I wish we had a fishing forum ...

[Thumper]

... as if we did, I'd post this over there.

This is nothing earth-shattering to youse fisher types, but I thought I'd share it here since the site seems to be pretty dead so far today.

I went to an estate sale a month or two ago and picked up a pretty nifty little fishing combo. As far as I can tell, the (ball bearing) reel has never even had line on the spool and the graphite rod still has the UPC sticker on it. I brought it home, set in in the corner of my office and pretty much ignored it until today. I figure I may as well list the reel and try to make a buck or two. I don't want to mess with shipping the rod as it's a one-piece dealie, so I may save it for a Craig's List sale or sumpin'.

Anyway, the reel is an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5500C and the rod is a Shimano Bullwhip BMP-1553. This is not a super high-bucks treasure and would be sneered at by most of you uppity elitist fisher types .... BUT ... I paid $2.50 for the combo!


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[LJ3]

That's almost identical to the rig I bought that got swiped. Prolly by some Okie fuckstick. I bought it to force myself to learn how to use one of those damn things and it was stolen before I had it a week.

[Thumper]

Wanna buy it back?

[Thumper]

I'm not big on bait-casters and only use them when I'm basically bottom fishing from a boat or trolling. I had more than my fair share of backlash bird nests when trying to cast with one as a kid. I'm a spin-cast type'a guy myself and too lazy to practice with a bait-caster.

[BarryBobPosthole]

That's not a rig I'd have much application for (I'm trying to impress CD with how I talk, how am I doing?), but those reels are dang good ones. I don't know a thing about the rod. Depending on condition, you oughta ask about 50 bucks for the reel.

BKB

[Chicken Dinner]

You and Len can both bite me. I work for a sleepy little non-profit and am just trying to keep up with your corporate types.

[Thumper]

(I'm trying to impress CD with how I talk, how am I doing?) BKB

I believe that should be, "I'm trying to impress CD with how I speak." (Well, you asked!)

As for the reel, as far as I can tell, the rod AND reel have never been used. I normally don't pay a lot of attention to fishing stuff, but figured for 2 and a half bucks, I couldn't pass it up.

[BarryBobPosthole]

If its brand new, then the price might be $150! But I'm not sure how brand new and NIB differ on ebay sales. Do you have the box the reel came in?
I googled it and found one of those rods for $35 on ebay.

I think you might make a slight profit.

BKb

[Thumper]

They have two ways of listing. One is "NIB" or New In Box, the other is "NWOT" or New Without Tags. I'll throw it out there and see what happens. It won't make me rich, I just figured for the price I paid, it'd be kind'a neat to post it here.

[HideHunter]

That little 5500 C is a workhorse. I have one on a catfish rod that has seen a lot of abuse. I finally cleaned and oiled it last year (after about 10) and it casts like new. I actually have one NIB that I throw in my baggage as a back-up on nearly all my trips.. It's about a 50-60 dollar reel retail. It's a nice little combo.. and definitely a bargain..

[BarryBobPosthole]

I bought five of those exact reels in 4500 size, used and in various states of repair and all mounted on St Croix rods for $200 about fifteen years ago. My sons were using my equipment and tearing it up so I bought those and told them never touch my shit again, use these. It worked. I still have one rig left that I've used once in a blue moon to troll with in Canada. They're much too heavy for my fine finessing self these days.

[HideHunter]

Hey Thump.. Made me think.. I'd be interested in a 7000 if you'd stumble on something. Hell, I'd let you make a dollar if you could buy it for $2.50. .. if you'd pay the shipping..

[Thumper]

Hey Thump.. Made me think.. I'd be interested in a 7000 if you'd stumble on something. Hell, I'd let you make a dollar if you could buy it for $2.50. .. if you'd pay the shipping..

Wow!! Okay!!

NO WAIT ....

[HideHunter]

That "country" you live down there is amazing. Dad has a home down there. I doubt he has ever owned a rod or reel that cost over $19.95 in his life.(I've built him a couple custom rods - "They are too pretty to use" ) He left here this fall fully intending to "spend some money and buy myself a 'nice' rod and reel". So he stops at the flea market and some guy is selling rods out of the back of his truck. He finds two he likes.. both turned out to be $60-70 rods. His total cost - ten bucks.. He's happy as a pig in mud.

[Thumper]

We're surrounded by the Atlantic to the East and the Gulf to the West ... in between is elebenty-bazillion lakes, ponds and rivers. I don't think I've ever gone to a sale that didn't have a stack of fishing poles in a corner someplace. To be honest, I seldom pay attention to them and concentrate on other stuff. If I come across a new reel in a box somewhere along the line, I'll usually pick it up if it's not a POS. Heck, I live on a large spring fed lake with a dock and private boat ramp ... I've never fished it!

[Captain]

Shimano made a Bull Whip and a Fightin' Rod. They still have their following. Especially the open face rods. They were very sensitive. The one piece rods are the most sought after. There should be a number on the rod like "GT2552" or some such. It's worth your time to pick up.

[Thumper]

There's a pic above Cappy. It's a BMP-1553 Graphite BullWhip Fightin' Rod.

[BarryBobPosthole]

We're surrounded by the Atlantic to the East and the Gulf to the West ... in between is elebenty-bazillion lakes, ponds and rivers. I don't think I've ever gone to a sale that didn't have a stack of fishing poles in a corner someplace. To be honest, I seldom pay attention to them and concentrate on other stuff. If I come across a new reel in a box somewhere along the line, I'll usually pick it up if it's not a POS. Heck, I live on a large spring fed lake with a dock and private boat ramp ... I've never fished it!

Iused to love to fish at a natural lake very close to you where the Air Force prison is, called Avon Park. Man that was a beautiful natural lake! Florida has a lot of 'em! Another favorite was up north called Oklawaha.
BKB

[Captain]

There's a pic above Cappy. It's a BMP-1553 Graphite BullWhip Fightin' Rod.

By that number, It's a one piece rod, 5' 6" long and a medium heavy action.

[BarryBobPosthole]

More a club, than a whip. Or fishing rod for that matter.
BKB

[Thumper]

Actually it says "Heavy Action" on the rod. I suppose us Southern boys could use it to catch cooters!

[BarryBobPosthole]

"heavy action". That would describe the action after 1:00 AM.

BKb

[HideHunter]

Just dawned on me. I have one of those in heavy action. I've used it so long, most of the finish is gone.. but damn, I've caught a lot of fish on it. I have a Shimano Bantam Mag Plus I mounted on it new. Arguably the best baitcaster I've ever owned. Cool..

[Captain]

Just dawned on me. I have one of those in heavy action. I've used it so long, most of the finish is gone.. but damn, I've caught a lot of fish on it. I have a Shimano Bantam Mag Plus I mounted on it new. Arguably the best baitcaster I've ever owned. Cool..

I have 2 of that Same combination Hide man. And mine have seldom been used. (I don't like baitcasters). The rods are GREAT! I actually bought several of those rods off eBay years ago when they quit making them so I would have a lifetime supply. They are workhorses.

[Thumper]

Well, that was fast! I listed the reel at $47.50 this afternoon and 7 hours later it's been sold and is now packaged up for a trip to some guy in New York. Hmmm, maybe I under-priced it (?). At least I still have the rod.

To top it off, the reel sold within minutes of another sale. Some kinda door, or maybe a drawer type (8 5/8") pull handle. No name on it ... no clue what it's for persactly, but I just listed it last night and it sold tonight, minutes apart from the reel, for $35.00! I found it at a sale while digging through an old coffee can full of junk on a shelf in the garage, and paid 25-cents for it! Who needs just one handle?

See how this estate sale/eBay thing works?

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[Captain]

See that's what I'm talking about.
If I had found that handle for a quarter, I would have HAD to come home and built an trunk out of old barn oak or wormy chestnut and put an antique finish on it, then take about a three foot piece of logging chain and beat the crap out of it And put that handle on it.
I could not do what you do. I'd be like one of them fellers you see on Mike and Frank's show with an old chicken house or two full of good stuff!

[Thumper]

Ha ha! Yeah, Cappy the hoarder! I will say it was a pretty cool handle (all brass). Well, I'm headed out the door as we speak to see if I can find some more junk to unload on some dufe building a trunk he doesn't need! Later ... gotta hit the road ... it's FRIDAY (my "work" day)!

[Captain]

Just do me a favor and don't post no pictures until AFTER you sell the stuff....

[Thumper]

Picked up some tonnage today! This place had so much stuff, my buddy and I actually wore ourselves out digging. I had to rush home anyway 'cause Lynn only worked a half day and we're headed to the beach for the weekend (Ft. Meyers). My bud is going back to the sale again tomorrow to dig some more. You couldn't even walk in the place and the garage was worse. Talk about major hoarding! Got some cool crap though ... I almost needed a trailer!

I'm tight with the guy who put on this particular sale and when I told him I wouldn't be back tomorrow, and why, he told me he's got another cool sale on Sanibel Island that is much like today's sale here. (he has two estate sale companies, one here and one there) He said he'd call his partner down there and give him a heads-up to "take care of me". This guy gives me some incredible prices and any of his sales are my favorites. Oddly enough, Lynn asked me just last night if I'd checked to see if there were any sales down that way I might want to go to.

It's shaping up to be a successful weekend! (But I ain't tellin' ya' what all I picked up so far)

[BarryBobPosthole]

And this is why this ain't in the fishing forum. Only those who can stay on task are allowed to post there. Which eliminates about 90% of you effers.

BKB