James RickardZebco--bombs to bass
November 13th 2007 02:35
It’s ironic that in a sport like fishing where two of the watchwords are “peace” and “serenity” one of the biggest players in the industry once had the name Zero Hour Bomb Company. Like so many single product companies of the late 40's, they were looking to produce something besides the oil drilling explosives they were known for. That’s when a watch maker by the name of R.D. Hull, approached the company with a newly designed fishing reel.
Hull’s idea, combining a baitcasting reel with a spinning reel enclosed in a protective housing was a hit with anglers who were tired of backlashes in baitcasting reels or the tangles often associated with spinning equipment.
Later, a reel was sent to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Seeing a return address of “Zero Hour Bomb Company,” security jumped into action. Considering this little debacle, you can see why the company changed its name to Zebco. With a new name and a product that was a hit with the masses, it was off to the races!
Oddly enough, despite Zebco’s success over the years, the spincast reel is looked down upon by some fishing aficionados. They point out short comings such as limited line capacity due to the enclosed housing or line friction cause by the small hole through which the line exits. Granted, the hole does limit casting distance but, I always figure the accuracy achieved with these reels is a reasonable trade off to the distance problem. More importantly, the friction is not so much that it will cause line weakness or cause the line to wear out from casting.
With a Zebco, you’re not going to get a GREAT reel but, you WILL get a darned good reel at a decent price with sturdy gears that is capable of taming most fish. There in lies the key phrase—“most fish.” Zebco reels are designed for the average angler to land average fish. However, Zebco’s idea of “average” may not be what everybody has in mind because they’ve even produced reels for saltwater applications and reels that are backed with 20 lb. line!
Older Zebco reels have become a prized item to many collectors. Some of their more popular models such as the 33, 202, and 404 continue to be used to this day! In fact, it’s surprising to see how little these reels have changed over the years.
Maintenance of Zebco reels is surprisingly simple. All you need to do is occasionally rinse the spool in clean water and lubricate the gears with a few drops of machine oil. Saltwater use requires a bit more work. In such applications, you’ll need to soak the spool in clean water and spray the entire apparatus with a water displacing lubricant such as WD-40.
To further illustrate the ease of maintenance, schematics for many models can be found on the Web. Armed with these and a VERY basic knowledge of simple mechanics, it’s easy to be your own reel technician.
Zebco makes fishing products for all age ranges and levels of experience. They are a family oriented company working hard to promote an appreciation of the outdoors in children and adults alike. If you’re new to fishing or in need of a low cost but guaranteed to work piece of equipment, Zebco may be the answer.
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
You can check out Zebco products by clicking here
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