Memories like that you don't want to ever forget.
Lost an old friend earlier this year, worked with him many years ago. We shared some good times fishing and drinking. I had a chance to visit him before he passed. He gave me an old Diawa rod with an old Mitchell 300 reel that belonged to his dad. Rod is from the 70’s, reel likely much older but still works. Noisy, slow retrieve and shaky drag but it still catches fish and makes smiles. I knew his dad from 40 years ago, never got to fish with him but John and I did. I cleaned it up, put some fresh line on it and took it with me last weekend. Hooked a nice bass very first cast. Ended up with 3 or 4 and the biggest of the day, about a 3 pound bass. Those fish put a smile on my face and I hope John and his dad were smiling too. I’m gonna use it some more too. Should have took a picture but was not thinking about it at the time, I was thinking about 2 old fishermen.
The Mountain Man
"ooo I got a bite !!!."
Memories like that you don't want to ever forget.
Fair Winds and Following Seas
Bill H. PTC USN Ret
Chesapeake, Va
Great post!
Reading this put a smile on my face.
That’s a really great story!
Thanks for sharing.
Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
Proud Member of Team Geezer!
MountainMan, what's funny is that I've recently been looking for some old Mitchell 300's. We had them when I was a kid.....they were really good solid reels.
Some time in the last 20 years they started being made out of plastic and cheaper metal. Don't build 'em like they used to.
Used Mitchell 300 reels to troll for lake trout and salmon in Lake Michigan with my grampa as a kid 50 years ago. Good memories. The reels had a smooth drag for the time.
Love it. Good friends are the best. Glad the setup is getting some use. Bet he likes that.
Some of those old reels make you appreciate the smooth ball bearing stuff of today
The love for fishing is one of the best gifts you can pass along
My first fishing reel was a Mitchell 300. Bought it around 1967, with money from my paper-route. Used it for a long time, until someone made off with it. I was camping and left it in the boat. It was gone the next morning. I have missed that reel ever since.
Hatchetjack LIKED above post