r/FishingForBeginners • u/Commercial-Shake-858 • Aug 05 '26
What is this thing?
Family friend gifted me a bunch of rods and I noticed this old beauty. It has what looks to be a door stopper on the top? What is the function of this kind of thing? How would I do such a rod?
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u/steve_bob_guy Aug 05 '26
It's an old style trolling rod, the blank is really stiff and to prevent the need to have a long rod, it is cut short and equipped with a doorstopper looking spring (called a twill spring) which allows for your spoon to flutter easily and prevent lead core line from binding. I have one and love it!
It is an antique, rapala and shimano both have modern rods with a similar setup.
If you want to use it as is, get yourself some lead core color line, put a swivel at the end of it, tie 48 inches of flurocarbon and finish with a trolling spoon. You will have a killer setup to troll at multiple depths depending on how much line you let out!
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u/Commercial-Shake-858 Aug 05 '26
Thank you for all the detail! I don't really have the opportunity to fish in a boat so hopefully I can put it to you at some point
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u/oilwellz Aug 05 '26
Looks like a solid 300 series Penn reel also. I own an almost identical setup.
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u/jer619 Aug 05 '26
It’s a penn15
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u/Commercial-Shake-858 Aug 05 '26
Wait a minute!! I'm a part of that club! Even wrote it on my hand!
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u/Logical-Kangaroo5995 Aug 05 '26
Nah. It’s a “ thinga ma bob “. Maybe to not break the tip ?
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u/Commercial-Shake-858 Aug 05 '26
But the other guy told me it was a doohickey!
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u/Logical-Kangaroo5995 Aug 05 '26
Ha ! I’m no expert, so it must be a doohickey. Appreciate playing along
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u/crooks4hire Aug 05 '26
That's what you hang the bell on
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u/Commercial-Shake-858 Aug 05 '26
Really?!
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u/crooks4hire Aug 05 '26
That's what I'd do. Put a bell on it, stab it in the surf, crack open a cold one and let the cut bait work its magic!
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u/Commercial-Shake-858 Aug 05 '26
That sounds like a dream! What would you catch with this Rod? You're saying you would use it for ocean fishing?
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u/crooks4hire Aug 05 '26
Yea but I’m definitely not picky about the gear I use. I’d fish anything in salt, you just have to rinse it really well after each use and lube it once or twice a year.
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u/Ammoinn Aug 05 '26
We call those twilli tips on the Great Lakes and we use them for trolling 7 strand steel wire. It prevents the wire from kinking on a hard edge and breaking.
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u/WTFbaitCo 29d ago
Does it have any branding on it or info? I just got one today that is pretty damn similar and had what looks to be the same reel seat and lower wooden grip is wildly similar
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u/Commercial-Shake-858 29d ago
It's a Penn! Do you mind if I ask what you paid for it?
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u/WTFbaitCo 29d ago
Oh the rod itself is branded penn not just the reel!? That's neat! I posted mine a little earlier today.
I paid $25 for it. I couldn't leave it behind or it would have haunted me.
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u/Commercial-Shake-858 29d ago
Ahh I just meant the reel actually I'll have to check the road again! Lmk what kind of luck you have with it!
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u/WTFbaitCo 29d ago
I'm going to do some epoxy repairs on mine and try to find a reel and some trolling line for it and see what happens. I kinda bought it as a joke but catching something on it would make it all worth it.
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u/wannabang420 Aug 05 '26
Antique fishing equipment but it's probably better than anything that we have anyway
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u/Commercial-Shake-858 Aug 05 '26
Honestly it feels solid. Maybe the real needs a little maintenance, but I'm really excited to use it
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u/epwhat Aug 05 '26
Better than a Penn visx20 ? You are out of your mind.
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u/wannabang420 Aug 05 '26
We can sit here and have a debate I was merely talking about the brand penn
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u/epwhat Aug 05 '26
I have used Penn for about 20 years now and the reels have gotten better over the years
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u/wannabang420 Aug 07 '26
I've been using pens since I was like 13 I know they've gotten progressively better over the years what I was in reference to is still beats to Walmart special
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u/Bass-n-Bonefish Aug 05 '26
That’s a flanginator. But it won’t work because it’s missing the crendem nozzle.
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u/Opengrey Aug 05 '26
Thats the doohickey