By John Merwin & Joe Cermele

In our March 2008 issue, I wrote a
column about the environmental hazards of soft-plastic baits. Because
most such baits aren’t biodegradable, some fish, for example, may find
and eat discarded soft-plastic worms and suffer stomach blockage as a
result. There are chemical issues, too, especially with compounds
called phthalates, which are what make soft-plastic baits flexible and
soft in the first place. Some phthalates are thought to cause
developmental problems in small children.

Just last week, President Bush signed a new Consumer Product
Safety Bill, which newly restricts the use of some phthalates in
flexible plastic items designed for children under age 12. Inevitably,
soft-plastic baits are going to become items of increasing concern.

So I’m left wondering: Is this just typical major government
meddling over a very minor issue? Or should I quit using plastic worms
entirely and go back to using nothing but real worms?

By John Merwin & Joe Cermele

Cheap. Cheap. Cheap. The editorial zeal shown by most media—including this one—for the best deals on gear or the least expensive, so-called great trips is beginning to sound like the noontime chorus at a chicken ranch. Maybe we’re overdoing it. I mean, what’s wrong with expensive?

Years ago, I paid my dues many times over sleeping in car seats or under polyethylene sheeting next to trout streams or striper beaches, which I fished with cheap tackle while having an absolutely wonderful time. In later years, I was able to fish from higher-end lodges, either by hook (my own money) or by crook (the kinds of freebies writers sometimes get). I have to say that a hot shower after fishing, followed by a Cuban cigar (where legal) and martini enjoyed while somebody else does the cooking is not a bad thing.

Obviously, not all can afford the high end. Neither can I, at least not often. My wife and I still camp out on many of our fishing trips, partly because we just enjoy the camping and partly to save money. And once in a great while we splurge on a higher-end trip. Expensive is not so much bad, I think, as it is an aspiration. If it weren’t for expensive, what would we aspire to?

By John Merwin & Joe Cermele

So I happen to think the world’s best fishing reel is the Abu Garcia 6000-series wide-spool baitcaster. No, it’s not a reel for most bass fishing, being a little too big for that. But it’s perfect for everything from steelhead to walleyes (trolling) to big pike and stripers. The same-size reel comes in a variety of styles. The price is right at about $80.00 for a 6500C3 base model; much more for some of the exotic variations in the 6000 International Series.

The reels are easy to take apart, clean, and maintain. There are also a lot of aftermarket parts like special bearings, magnetic controls, and power handles for those who want to customize their own. Some reels are better performers or better made or more elegantly machined, but none to my mind comes close to this combination of value, performance, and versatility.

I wrote much more extensively about this in our August 2008 issue, which you can check for details. Meanwhile, we can also toss it around here: What’s the one best overall fishing reel?