Uses for Very Slow Vintage Baitcaster

[Jack Hanson]

I found an old Abu Garcia Ambassador 4600 CB in my shed, my granddad had given it to me. It’s from the 70s or 80s. It’s gear ratio is 4.7:1, what could I use this reel for?

[A-Jay]

I have a couple of vintage Penn Levelmatic baitcasters (920/940) I that I initially used flounder fishing off the NJ coast.  Both sport an agonizingly slow 4:1 gear ratio.

I tried using them as a crankbait reels, mostly mid & deeper deals.

It worked OK, but it took some getting used to.

Hardest part for me was fighting fish that swam at me.

Needing to reel fast is an understatement. 

I was losing fish so I bailed on the idea.

A-Jay

 

[Jack Hanson]

9 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I have a couple of vintage Penn Levelmatic baitcasters (920/940) I that I initially used flounder fishing off the NJ coast.  Both sport an agonizingly slow 4:1 gear ratio.

I tried using them as a crankbait reel, mostly mid & deeper deals.

It worked OK, but it took some getting used to.

Hardest part for me was fighting fish that swam at me.

Needing to reel fast is an understatement. 

I was losing fish so I bailed on the idea.

A-Jay

 

Mines SLIGHTLY faster than yours so I might give it a shot but it will be tough. I don’t know how the old timers caught fish using these slow reels, this reel used to be advertised as “high speed”.

[mrpao]

Crankbaits and spinnerbaits would be my choice, if you plan to fish it.

Or just let it sit on the shelf as memorabilia.

[A-Jay]

13 minutes ago, Jack Hanson said:

Mines SLIGHTLY faster than yours so I might give it a shot but it will be tough. I don’t know how the old timers caught fish using these slow reels, this reel used to be advertised as “high speed”.

I like slow reels and fish 5.7:1 round reels all the time.

But 4 something is like another planet.

If you're used to 7 speed and above reels,

you're going to be surprised how slow those 4 reels actually are.

Takes several minutes to retrieve a good cast. 

I was fishing from a canoe with a trolling motor for power.

I started using the motor to move the boat away from hooked fish during the fight.

It helped a little.

My reels initially came out in the 70's, so I was like 12 years old.

I guess that may have me approaching old timer status . . . . 

Good Luck.

A-Jay

 

[Jack Hanson]

Thanks, it will be very hard to get used to. If I can’t get used to it I’ll put it on the shelf for decoration.

[J Francho]

That ratio might seem slow, but the IPT is not as low as you think. Those reels take in around 25" per turn. Pretty typical of a 5-6:1 reel. 

[Yuddzy]

2 minutes ago, J Francho said:

That ratio might seem slow, but the IPT is not as low as you think. Those reels take in around 25" per turn. Pretty typical of a 5-6:1 reel. 

This is what I was looking for. Keep that spool full and your IPT should actually be quite good, which negates a lot of that slower ratio. The paragraph below gives a ball park?

 

I'm fishing a 4600C3 Ambassadeur with a 5.3:1 ratio and I don't find it too slow at all, especially for cranking. I believe the IPT is something like 26" according to the tackle direct listing for it. A 4.7:1 should be around 22" or so based on that?

[Jack Hanson]

19 minutes ago, J Francho said:

That ratio might seem slow, but the IPT is not as low as you think. Those reels take in around 25" per turn. Pretty typical of a 5-6:1 reel. 

That’s a lot higher than I thought I’d, shouldn’t be too bad.

[redmeansdistortion]

The other part of the equation is spool diameter.  Many of those old reels with the slower gears had large spools.  Larger diameter spools pick up more line.  

[Jack Hanson]

40 minutes ago, redmeansdistortion said:

The other part of the equation is spool diameter.  Many of those old reels with the slower gears had large spools.  Larger diameter spools pick up more line.  

Yeah this one does have a very large spool for its size.

[ska4fun]

Big crank and swimbaits.

[scbassin]

Ledge fishing with baits like a DD 22 etc.

[Columbia Craw]

Old Timers?  We are a different breed, Back then we could keep a buzzbait running on the surface with a 4.7 to 1 ratio.  I know it’s hard to believe but it’s true.  During those times a football jig was a dance the scoring receiver did in the end zone.  Where’s my walker Martha?

[bulldog1935]

15 hours ago, Jack Hanson said:

Thanks, it will be very hard to get used to. If I can’t get used to it I’ll put it on the shelf for decoration.

You won't get used to it with giant-inertia stock spool and heavy LW parts (more inertia) - start-up backlash requires thumbing and end tension.  Though your new B/C will feel like a dream. 

 

Hedgehog Studio custom parts list for your grandad's reel - current stock may not be there, but Avail makes microcast spool in two depths (3 mm and 5 mm - you can fish 10-lb fluoro on 5 mm spool).  (Avail may eventually cycle around to more of these, or you can search ebay)

You can put 5500 6.3 gears in it, but no need - just keep the handle short. 

No reel is easier to work on. 

 

You can make a braid-raced Ambassadeur and set it up 100% backlash proof. 

I set this up for 1/2-oz niche, but it casts 3 g to 30  (This is 6.3-geared Express, and gets long handle)

you could treat this as a long-term project and end up with a reel high in your rotation

 

"High speed" on 1500/2500C is only 4.1 gears, and with the small spool dia, only 16 ips.  I fish the fool out of this, though I am targeting moving water. 

ps - Avail offers 6.3 gears for this reel, but I like my short Haneda Craft handle. 

[Captain Phil]

Keep it the way your grandfather gave it to you.  I turned one of our bedrooms into a bass fishing theme display place.  Thankfully, my wife tolerates my antics.   I still have the first reel I bought at 16 with my own money, a Pflueger Akron.   My reel collection includes a 110 year old reel given to me by a friend before he passed. His father used it when he was a child.  I don't collect anything that doesn't have meaning to me.  You can buy old reels all day.  You can't buy the memory of your grandfather.

[Jack Hanson]

4 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

Keep it the way your grandfather gave it to you.  I turned one of our bedrooms into a bass fishing theme display place.  Thankfully, my wife tolerates my antics.   I still have the first reel I bought at 16 with my own money, a Pflueger Akron.   My reel collection includes a 110 year old reel given to me by a friend before he passed. His father used it when he was a child.  I don't collect anything that doesn't have meaning to me.  You can buy old reels all day.  You can't buy the memory of your grandfather.

I think I might do what @bulldog1935 said, I think if I have a reel like this I should at least try to make good use of it rather than letting it sit the way it has for 40 years. I’d still keep all the old parts in case I decide to retire it and put it back on the shelf the with the original parts.