Here's a reel that tickled my oddball meter and I had to have it. The seller claimed it was patented in 1946. Stamped "Tempo" and "Made in Switzerland"
When the lever is pumped with the friction drag backed off, the reel spins like a top. The American made semi-auto reels that I have only give a few turns when activated but this one spins like a center pin reel. Another curious aspect is that the retrieve brings the line in over the top of the arbor if the reel is mounted "rings down" - something that I noticed about the French Maginot reels also. Is/ was this a European thing that has fallen out of favor?
Any information you might know about this reel would be greatly appreciated.
WW,
Although it's not a PK Re-Treeve-it, this styl;e of automatics found favor back in the 1950; in fact Ocean Cityand Bronson had crank style semi - automatics. I think it's a very cool design.
Flash forward today, and you'll see European versions of these in use. Folks who need assistance for retrieving line or kayakers will see benefit in these reels.
An angler who goes by Bill0215 travels all over the boroughs in NYC fishing locals lakes and ponds uses the Vivareli: http://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/ ... reply-4428
Tis surprising how many variations of a "semi-automatics" are out there. Chicago Reel had the Fly Champ, P&K the Re-Treev-It line, Vivarelli is probably the top end and Day Mfg. made one with about a 6 or 7 Inch Trigger shaft. Apparently I gotta do some more "odd-ball shopping" and find a TEMPO! Thanks WW!
Thanks guys! I actually have examples of the P&K and Champion reels. As for the Vivarelli it's a little "too new" and out of my price range!
I've enjoyed Bill's posts about his NYC fishing!
The main differences between those and this one is that it brings the line in over the top of the arbor and that it will spin for an extended period when the lever handle is used.
The seller indicated the reel was made in 1946 - although I have no idea how he came up with this...
A company called Sneed also made a neat looking semi-automatic, but they seem pretty hard to come by!! I had not heard about the one made by Day Mfg, nor did I know that Bronson made a semi-automatic. Any further information on these two reels would be appreciated.
Not so sure about the "semi-automatic" purportedly made by Bronson. I don't think they made one. But they definitely had a couple of automatics (pics attached). I had a Day Mfg. semi-auto, that I sold some time ago and apparently neglected to save pictures of it. Strange little reel & weak in the quality department. I beleive it was made in Salt Lake City and the model was known as the "Alpine".
I still have my Sneed reel though. It's a great piece, not good quality but really good in the unusual and novelty department. I tossed in another "odd-ball" for posterity....the DAM Electreel. High quality and really hard to find. Can't really call it a semi-automatic though.
