SURVEY! LET US HEAR FROM YOU!

[Dustnstuff]

The early brass reels from the 1800's have long been my passion. Must have interesting stampings of logos or names on reels with anti foul rims, plate wind, or crank wind.
Dustnstuff

[Phil]

I generally collect pre-WWII models. Mostly non-level winds.
Kentucky style reels by Pflueger, Horton, Montague, Heddon. No high end ones but maybe someday, if my unexpected ship should come in.
FW size Julius Vom Hofe.
Older Summits.
Skeleton fly reels. Meisselbach and the usual suspects.
Hard rubber fly reels by Pflueger, Montague, and one lonely Vom Hofe in #5 size.
I have a bunch of miscellaneous reels that I thought were cool or a good deal. I really enjoy cleaning up nasty German Silver reels. I have also picked up several nice Shimano reels since I got the book. I fish with 90's Calcuttas.

Phil

[gadabout]

I mostly collect reels that I would like to use at some time or another, although I'd have to quit my job to find the time to use all of them, LOL. The bulk of my collection consists of Shakespeare and Penn, but there's plenty of Pflueger, Mitchell, and others. I collect reels that I admire for one reason or another. I have no interest in rarieties, oddballs, one-of-a-kind reels, etc.

[Charged]

Basically anything that I can find cheaply, and has something different to it than what I already have. I like weird drags, unusual shapes or mechanics, and odd innovations. The reels age and condition is not much of a concern for me (as long as it works). What attracts me to them is the uniqueness of the design.

Here is a sample of some of the types of reels I tend to pick up.



In addition to some of the older reels (a few ABU's, Pflueger, Shakespere, Airex, Luxor. ext). I have picked up some later models such as the Okuma baitrunner, Abu Centerdrag and Cardinal, Zebco Bite alert and Depth Locator, Ryobi Dyna-Flight, (all pictured above). I'll pursue anything I find different or weird. With older reels 1/2 bails and such are always a plus. I think I just want to take them all apart, and see how they work.

Baitcasters, Flyreels, Rotating, Mooching, Spinning reels, Centerpins...ect. If the price is right, I'm an opportunist. My limit is usually 20$ tops, and most of the time less.

I'll never purchase the same reel twice, and am always looking for the next odd gadget to try and catch a fish on. I'm sure my collection isn't worth much, but for me it's entertainment. I like to fish with something different and enjoy applying the various methods. Sometimes that even means fishing with a deep sea reel in the local Midwestern neighborhood pond.

Much of my collection is older than what is pictured, but also consists of some of the more common readily available vintage items.

[1FSHNDAD]

1. What types/brands of reels do you collect?

I like to collect 50s, 60s and 70s fly reels to go with my fiberglass fly rods. I also like to collect Shakespeare Inglis reels as they were made close to home.

2. How old are the reels you collect?

Not that old unless I find something with good value in it, most of my stuff is from after the war untill the 70s.

DK

[reeltackle]

Great Post John...

I collect - BIG GAME FISHING REELS - "REELS AS BIG AS YOUR HEAD" - The really big, really early, really hard to find big game reels from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. I have been collecting big game reels since the 1985 and will pay top dollar for nice big game reels such as:

~ Kovalovsky ~ Fin-Nor ~ Knowles ~ Stead ~ Stevens ~ Lees ~ Mitchell-Henry ~ Hardy ~ Vom Hofe ~ Hoesel - Schauffler ~ Crawford ~ Coxe ~ Garey ~ Zwarg ~ Atalanta ~ Samson ~ Ohio Tool ~ Reels by unknown makers ~ and many more.

I also collect early high quality American fly reels such as:
~ Philbrook & Paine ~ Leonard ~ Vom Hofe ~ to name a few.

Ed Pritchard
AntiqueFishingReels.com
561-748-7508
561-818-1081

[Ron Mc]

If we can still play here
I mostly collect between-the-wars JW Young fly reels (and I have some postwar and just a few other makers including click-pawl Medalists).
Non-level-wind bait reels (odd mix of Pflueger, Shakespeare, Meek and Talbot) and also have a fondness for early, early level-wind.
For awhile had a small collection of half-bail spinning reels, and still have a few of those.
Mostly, I just have old reels that I prefer to fish.

[joe klaus]

I collect pflueger, shakespeare, penn, heddon and kentucky style. I like quality Julius Vom Hofe. I also accumulate reels that I think are quality---for whatever reason. I'm especially interested in boxes and paperwork. I'm not hung up on age of reel, per se, but not much interested in most that are post-1940---but most certainly are some exceptions.

[racoonbeast]

I only have two major criteria for my collection. Huge, and in mint condition. My secondary critera for my offshoot collection is super rare and documentable. That means salt water conventionals from the late thirties to the mid eighties. I have zero interest in any freshwater reel. That puts me in a minority here, but it is a minority that is growing. There is almost nothing written about my stuff, so thank God for ORCA and the wonderfully helpful people I have found here.

[Richard Lodge]

Wow, where to begin...
I started more than a decade ago collecting every old reel I found, mostly cheap but always "new" to me. I never spent much, haunted flea markets, yard sales and, more rarely, auctions. I didn't know much, probably bought a lot of reels for far more than I should have spent, then finally started getting educated and became a little more discerning about how I spent my money.
Now I love finding a Haywood reel, one of the somewhat rare, marked English reels made by this maker in the early to mid-1800s. I still love my skeleton fly reels, although it's a rare day that I find one I don't already have (pssstt... I'm still looking, so let me know what you have...)
So to answer John's excellent poll questions:
1. Haywood reels, skeleton fly reels and other reels that catch my eye
2. When it comes to Haywood reels, man, they are OLD, so age is definitely a factor. I think it's an amazing thing to hold a reel made by one person more than 150 years ago, something that served its first owner well, probably helped catch some nice fish and could still be used today, if I wasn't afraid I'd lose the reel overboard.
3. and I also "collect" fly reels by contemporary makers that are great to fish with: Peerless, David Robichaud (a N.H. reel maker who turned out a few wonderful reels before folding up shop), the skilled Swedish reelmaker Ingvar Nilsson, and probably more yet to be discovered, if I can afford them.
Richard Lodge
http://www.skeletonflyreels.weebly.com

[Chuck Gano]

MY COLLECTING CHANGES,RIGHT NOW ITS AMBASSADEUR, JOHNSON AND ANYTHING REALLY ODD, I SOLD A MASSIVE LURE COLLECTION BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL ISSUES AND HOPE TO GET BACK INTO IT SOON, ITS HARD TO BUY SOMETHING THE SECOND TIME.

[jim fritz]

I collect any reel that i can get my dirty little grub grabbers on. mostly mitchells and any level wind or non-level wind i find. living in wisconsin is a plus. lots of fisherman...

[Kelly L]

As far as conventional reels go, I collected what I thought was reliable, and looked good. I particularly love Abu Garcia reels made in Sweden. The Ambassadeur reels and Cardinals by them are my favorites. I love my Saros F though, it is the best spinning reel I have ever used. (not the new ones, and certainly not made in China ones) There are several Shimanos I love, both baitcaster, and spinning. The more durable, reliable, and in great condition, the better.
As far as fly reels go, I am particularly fond of Allen, and Orvis reels. Old Pflueggers, Medalists in particular are something I will be buying more of eventually. I want reliability, yet affordable all in one. I am also becoming obsessed with acquiring dependable vintage fly reels. I like well made reels. The more beautiful they are to me, the better. But the main thing is durability and price.
I have been fishing since I was about a 3 year old girl. I have been collecting tackle, and gear since my early twenties. Now I am 52, and the obsession has grown since I started fly fishing four years ago. I would imagine I have way more fishing stuff than any woman I know.

[chaynes12]

1. I like any type of vintage reel baitcasters or spinners.

2. Vintage lures

[robert ellis]

Welcome to the Club! chaynes12, well you found the right place to find, and learn about old reels and such ! but lately, for some unknown reason, nobody wants to come out and play, Rick H. a fellow member told me yesterday, which I agree on , said its like a morgue, or a library on Reel Talk lately maybe there all out fighting fires, or saving fish from dying, from the heat back East ? I'm hopeing things get back to normal soon, I need Reel Talk, or I will have to get out of my easy chair, a go do something !

[jerr-man]

1) I collect Talbot, Older Heddon's and Older Pflueger reels and any with "eye appeal".
2) Age is not a determining factor, however I do enjoy the craftsmanship of the older reels

[vjcoppola]

Hello all. I'm new here, this is my 1st post. I like all kinds of reels. Most of my collection was inherited from my grandfather. He had a store and did repairs so there' s lots of old stuff, some junk but some really nice ones too. I have alot of parts and hope to have them listed sometime this winter.

Right now I'm collecting my favorite spinner, Alcedo Microns. Could

[John Walker/SC]

reels built into the rod handle as far back as 1880s I will go-at the moment I only have to the late 1920s models in my collection but love everyone I have like a speckled puppy at Christmas!

I am very proud of my demostraters for both models of the Gentlemens Streamliners and prototype reels like my one of five Bemmers and my one of seven known OLT duck call reels

I will have them all displayed with my custom made stands at the November CATC show

[flathead1802]

I started collecting by accident when I happened across some old Penn reels like my uncle taught me to fish with back in the 50s. I like anything old but right now I am concentrating on pre-level wind salt water reels that aren't so valuable that I'm afraid to use them. I really like the big meaty trolling reels that I caught tons of Blue Fish with off Cape Cod as a kid.

[Reelholder]

Currently, I'm looking for german silver/BHR raised pillar reels. I really love his fly and bass raised pillar style reels. Kentucky reels will always make my heart beat faster.

[Wissmo]

Hello members, I've been using this site for information for quite a long time now and decided to join.

I'm quite eclectic in what I collect, and at this time use all the antique rods and reels to fish with. Some more carefully than others. In no way have a major collection as most of you dedicated folks, but would not feel out of place at the conventions.

If forced I would say all types of reels from the 1950s, just something about this time frame.

Like Mitchell Garc, but lately have expanded into Langley. Also am paying more attention to the old rods I pick up from time to time.

I do enjoy fishing with modern equipment as well.

What a great site!

[Dan Basore]

Paper on reels, lures, sports shows, manufacturers and boxes for reels and lures.

[Chuck Gano]

i started with u.s.a. made reels(johnson,zebco) and now im collecting euro. spinning reels, just like the styling of these reels especially the older ones, staro,thommen,and ofcourse the italian reels when i can afford them, i came to reels after a financial situation forced me to sell my extensive lure collection so i've been bouncing around from one to another, same thing i did with lures i never really had a favorite maker just what caught my eye until i had over 2000 lures, hope that doesnt happen with reels lol like phil i collect reels i can use also like the 35 or so ambassadeurs i have,dont use them all but i could, not really collector condition on most of them but i do have a lot of box's for them so its a collection i guess.

[Matt H]

I collect Dam Quick spinning reels,Edward vom Hofe,Penn Reels,and just about any other reel my wife will let me bring into the house

As far as age goes,I am partial to pre 1940 Penn Reels

Matt H

[Midway Tommy D]

I guess I started collecting reels around age 14/15 - '64/65 since I still have the old Zebco 33 chrome center band w/ converted front and back chrome covers and the Garcia Mitchell 304, both that my dad gave me to use as a kid, and the first reel I ever purchased, a Zebco Cardinal 6, bought new in 1970. That sucker was $42 back then, half my weekly paycheck! I still use the 304 for catfish in the creeks & Platte River and the Cardinal 6 for pike. My collecting obviously has been continuous ever since. I have never sold, or thrown away, any reel I have ever purchased. The inventory list is well over 300, with 22 that my wife and I use regularly. She loves to fish. Sometimes I think maybe more than me, especially when she wants to stay out on the lake after dark!

I collect open face spinning reels with a main focus towards ABU, ABU/Zebco and ABU/Garcia Cardinals. I have every version of the Zebco and ABU/Garcia Cardinals through the black 3,4,5 and green/cream Specials and most of the early ABUs and ABU/Cardinals from the 222 on, except for a 500 and a couple of boxed presentations. Anything US or European in nice condition for a cheap price is fair game for my display cabinets. I don't have much interest in the Asian made spinners unless they are really something unique or special, although I do have 1 each of recent China C3 & C33. I've got all the early Zebcos, including an unused 1970 in the box, and numerous other full sets such as Bronson, etc. Italian reels don't impress me that much since it seems like the paint and chrome plating have habit of readily flaking off, but I'll buy one if they are clean and the price is right, usually not though, I think they're generally over priced for what one gets. I've got all the Sportech & AM Classic IV's and actually use one on my main setup with a St. Croix Legend Elite rod. What a great walleye combo! I also have numerous Cardinal 3 & 4's that we regularly use for lake fishing.

Age is relative to the type since their major productions didn't really start occurring until after WW II and my better half says no overseas purchases. So o o .. basically 40's/50's through mid 80's, except for the Classic IV's.

High quality older reels are definitely tough to come by in the Omaha vicinity since most people around here were ultra conservative and didn't have much money to spend anyway. It makes finding a real quality reel that much more exciting and satisfying! Plus, out here in the Central Plains we still cut willow poles and tie braided chalk line on the end. not (only for catfish bank lines)

I love getting an old dirty, cruddy, gummed up, abused reel, tearing it down, cleaning it up, servicing it, putting it back together and hearing it sound, and feel, like new again to go catch fish for many more years to come! It's interesting and fun comparing the styles and quality of the different reel manufactures.

Thanks to Ben Wright for all his books, spin reel reports, unselfish sharing of his knowledge, answering my questions and basically being my mentor. Also, thanks to everyone here at ORCA for providing a great forum to share information about reels and collecting. Informed individuals make the entire hobby a better environment to participate in!

Tom DeLong, Omaha...halfway N/S & E/W hence: "Midway Tommy D"