Late nineties would be my guess. That's when I lost my old quantum magnum and replaced it with a 5500. I was still down south but was fishing bass and catfish an average of 80 days a year and averaged one rebuild or new reel a season. When I moved to Texoma and got my striper boat the average rose to 2 a year slinging big plugs and tangling with those lively stripers. When I moved to AK 8 years ago I started grenading at least 2 or 3 a season fishing salmon, and have helped doing repairs at a lodge trying to keep the loaner gear running, it's a once a week deal to have one go down on a client when they are fished hard day after day.
