I'd love to know the story behind this reel. I was in the Sierras and visited this one shop that has a display of assorted old tackle the has walked through the door over the past 40 years or so. I saw this rod/reel that had obviously taken a dive out of a boat very early in it's life. I told the nice lady running the store that I thought I could bring the reel back to life. She looked at me like I was crazy...and I had to agree with her...but I finally talked her into a trade and brought it home with me. Good old NS...amazing how well this thing held up after likely being submerged for 50 years or more. One spot in the aluminum sideplate support and some degradation of the clicker gear (but still works), but otherwise, it's looking pretty good, given it's history.
the reel seat says "The Anchor Brand" on it. I tried to find that rod, but all I found were hooks under that brand name with a quick Google search. I'm betting we could put a pretty close date on the sad events leading to it's long sleep if we can date the steel rod cross-referenced to what must have been a pretty new Golden West reel.
That's what you did, John. An amazing restoration job. I have to say that I am verrrrrry disappointed you didn't scrounge the antenna from a Dodge Dart at a local junkyard to replace the rusted-out steel rod, though. You are really slipping!
Seriously, though, you really know how to recognize the potential in a reel that most of us would just grimace at and walk on by. Nice work!
