Zebco or Zero Hour Bomb Company

[Bob Riebe]

     Looking at fishing reels, I have become amazed at how long, and how many models of Zebco spincast reels have been made
I did not know they released their first one in 1949, and First version of the Zebco 33 was released in 1954 for $19.50, which adjusted for inflation , would be, $228.78 today.

     The first one I used, the 202, came out in 1961, which I found a Lot easier to use than Dad's Pflueger bait casting reel.  Sadly also the same year Zebco was bought out by Brunswick.
      The Zebco website gives a brief history of their rees, but it seems to be impossible to find a complete list of the models, and model changes they made over the years.

                                                                           Currenty


                                               
                                                                             $12.99

                                               
                                                                              $149.99

[Graybeard]

I think the first may have been the Model 22, even now I still think of it as the best Zebco ever made and sure wish I could get my hands on a couple of them. You could feather them like a casting reel.

[Bob Riebe]

I think the first may have been the Model 22, even now I still think of it as the best Zebco ever made and sure wish I could get my hands on a couple of them. You could feather them like a casting reel.

      "" The Zebco Model 22 was released in 1956. It was the third Zebco model produced, following the "Standard" and Model 11, which were also released in 1953. The Model 22 was a youth-sized option, making it popular among younger anglers"

[Eddie Southgate]

Mine is so old it's actually marked Zero Hour Bomb Company , has the line release metal pin and the ball on the back for drag. It is a first model Made in the 40's.

[Mule 11]

Now I’m going to have to look through that old bag of reels my dad gave me.

[DDZ]

My first fishing reels were Zebco's. Can't remember what the first model was I had, but remembering having a 202, and a couple 33's. Didn't matter the amount of water and mud they were in. They just kept working. Have reeled in more crappie, and bluegills with a Zebco, than any other reel. 

[Land_Owner]

Now that you mentioned it, those zebco reels were c*****. I went through a whole bunch of them and found the Mitchel, open face spinning reel to be much better to my liking.

Interesting story, though, not absolutely about the zebco reel. I was watching a mass migration of mullet swimming in a brackish water stream behind my house. I thought, how easy it would be to cast a dart into one and reel it in like fishing. So being a kid, I tied a dart with plastic body on 12 pound test and zipped it across the water, unfortunately, burying it in a log on the opposite bank.

I wanted to break the line, so I backed up and instead of breaking the line, the dart let go and came straight back burying itself through the tendons and marrow just above my left knee. Looking around to see if anybody was watching, i grabbed that dart by the hilt, yanked it out and went straight into the house to put mercurochrome on it and a pair of trousers to cover up the red dot. Then I walked around with a limp for a couple of days and patted myself on the back for not doing worse damage, like poking a d*** dart in my eye.

[Ranger99]

Anybody used one of the newer 33's or
the other newer versions of the traditional
Zebcos?
Not interested at all in the expensive
hundred dollar models they've brought
out, or any other make of expensive
spincast reels.
Don't need anything for repeatedly casting
a lure all day long. I have serviceable
Abu Garcia's and Shimono's for that.
A baitcasting reel is way better suited
for that, and for battling larger fish.
I have some 33's that are 45-50 years
old,  and they still work ok, but they're
getting worn, and the Official word
that Zebco told me is that no parts
are sold for those reels anymore.

If the newer 33's and 404's and
such will last 10-20 years with
care, I'll probably get those as
replacements as funds permit.
I did try to look at yoofloob, but
there's not much of anybody
actually catching and landing a
real fish, mostly the inane useless
" unboxing " videos, and reading
off the list of features from the
company literature.

Thanks

[Lloyd Smale]

still have 2 202's and 3 33's and still fish with them often.

[Dee]

My favorite is the Ambassador 5000 D. I have several Ambassadors.

[Ranger99]

My favorite is the Ambassador 5000 D. I have several Ambassadors.

Yes
The 5000D is built to bring in the fish.
I have 2 of those green machines.
Best to move your hand aside when you have
a big fish stripping drag.
Found that out early on
Those were pawn shop rescues like the others.
I currently have 2 of the old original red 5000's
and 2 of the 5000C , one older black one, and
one of the later red ones sans the left side knob.
They last forever and 2 days.

I use the 33's for relatives and friend's kids, and
use em myself on these small lakes where a 3-4
pound channel cat is the biggest thing in the water
besides the turtles.

If I'm casting several hundred times a day with
lures,  the Shimanos are what I use.
Way easier