Quote Originally Posted by Jiggertrigger View Post
My first baitcaster was an Abu Garcia 6500C I bought in the summer of 1977 with my graduation money. I still have it and use it now and then. I’m just an old geezer learning new tricks. The reel I listed above is supposed to be about the best of the cheapies. I think I found a glass rod with a fairly short straight handle to go with it. I don’t like the new style of long skinny handles with a little blob of cork at the end. Way back when I got the 6500C I had it on an underpowered Berkley glass rod and I could throw a Johnson silver minnow a mile.
Majorcraft Finetail Stream 4'10" UL. 5 inch straight grip, but it has a slight downward angle like a pistol grip. I have the fiberglass model and like it a lot. Very comfortable to cast. You can find old school pistol grip rods on ebay, but probably not UL.