Anyone else use vintage reels?

[_JJM]

Hi

 

I am older and grew up using a Shakespeare 1810 reel. Over the years I have tried different reel types but I still go back to that type I grew up with. Funny thing is I now own about a half dozen different models from not only Shakespeare but South Bend too.  Note I am not a collector, I fish these reels. 

 

As far as why? One thing set up right they are perfectly balanced and the line naturally lays across your finger so you can feel everything that your bait does. They never backlash and you can cast into the wind without issue. But all that is probably rationalization, I just like fishing them.

 

If I could get new new version of these reels I would, some I am using were manufactured in the 1950s although they are holding up strong. Plus if you watch you can get them on eBay cheap. I just picked up numbers 6 and 7 for less than $20 including shipping. 

 

The hard part is getting rods that will work with the reels oddly enough. Vintage rods scare me a bit, I have three, but while glass doesn't fatigue, the 60 year old resin systems do. I have retired them and have started buying new spinning rods and replacing the grips. Plus you can't get a medium or medium heavy that fit. I just finished my 3rd and have three more coming in to work over the winter. 

 

I have to say that its been gratifying to catch fish on my modified rods and old reels.

Below are excerts from some of the old manuals and picture of my gear if I can make it small enough (Mods how about increasing the picture size limit? Everyone's cells have good cameras now).  Oh I replaced the bad handles, the 50s era ones have bakelite that falls apart of you look at it wrong

 

 

 

[Captain Phil]

I understand nostalgia.   I have a 1955 Ford sitting in my garage.  Whenever I drive it, it brings back memories of my youth.  Would I want to drive it all the time?  No.  I also own a Mitchell 300 spinning reel for the same reason.  Would I fish with it?  Maybe, for about ten minutes.  It's heavy, clunky and slow compared to a modern reel.  If you are fishing for memories, it sounds like you have the right reel.  Collecting is cool.  If you are fishing for fish, there are better options. ☺️

[bulldog1935]

Guess it depends on how far back you wanna go

Two other forums where you'll find a good audience, especially for glass rods

https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=33 

You'll find limitless threads on this page with recent catch photos on vintage tackle. 

 

and old reels

https://reeltalk.orcaonline.org/viewforum.php?f=1

 

[_JJM]

3 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

Guess it depends on how far back you wanna go

Two other forums where you'll find a good audience, especially for glass rods

https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=33

 

and old reels

https://reeltalk.orcaonline.org/viewforum.php?f=1

Thanks I will check it out

6 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

I understand nostalgia.   I have a 1955 Ford sitting in my garage.  Whenever I drive it, it brings back memories of my youth.  Would I want to drive it all the time?  No.  I also own a Mitchell 300 spinning reel for the same reason.  Would I fish with it?  Maybe, for about ten minutes.  It's heavy, clunky and slow compared to a modern reel.  If you are fishing for memories, it sounds like you have the right reel.  Collecting is cool.  If you are fishing for fish, there are better options. ☺️

Honestly for me at least there really isn't. I have modern reels, and I honestly dislike bait casters. I know I am odd . All my modern reels are spinning or underspins

[roadwarrior]

20 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

If you are fishing for fish, there are better options. ☺️

 

 

                                                               

[bulldog1935]

Fishing and catching aren't always the same thing, especially if fishing means a picnic at the creek with your daughters and outfitting their friends. 

My older daughter had her choice of anything, and her go-to for creek fishing was always this 1937 Luxor half-bail with 4-1/2' Airex solid glass rod. 

This reel doesn't have anti-reverse, and she gained the skill of landing and releasing fish on it all by herself.  I'd guess there are grown men on this forum who might be intimidated by the task. 

Certainly the topic isn't about old is better, but could be about old is more interesting. 

 

I'll add this about the Luxor.  If you used it, you would be pretty amazed.  Until modern computer balancing, it was the 2nd smoothest spinning reel made, next only to Hardy Altex. 

[Deleted account]

13 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

Fishing and catching aren't always the same thing, especially if fishing means a picnic at the creek with your daughters and outfitting their friends. 

My older daughter had her choice of anything, and her go-to for creek fishing was always this 1937 Luxor half-bail with 4-1/2' Airex solid glass rod. 

This reel doesn't have anti-reverse, and she gained the skill of landing and releasing fish on it all by herself.  I'd guess there are grown men on this forum who might be intimidated by the task. 

Certainly the topic isn't about old is better, but could be about old is more interesting. 

I'm calling social services...

[WRB]

Zebco 33 killed the 1810 spin cast reel adding a push button cast release.

Tom

[_JJM]

50 minutes ago, WRB said:

Zebco 33 killed the 1810 spin cast reel adding a push button cast release.

Tom

Got two, they sit too low, it's hard to keep my finger on the line

[the reel ess]

7 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

I understand nostalgia.   I have a 1955 Ford sitting in my garage.  Whenever I drive it, it brings back memories of my youth.  Would I want to drive it all the time?  No.  I also own a Mitchell 300 spinning reel for the same reason.  Would I fish with it?  Maybe, for about ten minutes.  It's heavy, clunky and slow compared to a modern reel.  If you are fishing for memories, it sounds like you have the right reel.  Collecting is cool.  If you are fishing for fish, there are better options. ☺️

I dusted off some of my dad's rods and reels and used them after he died. It was fun to catch fish on his stuff. But it really felt like tying one hand behind my back.

[Bankbeater]

I have a few vintage older reels that I will take out and look at from time to time.  It has been years since some of them have been uesd on the water.

[NYWayfarer]

My Mitchell 300 is built to last forever. It’s heavy and clicks on the retrieve.

 

It sits in a box in the basement as I happily fish with my Shimano Vanford 1000

[fishhugger]

i use some vintage things -- a svea stove, mine is 50 years old, based on a century old design... or the old coleman green car camping stoves --- indestructible and reliable. mine are from the 1950s to 1970's. their design is from ww II, i think --- they have an ingenious way of skipping the priming step.... 

 but for reels i prefer modern ones. they're more efficient, reliable, lighter, etc.. imho.

[Eric 26]

Although I have a vintage reel (grandpa’s) that I’ve never fished and not sure I ever will, I have 2 80’s era spinning reels that I still use even though I have newer and arguably better reels to use. My opinion is if your happy and catching fish who cares what you’re using. With that said I’m in no way a collector or a historian but one of my favorite threads on here is the “you guys like the old stuff “ thread so @_JJMthank you for sharing photos of your gear.

[TnRiver46]

Richard gene the fishing machine has several vintage ones that he still uses 

[QED]

As one who has used most of the current higher/highest end Shimano and Daiwa UL/BFS reels (spinning/casting), on a purely functional basis, I couldn't imagine volitionally using a vintage reel in that class, though I do understand that nostalgia and fond memories are powerful motivators. But just the weight delta is massive (pun intended)!

[clh121787]

Do the curado greenies count? I use them still. I’ve got my poppas  Shakespeare Presidentials on old school pistol grips. I’ll take them out to the back yard pond just to have a spiritual moment with him again. 

[crypt]

I still use older Ambassadeurs. 4500,5500 30 year old promax and blackmax.......but I'm also vintage.........

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, QED said:

Although I do understand that nostalgia and fond memories are powerful motivators. But just the weight delta is massive (pun intended)!

You are polishing an after market 12 speed Campy compatible titanium cassette spacer while typing this, I can feel it...  

[_JJM]

20 minutes ago, crypt said:

I still use older Ambassadeurs. 4500,5500 30 year old promax and blackmax.......but I'm also vintage.........

Me too

[redmeansdistortion]

3 hours ago, QED said:

As one who has used most of the current higher/highest end Shimano and Daiwa UL/BFS reels (spinning/casting), on a purely functional basis, I couldn't imagine volitionally using a vintage reel in that class, though I do understand that nostalgia and fond memories are powerful motivators. But just the weight delta is massive (pun intended)!

This guy is better than both my Calcutta Conquest BFS and Millionaire CT.  The braking system is as simple as it gets, and it's also zero fuss.  Zero spool tension and ultralight brake blocks, it casts from 2g to 7g+, with very little thumb I might add.  I don't need to make any adjustments when changing lure weights or techniques, it does whatever I ask of it every time.  With my Conquest and Millionaire, I'm often making brake adjustments in those regards or else I risk fluffing the spool a little.  I was out yesterday fishing the Detroit River for perch, even got a few smallies in the mix.  Such a great reel well deserved of the hype around it.

 

[QED]

4 hours ago, redmeansdistortion said:

This guy is better than both my Calcutta Conquest BFS and Millionaire CT.  [stuff deleted]  Such a great reel well deserved of the hype around it.

 

No doubt a great reel and I'm glad to see that you continue to put it to good use.  But with the Daiwa Steez Air and various Shimano Alderbaran BFS reels all under 5 oz, you've got to admit that modern materials and workmanship (at the high end) aren't too shabby

[QED]

5 hours ago, Deleted account said:

You are polishing an after market 12 speed Campy compatible titanium cassette spacer while typing this, I can feel it...  

 

Your honor, I respectfully plead the fifth amendment...  ?

[PhishLI]

Occasionally I do a vintage only trip with some of my mid 70s to early 80s Daiwa/Shimano/Ryobi stuff. I've kept it all, and refurb'd them with whatever was necessary to bring them up to snuff. Thank you fleabay. I've learned to never bring anything modern with me when I use this stuff though. By comparison, even a modern $20 cheapie blister-pack spinner makes my old stuff feel pretty clunky. If I only bring the old stuff I'm able to suspend disbelief after a minute or so, and tune out whatever they aren't. Sometimes it's neat to catch fish on gear I used when I was 12. 

[Bankc]

I've got some fishing gear I inherited from my grandfather.  It's all stuff made from 1970's-early 1990's.  Some vintage lures date back even further.  I enjoy using them.  They're clearly not as good as the modern stuff we have now.  But, they caught fish back then, and they still catch fish now.  I mainly use them to remember him and the old days.  But they also make me a better angler and serve to remind me that fishing isn't as much about gear as we tend to believe.  Doing more with less trains you to do more with more.