A great week for Shakespeare tiny reels

[Chad S]

I was fortunate to be able to add 3 more Shakespeare narrow spool reels today.

A 40yd Standard, 40yd Professional and 60yd Professional!!

[Midway Tommy D]

Nice run! You better buy a lottery ticket!

[reelsmith.]

Sweet !!!!

Thanks for sharing those.

Dean.

[Paul M]

Your hard work paid off, Chad!

Paul M

[JoeW]

Beautiful, Chad! And I bet they purr like kittens when you spin them! Thanks for showing. Best--- JoeW

[john elder]

Plus 1!

[Ron Mc]

those are very nice - I'm a big fan of naughties-to-teens Shakespeare NLW.
I have two low-grade models in that size, a Leader and an Alamo, and even those are great reels.

No offense to Bad Bob, but the modest Leader will out-cast anything Enterprise offered before the war.
blue eyes, but I'm sure they're glass

My little Model HE 1740 Freespool Tournament amazes me - Of course I have 4-lb braided silk on it, but it will cast 1/8 oz with great distance, ease and control - tough to do in a modern baitcaster.

[oc1]

Chad, I've been wiping the drool off the screen ever since you posted that 40 yard Standard. Great find.

Thank you for that Ron. I have come across a 1740 and a 1744 with that two-tone silk line and have been wondering exactly what it was. Both were set up for tournament use and in both cases the line was pretty well degraded with only a pound or two of strength left. No way I could cast it without snapping.

One of my favorite small Shakespeare is an 80 yard Precision. It's rough to look at, but a gem to fish with. The diameter is small and about the same as a 1744 but it's not really a narrow spool. A 60 yard size would be perfect.




Please excuse the broken caveman rod. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

-steve

[Ron Mc]

hi Steve,
obviously, I bought my line as spooled and mint (there are line collectors who would choke me for putting it on the reel).
If you do get your silk lines (or vintage braided nylon lines) wet, you need a line winder to dry them at the end of the day. If you do that, they last indefinitely.
Also helps with laying down a new level wind on your spool after casting/fishing.

[Chad S]

That is a great picture of your set up with a fish to boot the water is not that clear up here in Illinois ever!

I have never fished with old reels or lures it looks like fun. Thank You for sharing your pictures!

[Chad S]

Here is my little Precision she is stamped 11641 as found and not polished my buddy Ed Armstrong found this at a flea market about 6 years ago.

[oc1]

That may be the reel of my dreams Chad. Sometimes a 40 yard reel is a little too small and the handle does not clear the knuckles when casting. But, that one is just perfect.

Are those serial numbers on the Precision?

Ron, nylon does not need to be dried to protect the line. Just the natural fibers; cotton, flax/linen, silk. Nylon and Dacron can still corrode a spool though if left on the reel wet.
-steve

[Ron Mc]

it needs to dry to prevent mildew - to not become a biohazard
I'm a metallurgist, licensed PE and corrosion engineer

[Chad S]

Yes the last two digits are 41 which designates to a Precision reel