Gear that keeps on ticking

Given that most of us are hemorrhaging dollar bills at the gas pumps, we continue to search for that all-important panacea that will put our minds in a less-than-hyper-space condition.

I'm reminding you of our current state of affairs so you can remember that you can get instant relief without having to go to your neighborhood pharmacy with a prescription in hand to purchase something to calm your inner strife.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying fishing is the cure-all for one's ills and stress, but time spent contemplating the tick at the end of the line could very well be the picker-upper of the week.

And that leads me to the subject of fishing gear, the hardware many of us cherish as much as the 1985 Bears' Super Bowl win.

I opened the storage drawer where I keep my casting reels, and there it was, that beautiful red Abu-Garcia 5000 resting comfortably on a slim layer of packaging material. It was cushioned against the possibility of an earthquake.

This is my second 5000, recently given to me by my friend Ray, who because of severe arthritis is no longer able to step into a boat and fish those sacred lands of northern Wisconsin.

Here's a reel that has stood the test of time. The Swedes knew what they were doing when they crafted their "Ambassedeur" series of reels.

I will admit, though, that some of today's casting reels are pure works of art as well as being super smooth, thereby allowing one to cast a lure in to the next county.

But it's the 5000, a bookmark of sorts but never a relic, that I treasure.

I have lost a couple of so-called friends because I have taken issue with reel companies that have gone to the People's Republic of China to manufacture their models.

The fuddy-duddy in me causes me to shake my head in disbelief that American companies have forsaken their American customers for the sake of making a few extra bucks.

The 5000 has a personality unlike any other casting reel I've used in the last 50 years. Cram one or two ball bearings into its frame, and you have the leverage available to show a muskie who's the boss.

Once you adjust the centrifugal braking knobs on the reels sides to your liking and casting skill, you can cast like those professional television chaps with three first names.

I bought my first 5000 in 1963. In those days the price tag was akin to a small fortune, and I had to go without Baby Ruth candy bars for a month, but it was worth it.

My late father's eyes teared up when I suggested he take it and use it on his trips to the Peshtigo River. He never gave it back.

The 5000 never asked for anything much in the way of care. It took just two drops of reel oil and a tooth brush to keep the cavities of an angling life at bay.

And when that first 30-pound muskie tried to best my little red beauty, together we showed that toothy monster who was in charge.

I suspect there lots of these wonderful, rugged reels out there in tackle boxes and storage drawers, and even sitting pretty in display cases.

Put some fresh line on yours, take it for a spin and see what it's like to fish with a classic, and then let me know whether these words had any impact like they did when I sat down to write this.

angler88@comcast.net