Slab seeker reel

[Ranger375]

Was going back thru some back issues of Crappie World and ran across reference to Zebco Slab Seeker reels (both spincast and spinning) anybody had any experience with them and if they are still available. I haven't found at either BPS or Cabelas.

Barry F

[STUMP HUNTER]

If not mistaken, that's the reels that has Bill Dance name on em now if you are talking about the reels with a depth set.

["G"]

I bought a Zebco Slabseeker spinning reel when they first came out....my fishing buddy bought one also. The first time I used mine one of the depth marking pins broke, the second time I went fishing with it the other depth marking pin broke. The pins were easy to push in and set but too hard to get back out. My buddys reel eventually broke as mine did. They are very cheap made low quality reels. IMHO...don't waste your time with them....forget about the depth setting feature and just go on and buy a better reel.

[Ranger375]

Sort of what I suspected after finding they were no longer available at major sources of tackle.

Barry F

[Fatman]

One of the few reels Zebco was NOT proud of. Great though just ill made

Fatman

[CrappieKillerJigs]

they arnt the best of reels....pins break easy and they arnt very smooth....i have 3 of them laying in my basement that still work and arnt broke....they just arnt smooth nuff for my liking

[ReelfootYankee]

Has anyone researched the other choice's as i have new rod's coming in and would like to suit them up with line counter reel's as well or do you'all think its a waist of time?

[BigKyd]

I've got two of them. I have read several reviews where people said the depth pins broke and some described the pins as being plastic. The pins on mine are metal, I'm not sure if there was a redisign at some point in production or what but the pins on mine do not seem like they would break landing a fish but the pins are hard to engage and disengage so I can see where maybe someone might break them trying to set the depth. I have not used the reels much, shortly after purchasing the reels I found a good deal online on the Okuma line counter reels and kinda forgot abot the Zebcos. I set my boat up to pull cranks so the line counters worked way better. I plan on adding a t-bar set-up on the front for spider-rigging soon and plan on using the zebcos on a couple of my spider rigging poles and might even be tempted to pick up a couple more if they were availible. I only paid 15 bucks a piece for them and the depth pin seems like a great feature for spider-rigging if I can actually get it to work without breaking it. I'm not too concerned with the reels being smooth since I'm not going to be casting with them. I dont recall having any trouble with the drag when I used them but then again I never really caught a fish with any size in the brief time that I fished with them.

Northwoods wholesale outlet online has the entry level Okuma line counter reels for $24.99 each.

[FroggerZack]

One word "junk". I have had about 5 of them and use none of them anymore. If you like those style reels Shakespeare make a better reel and there is a Plueger (sp) that looks just like the Shakespeare (probably made by them).

[BigKyd]

I noticed Bass pro is now carrying a Bill Dance Zebco reel that looks exactly like the slab seeker but does not have the pins, same Orange paint and everything.

I met an older gentleman and his wife at Hernando point at Arkabutla one evening and noticed he had several poles in his boat with Slab Seekers on them and asked him what he thought of them and he seemed to be happy with them but when Bass Pro still had them on their website most of the user reviews were similar to the comments in this thread.