Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

[Mike N]

The 9th known Jack Welch tournament reel (serial no. 76) with its rare box just sold to a well known reel collector and long time ORCA member. Below is the updated list.


KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (32 now reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?):

I. Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (9): #13, 22, 25, 29, 33, 60, 67, 76,77

II. Wide spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (2): #54, 279

III. Level-wind reels (21) # 0103, 0121,0127, 0129,0133, 0153, 0171, 188, 192, 237, 238, 243, 250, 252,264,
266, 267, 275, 298, 316, 346

[colby sorrells]

Mike,
Please add reel number 0120 to the list. Levelwind reel. Has correct box and insert. Keepin' It Fun! Colby

[Mike N]

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (33 now reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?):

I. Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (9): #13, 22, 25, 29, 33, 60, 67, 76,77

II. Wide spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (2): #54, 279

III. Level-wind reels (22) # 0103, 0120, 0121,0127, 0129,0133, 0153, 0171, 188, 192, 237, 238, 243, 250, 252,264,
266, 267, 275, 298, 316, 346

[colby sorrells]

Mike,
Please add Narrow Spool reels 18, 70, 75, and Levelwind 270.

Every one counts.

Keepin' It Fun!

Colby

[Bill Muth]

I recently picked up a Welch level wind reel, sn 299.

[Reel Addictive]

Hello Mike, my Welch is #307. Normal spool as you'd expect with your data set.

William

[Mike N]

Updated 9/25/24

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (39 now reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?):

I. Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (12): #13,18, 22, 25, 29, 33, 60, 67, 70, 75, 76,77

II. Wide spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (2): #54, 279

III. Level-wind reels (25) # 0103, 0120, 0121,0127, 0129,0133, 0153, 0171, 188, 192, 237, 238, 243, 250, 252,264,
266, 267, 270, 275, 298, 299, 307, 316, 346

[Mike N]

Hello Mike, my Welch is #307. Normal spool as you'd expect with your data set.

William

William, I assume by “normal spool” you meant level wind and added it above. Let me know if this is not correct and I will fix the new data. Thx.

Mike

[colby sorrells]

Mike,
Don't forget the 4 I added above. All belong to one long time reel collector. Thanks. Colby

[Mike N]

Mike,
Don't forget the 4 I added above. All belong to one long time reel collector. Thanks. Colby

Sorry, I missed that, Colby. The numbers are amended now above. Thanks.

Mike

[Reel Addictive]

Hey Mike,
Yes, level-wind. Sorry for the bad terminology.
Love seeing this data set grow.

William

[Mike N]

Updated 11/19/24

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (44 now reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?):

I. Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (13): #13,18, 22, 25, 29, 33, 60, 67, 68, 70, 75, 76,77

II. Wide spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (2): #54, 279

III. Level-wind reels (29) # 0103, 0120, 0121,0127, 0129,0133, 0153, 0161, 0171, 188, 192, 0233, 237, 238, 243, 250, 252,264, 266, 267, 270, 275, 298, 299, 0304, 307, 316, 337, and 346

[colby sorrells]

Mike,
Please add 68, narrow spool and 0161, 0233, 0304 all levelwinds to the list.

Keepin' It Fun!

Colby

[RonG]

Hey Colby,

Do you have any photos of the reels? I'm interested in seeing photos looking for any differences in these reels.

[Mike N]

Mike,
Please add 68, narrow spool and 0161, 0233, 0304 all levelwinds to the list.

Keepin' It Fun!

Colby

Thanks, Colby. The list is updated above. Cool club project.

Mike

[RonG]

Has anyone seen a left-handed Welch reel? If so, please post photos.

[Mike N]

I have never seen a left handed Jack Welch, Ron.

For anyone interested, numbers 60, 237 and 266 are currently listed by two separate sellers on eBay.

Mike

[colby sorrells]

Mike,
Please add 285 levelwind. From eBay listing and Jim Akers. Keepin' It Fun! Colby

[colby sorrells]

Mike,
Please add serial number 195 levelwind. Thanks. Colby

[hughess111]

I have two WELCH, JACK reels, but I can only find one in my 2300 reels. Most are in order that I acquired them. The one I found has S# ... 01176 .... I know I have one more because I have them in order in a handheld data device. Send this email on if needed. Spurgeon, Butch Hughes. Thanks.
In my first email I made a mistake in the S# 0176 ...This is right. I am new to ORCA Online. Butch

[Mike N]

Updated 3/2/25

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (58 now reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?):

I. Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (14): #13,18, 22, 25, 29, 33,44, 60, 67, 68, 70, 75, 76,77

II. Wide spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (2): #54, 279

III. Level-wind reels (42) # 0101, 0103, 0120, 0121,0127, 0129,0133, 0152LH, 0153, 0161, 0170, 0171, 0176, 179, 188, 192, 195, 201, 203,206, 230,0233, 237, 238, 240, 243, 250, 252,264, 266, 267, 270, 275, 285, 298, 299, 0304, 307, 316, 337, 345, and 346[/b]

[colby sorrells]

Mike,
Please add the following Welch reels: from long time collector

44 narrow spool non-level winding
0152 Left Hand LW
0170 LW
179 LW
201 LW
203 LW
206 LW
230 LW
345 LW

Looks like that give us 57 to date. GREAT!!!!

Keepin' It Fun!

Colby

[Terry Battisti]

Damn, this is just too cool the way everyone is working together to build this history.

[Midway Tommy D]

It would be even better for the long term if each of the # examples included a pic for supporting provenance.

[colby sorrells]

Tommy and everyone else,
Different tackle collectors have contacted me about their Welch reels. Some have provided photos and some have not. Everyone that has responded to my request in The Reel News has either included a photo or the reels have been from a very well known collector. I feel very comfortable with the results that have been published here on Reel Talk. My guess is we are about at the end of known Welch reels. I am very thankful everyone has decided to participate in this accumulation of Welch reel serial numbers. I think it truly gives us a glimpse of the surviving Welch reels BUT it is no way all that have survived. I'm just glad the folks that have responded still have these wonderful reels.

Welch was an interesting fellow and like with a lot of old tackle, legends have been created about him. Sometimes the supported documentation is different from the legend.

Matt Wickham's book includes a well researched account of Jack Welch and his reels. This effort to accumulate the known serial numbers simply adds to this account.

Keepin' It Fun!

Colby