Zebco 2010 Reel

[Robinette Ith]

Thebox was addressed to the late husband of my former coworker who, I understand, was an avid outdoorsman. I found several fishing poles in the attic, along with a box of hand-made duck and goose calls, and even a hand-carved duck decoy.

She said that he would keep hand-written details of each of his hunts and his fishing trips. I saw some of those notes, and it was true: dates, times, locations, names of those accompanying him on the hunt, weather conditions, and their bag and/or creel for the day.

A new test! This time we're testing a new process for finishing out metal reels. Please use the 600 in the normal fashion, put it in your tackle box and, in general, give it the "fisherman's" treatment.

Sometimes ZEBCO would instruct the tester to return the reel to them (they wanted to see for themselves where the reel would wear/get damaged through normal use), and other times they would allow the tester to keep the reel just for giving their feedback.

The 600 has been in the line for sometime (sic) so we felt it a good one to test a new finish on. When you return it, our engineering department will evaluate how the finish holds up compared to what we now use.

As a member of the team we'd like to share with you the good news that at the fishing tackle trade show in Chicago August 8-11 Zebco won prizes for having the best display booth and for consumer packaging.

Zebco is celebrating its 75th anniversary with the release of a special edition 33 spincast reel. The Zebco 33 spincast reel is a favorite among many anglers, and the special edition reel will be available for purchase on Walmart.com starting in July for $29.99.

Zebco has remained committed to producing high-quality and affordable fishing reels throughout its history. It also focus on educating anglers of all skill levels through the Zebco Academy online resource. The Academy provides a library of information about specific products, techniques, and various tips and tricks to make every time out on the water an unforgettable experience. In-depth videos clearly explain everything from assembly to knot tying, giving anglers an easily accessible resource at their fingertips.

In this classic In-Fisherman throwback panfish video, Doug Stange talks about locating shallow-water bluegills while they spawn. He also discusses the value of selective harvest while letting the larger specimens go to sustain a healthy population.

In this interesting throwback video, Doug Stange spends time learning about speed-fishing competitions in Europe. Very similar to our panfishing in the states, this approach is unique in that it's a numbers game. Fascinating to see different approaches to chasing panfish, yet lots of similarities, too.

In this throwback video Al Lindner and Tom Neustrom discuss critical locational secrets to finding and staying on big crappies during the fall months. This is arguably the best time to catch numbers of really big crappies. The legendary duo discusses and demonstrates how to take advantage of this calendar period. After watching this video, how does this advice stack up to current crappie fishing information?

This is a great throwback video from the In-Fisherman archives. Panfish are the perfect species to introduce a kid to the sport of fishing--and they're still very abundant and easily accessible today.

The In-Fisherman crew has been teaching locational and tactical techniques for years. Fall crappie fishing is about as good as it gets, especially for larger fish. Al Lindner explains his approach to finding and catching fall crappies. After watching this video, do these tips and techniques still play today?

Bluegills are a fish favored by all generations. In-Fisherman TV Co-Host from the early days Dan Sura talks about techniques and locational secrets to finding and catching big bull gills during the summer months. How does this advice measure up today?

Donovan Pearase and In-Fisherman's Thomas Allen wrangle big channel cats below the Selkirk Dam along the Red River in Manitoba. Truly the best channel cat fishery in the world. The duo talk about the health of the fishery and how easy it is to find and catch huge channel cats at this location.

In this In-Fisherman TV segment, Thomas Allen and competitive cat legend Phil King team up to find big blue catfish along the Tennessee River below the Pickwick dam. The duo connect with a few huge catfish by using a very simple technique thanks to the power provided by the Minn Kota and Humminbird iPilot Link system. You can do this too!

Renowned Lake Erie walleye guide Ross Robertson also chases catfish from time to time. Who knew Lake Erie was a fantastic catfish fishery? Well, it is and Ross shares a few tips that will make a cat trip more successful anywhere you choose to go.

Check out this classic catfish video from the early days of In-Fisherman! Watch Al Lindner, Ottis "Toad" Smith, and Doug Stange catch giant catfish all over the country. This video contains everything you need to know about catfish and how to catch them!

Many anglers have nostalgic, childhood ties to the Zebco 33, fondly remembering it as their very first fishing reel. Although the Zebco catalog has grown exponentially, the Zebco 33 is remains a cherished staple in the lineup.

Zebco Corp. has quietly reversed its decision to locate a lucrative portion of its fishing gear manufacturing in Mexico and returned it to Tulsa, where president Jim Dawson says he's out to show that American workers can compete against cheap overseas labor.

"Shakespeare has gone to South Korea. South Bend is made in Hong Kong," Dawson said, referring to Zebco's competitors. "We are the last major fishing tackle manufacturer left in America. " Dawson says a willing, efficient work force in Tulsa, combined with a consumer demand for products that are made in America, can overcome the trend that is sending other manufacturers to foreign nations, where labor can be had for a fraction of what American workers are paid.

Some trade analysts suggest formal adoption of the North American Free Trade Agreement - recently reached between the United States, Canada and Mexico - could trigger a renewed exodus of manufacturing jobs to Mexico.

"It looked like the thing to do," Dawson said. "There were a lot of advantages. " But the logistics of producing products in Tulsa and in Juarez proved unhandy, so the Model 202 production returned to Tulsa in less than a year.

"We brought the work back to Tulsa where we have the manufacturing facility - a place to do it ourselves and control our own destiny," Bringing the MotorGuide electric trolling motor work back from Juarez was just part of a concentration of activity at the Tulsa plant. The Brunswick Corp., owner of Zebco since 1961, also moved a significant portion of its Mercury "Thruster" brand electric trolling motor production from Juarez to the Tulsa plant.

Consolidation, Dawson said, "gives us more volume and puts us in a better negotiating position for parts. " To translate Zebco's "made in America" philosophy into a competitive production line required management "to do things here to re-educate people so we would be able to survive here," Dawson said.

Dawson said his business formula is: "Buddy, you compete or you lose the business. " "I don't believe we should make anything in America we can't compete on. In the 1960s and 1970s, you could be fairly sloppy and still be competitive. Those days are gone.

"I believe the American consumer should get the best value in any product he buys. If we can't compete in America, he should go elsewhere. The customer shouldn't be denied the opportunity to buy the product of greatest value. " Zebco is continuing to centralize manufacturing in Tulsa. It is moving its newly acquired Martin reel line from Mohawk, N.Y., and has scheduled production to begin Sept. 1. It also is teaching unskilled trainees to do tasks dominated by foreign competition.

Working with Tulsa educational and civic organizations, Zebco is putting unskilled and disadvantaged people to work in a program to train them to hold jobs while they complete their educations and at the same time build resumes helpful in finding employment.

3a8082e126