Anyone Ever Use an Automatic Fly Reel?

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Teal
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Anyone Ever Use an Automatic Fly Reel?

Post by Teal »

As I was digging through a pile of catalogs copying skeleton fly reels for our esteemed editor Richard Lodge's upcoming book on the subject, a thought occured to me (and not a very original one): there were a TON of Automatic fly reels.

I guess I never stopped to think too long about it, as I sort of always thought they were more of a 1900-1945 phenomenon, but I was seeing entire pages of automatics in standard trade catalogs in the 1950s and 1960s when there were almost NO traditional fly reels (other than a few Pfluegers and a couple of others).

Since I have never used one before, I thought I would ask if anyone out there had used an automatic for fishing. Aren't they awfully heavy and difficult to balance on a rod? Do they malfunction often? In the course of collecting I've probably had three dozen that came in tackle boxes, and it seems about half were non-functioning. Probably from being used by little kids, as we broke the only one my father had (got it as a gift) by winding it too tight.

I suppose any reel like a Martin that lasted as long as it did is a great success, but the only time we ever used them even as kids was when we would wind the thing tight and skip sunfish across the surface of the lake with its wicked fast pulling power. But considering how very many show up on eBay, lots and lots of people must have bought them.

So, anyone got any automatic fly reel fish stories? Bad Bob?

--Dr. Todd
Jack Bright
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Automatic reels

Post by Jack Bright »

Todd- I used one for about three years, heavy ?, yes, but on a 9ft rod it
balanced well, BUT I Have never used one since I lost a Brown about 4lbs.
due to it rewinding the take-up spring, as you strip out more line to cast,
plus my uncle broke a couple of tips due to too fast a retrieve, and IMO they are kind of ugly. Exception; my first collectible, a Y&E no key w/box in `74 ---Jack
Reel Geezer
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Post by Reel Geezer »

Todd: I too, used an automatic. I guess they were a geezer thing. I had a sidemount that I thought it was really cool looking, and used it probably in the late 1940s and early 1950s. I agree with Jack that they balanced out a 9' bamboo fly rod nicely. They also were great for taking up line out of the bottom of a canoe when fighting a fish. I had a Y&E before that, which I inherited from my grandfather in about 1944, and I used it for several years on a 9' bamboo fly rod which had also been my grandfathers. It was probably still going strong when my mom moved from our family home and all my treasures (which weren't in my possession) got sold to some junkman. I was in Washington state and she was in NJ, so nothing was salvaged, except my telescopic steel rod with Montague RP multiplier with which I learned to fish. I still have that outfit.
Teal
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Neat

Post by Teal »

Jack & Phil,

Neat stories. I imagine that a lot of fisherman probably experimented with automatics, considering how many come up for sale. They were certainly more expensive than a skeleton reel...

I really enjoyed Craig Barber, et al.'s article on the automatics in the Reel News and wonder if anyone is collecting these things in earnest? Seems like, at least from a trade reel point of view, you could make an amazing collection of marked Automatics from various trade companies. Plus, many big companies (Heddon, Shakespeare, etc). sold automatics too.

Is Martin still in business selling automatics?

--Dr. Todd
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Post by Reel Geezer »

Don Woodhouse, ORCA member from Wyoming, is the most serious automatic reel collector I am aware of. He's been at it for years, and buys very expensive automatic reels. (probably because he already has most of the inexpensive ones)

Incidentally, the new avatar that I just put up is the April 1932 cover of National Sportsman. That is the year and month of my birthday. I also have the Outdoor Life and Field & Stream from that year and month.
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Ron Mc
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Post by Ron Mc »

I know people that are using semi-automatic reels like the Franco Vivarelli
there are several variations of this reel coming out of France now
http://thebasspond.yuku.com/

http://orcaonline.org/images/pixel.gif ... /z5793.jpg

http://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/ (the rod is a 6'10" 7-wt. glass Fenwick currently made for the Japanese market)

the classic version is the Re-Treev-it/Pachner and Koller
Anyway, the lever spins a flywheel and the inertia winds the line. This saves the guide-ripping and tip-breaking action of the fully automatic reels.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Fri Feb 16, 2007 3:13 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Farace
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Re: Neat

Post by Farace »

Teal wrote: Is Martin still in business selling automatics?
Just last night I was surprised to see brand-new Martin (and also Pflueger) automatics on troutlet.com.
Jack Bright
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Lost Brown

Post by Jack Bright »

Forgot to mention the WHY I lost that nice brown couldn`t strip off line to let it run, too wound up (the reel, before you ask)
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Post by Jim Wiegner »

Good evening Jack:

Although I have never actually fished with an automatic fly reel, I have "practice cast" with a couple (Shakespeare 1835 and 1837 TruArt models) on both 7 1/2 and 9 foot rods. And I have a number of other automatics..South Bend, Pflueger, Martin, and H.I.from the early 1940s to the early 1950s.

The TruArts are very nicely made, as are the South Bend and Pflueger. I have several books showing some good sized trout taken on these reels. Just out of curiosity, which make and model of reel were you using?

I'm not trying to put you on the spot here. When I was 13, I lost what must have been at least a 40 lb. striped bass by setting the drag on my Penn 60 Long Beach way too tight, and the line...new 27 lb. test good quality...snapped!
I thought my dad was going to throw me in the bay after it. I think Pop was more disappointed for me than I was. I NEVER did that again!

Anyway, if you would like to mention the make and model of reel, we might all learn something from your experience. Take care...

Jim
Jack Bright
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Automatic Make ?

Post by Jack Bright »

Sorry that was about 45 years ago, just remember losing a nice fish.
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