong12211]

Mitchell all the way.. Have used them all my life and fished 43 states and countless species of fish with them.. Very reliable and durable reel in my opinion..

 

[RGINN]

Thank you pong. Somebody makes a reel like Zebco used to be back in the 60's and they will own the market.

 

[surf]

Over them I would recommend reels by Shurfine, Starbucks, General Mills, Quaker, Whole Foods, or just anybody who decided they could add a fishin reel to their product line

Hey RGINN,

I had a Zebco and always liked it. Caught some with it, too. Sorry to see what they've become.

Good one on the Starbux Reel.

 

[rickn1]

All the best Zebco's are on the bottom of the lake. Rapala reel's all the way.

 

[RGINN]

Hey, I tell you what, I grew up very poor and it was an uptown thing to have a spinning reel. And I had one when I was 12. The Zebco 202. That thing was a killer for catfish. Man, you could not tear it up. If you did you kept the parts cause they were interchangeable with other Zebcos. The 33 was the thing for castin, or basically bass fishin. I cannot tell you how many largemouths I reeled in with that one 33 (well actually I can, cause I remember every fish I ever caught) I'm gonna mail this defective reel back to Zebco. I will let y'all know what they got to say about it. Unless they reply in Chinese. If they replied in Spanish I would be able to decipher that at least.

 

[wvwildman]

eagle claws are a good reel ive had the same one for over 20 years and still works like a new one

 

[Joe hunter]

Didn't care for the rapala I had barely got through two seasons I do swear by there lures Mitchell and Shakespeare have gone down hill I don't think I've found a good real since I paid an arm and a leg for a cabellas and that wasn't worth the money I think quality at a reasonable price is at the bottom of the lake

 

[sonofadigger]

I love my pflueger presidential never had any problems and have caught monsters on it

 

[bigfoot1]

what?china stuff is crap?
whew....good thing my family buys american and european made exclusively.When we want to make a purchase I research it first,we save up,and get the good stuff.The china crap still slips in and I cant believe how badly it is made.
harder and harder to get made in the usa(usually just packaged here so they can say it)

 

[wainzoid]

I grew up with a trout stream in my backyard. Back in the 60's and 70's if you had a Zebco...you had something. I bought my boys a couple in the 90's and they lasted about one outing.
Trout fishing is my first love, and in the last 6-8 yrs, detecting has cut into my fishing time alot. I haven't used closed face reels for years. They aren't nearly fast enough for spinner fishing, which is all I use for trout and smallies. I also fly fish some. I catch several hundred trout a season and make probably tens of thousands casts per season. Reels get replaced every other year. I have been most pleased with Shimano reels. I have tried alot of different ones over the years including $150- Pinnacles. I like the fifty dollar grade of Shimanos the best.
Im also a big fan of Cabelas Pro Guide rods and blanks, and stren line.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Mitchell all the way.. Have used them all my life and fished 43 states and countless species of fish with them.. Very reliable and durable reel in my opinion..

Zebco went to crap a long time ago, it's a throw-away garbage reel now. I think Mitchell's are a northern thing. Never heard of them until I googled my own name.

 

[Tnmountains]

Say it ain't so. I grew up on Zebco 202. I tournament fished and kinda liked the abu garcia for bait casting. I also heard China bought "Smithfield hams". Life is not fair.

 

[gleaner1]

I have used Zebco reels for over 50 years. They were made in Tulsa Oklahoma and pretty much a quality product. Now they are made in China. I had a little trouble with the last Zebco I bought about 10 years ago but thought it was just me. I thought I would buy a new one and this is it. Brand new, just out of the box. After the fourth cast. And yes I did check it out before I used it to see if the line was wrapped right, etc. Zebco is a piece of crap and my Grandpa is spinnin in his grave. Over them I would recommend reels by Shurfine, Starbucks, General Mills, Quaker, Whole Foods, or just anybody who decided they could add a fishin reel to their product line, get it made in a foreign country for a quarter and sell it over here for twenty bucks.

Hell RGINN that nasty bird nest aint got nothin to do with the quality of the reel. Put fifty yards of green stren in 'er and you will think it was forty years ago, I promise.

 

[RGINN]

Hell RGINN that nasty bird nest aint got nothin to do with the quality of the reel. Put fifty yards of green stren in 'er and you will think it was forty years ago, I promise.

If that's the case gleaner don't you think they should have sold it that way? Why should I buy their reel and then have to buy other stuff to modify it and make it work? But you are probably right I did not like the look and feel of that red stuff they sell the reel with.

 

[Sackett]

RGINN I got one for my grandson last year ....same peice of junk as yours!!!

 

[Beans]

what?china stuff is crap?
whew....good thing my family buys american and european made exclusively.

Bought some hamburger the other day, package says "Product of USA and Mexico".

When I was a little kid, we lived right by the Rio Grande river in Colorado, use to catch rainbow and brown trout on the ole reliable Zebco all day long.

 

[grlangfitt]

Maybe Cracker Jacks could start making reals. At least we could have a snack while fixing the problem.

 

[woody_g]

say it isn't so been using zebco 33's since I was a kid still use several of them.

 

[racer117]

My father boughtme a Zebco 202 when i was a kid. Early 70's. It still works to this day.its a shame the quality of products go sour. Black and decker is the same way.good then,junk now .