What was your first love?

My first was the venerable burgundy Scorpion 1000 circa 2000 from Japan Tackle.  In so far as a rod, my first high end has to be a 2-piece Shimano Fightin' Rod from the mid 1990s...just a badass rod that I wish I still had.

Man.. for me it is two reels. 

The very first reel I started opening up and doing stuff to was a Daiwa Ryoga 1520 and that was about 4-5 years ago. It was my first round reel and my most expensive reel at the time. I have a good friend who encouraged me to try tinkering with it. He knew I tinkered with my car so he said "take the same principle and apply it to the reel." So I added ceramic bearings, a shallower spool, different handle and knobs and the reel felt so much better. It was the personalization and feeling the difference in the reel that got me hooked. I started getting bearings for all my reels and adding knobs or more bearings and it awakened the reel tinkerer in me. lol since then Ive had many Ryoga's and have done a few complete overhauls and refurbishing on some of the older ones. 

About 3 years ago I got a stripped and robbed Megabass IS63. It was missing a lot of the factory parts that make the reel feel different than the Steez. So I took it as a personal challenge to restore that reel. I started asking around and found the factory carbon handle. Then I found a factory spool. Then I found the finesse knobs and screws. I was missing the black cast control cap, black mag dial cup, black handle nut retainer and hex screw. I reached out to a guy that said "If you struggle to find anything let me know." so I did. And he was gracious enough to share some extra parts he had to get that reel fully back to its former glory. That was a start to a solid friendship. That was also the start to my MB IS reel addiction and now I have a few. And they are my favorite reels to use.

I also still love the Ryoga platform. Ive got a custom one that is being cerakoted, and a few others that are in my rotation. Ive stuck to those reels for feel and performance but also for sentimental reasons. Im not really a sentimental guy. But, those reels have a special connection besides performance. 

My first high end reel purchase was the green monster shimano curado SF 

my first love will always be the IS79.. I just love that reel 

@goldrod the IS79 is a reel ill never be able to experience.. Im a lefty. lol

@goldrod 

Someday I'll procure one...in the meantime I have a highly modded Ian tuned Steez Limited 105SV with the EX 7.9 guts.

@dragon1 just write megabus on the side and you're good to go! jokes aside, that reel is still just as good.

First true high end purchase was a Steez TN LTD. That baby is beat up and has been through so much. Sand, rain, snow, dirt, rocks, etc. Still gets used to this day.

THAT brings back memories, her name was Ka... ohhh, my bad, reels. TDZ

@one-love hahaha mine too! oh reels. Can't get off topic here. lol

@one-love 🤣🤙🏼

First “High End” reel/rod combo I saved my Pennies for and purchased myself was the Bantam Magnumlite/Fightin Rod combo, now residing at the bottom of Lake Casitas. First builds (done at same time) were an Alphas Type F, TDZ 103, and a U.S. Trail, which I still own….I’ll have to post pics of them in their current state. 

Posted by: @rise

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now residing at the bottom of Lake Casitas.

Story time??

Tough one. My first direct from Japan purchased reel was the megabass lariat in the 63. Just the no frills black one. Although it might have not been the first enthusiast purchase, it was definitely a major fork in the road in terms of how I would buy gear and where I would search for it. Still have and enjoy that reel. 

Posted by: @rise

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First “High End” reel/rod combo I saved my Pennies for and purchased myself was the Bantam Magnumlite/Fightin Rod combo, now residing at the bottom of Lake Casitas. First builds (done at same time) were an Alphas Type F, TDZ 103, and a U.S. Trail, which I still own….I’ll have to post pics of them in their current state. 

All right, all right, let’s see them! 🤩