Dating Ocean City reels...

[WeeKilt]

I've really gotten badly "hooked" on collecting saltwater OC reels lately. I just love the look and feel of these reels, kind of like an old car you just love the look of and can't quit admiring. I've spent plenty of time on the OC Reels photo website which is fabulous, but am wondering if there is any definitive place to find dates on the reels I've collected and inherited over the years based on the models? Any thoughts or ponderings would be appreciated! Thanks!

Tight lines,
Keith in Arden

[wrong99]

It can be hard to pin down build dates on many of the OC models. Some models were built virtually unchanged for a decade or more. The original catalogs can tell you when a certain model was first offered or discontinued, but many of the lesser or more subtle changes in design and reel markings were never even noted in catalogs. Other than our awesome OC website, picking the brains of club members will get you more info than anywhere else, in many cases.
Mark

[54bullseye]

I've really gotten badly "hooked" on collecting saltwater OC reels lately. I just love the look and feel of these reels, kind of like an old car you just love the look of and can't quit admiring. I've spent plenty of time on the OC Reels photo website which is fabulous, but am wondering if there is any definitive place to find dates on the reels I've collected and inherited over the years based on the models? Any thoughts or ponderings would be appreciated! Thanks!

Tight lines,
Keith in Arden

I would get in touch with Jeff Johnson his email is on OC website. Very knowledgeable guy and ORCA member he will be able to help you out ! Other than that like Mark said old catalogs they are about the best ! Mike "m3040c" on ORCA also knows Ocean City reels very well maybe he can help. Good Luck !! John Taylor

[m3040c]

Sometime this year I am hoping my OC book gets published. It will have a running set of summaries that will take the reader from the first year of OC through 1957 (the last year that OC existed before True Temper took over). Every model's introduction year and the year it was discontinued according to the catalogs is represented in the summary flow. Knowing the year of a specific model depends on the features of that model. There is a trait concerning OC reels, I call it the "Confusion Aspect". If you study the model flow, you will see names of models appear, disappear and then appear again in the flow of years. In dating a particular reel, the dating process may be easy or not, depending on the reel. Some times the OC logic is not logical. IMHO
Having the catalogs is the best resource for reel dating. In the future I hope to be able to do source book with all the catalogs included in the book.

[Tightlines666]

Sometime this year I am hoping my OC book gets published. It will have a running set of summaries that will take the reader from the first year of OC through 1957 (the last year that OC existed before True Temper took over). Every model's introduction year and the year it was discontinued according to the catalogs is represented in the summary flow. Knowing the year of a specific model depends on the features of that model. There is a trait concerning OC reels, I call it the "Confusion Aspect". If you study the model flow, you will see names of models appear, disappear and then appear again in the flow of years. In dating a particular reel, the dating process may be easy or not, depending on the reel. Some times the OC logic is not logical. IMHO
Having the catalogs is the best resource for reel dating. In the future I hope to be able to do source book with all the catalogs included in the book.

Mike,

I can't wait. I am really looking forward to seeing your body of work in print.

John

[m3040c]

I can't wait. I am really looking forward to seeing your body of work in print.

John

Thanks John.

[Reeltyme]

Mike, Add my name to the "Sold one" list! Really looking forward to it!

Randy

[m3040c]

Mike, Add my name to the "Sold one" list! Really looking forward to it!

Randy

Thanks Randy!