Introduction

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Fri May 31, 2019 2:48 am

Hi folks-

My name is Skip and I've just joined the forum. I've visited a few times before looking for information.

I fished a lot as a kid. I remember my first time fishing, at a small lake where a friend of my father had a house. My father cut a willow branch, tied on some black dacron line and a hook with a bottle cork for a bobber. I caught a lot of bluegill on pieces of nightcrawler dug from the garden that day. My first rod and reel of my own I won in a drawing at the local IGA, a glass rod and spinning reel. I caught a lot of crappie on that rig. I grew up in a small resort town on a 900 acre lake so I had plenty of places to fish. But I stopped when I was in high school, then I was in college and law school. Pretty busy as a young lawyer but got the urge to go back to some of the old fishing holes in my 30s and started fishing again. I've been at it ever since.

I fish mostly for bluegill and crappie, largemouth, wipers and catfish. When I got back into fishing I used mostly the familiar spinning reels but I learned to use baitcasters and began using underspins on ultralight rods for panfish. I took a lot of crappies with my first real ultralight setup, a Daiwa US40 on a 6 1/2 foot Eagle Claw Featherlight. As time went on I started using light tackle for most of my fishing, enjoying the challenge of catching bigger fish on light tackle.

I'm 66 now and retired. Fairly recently I became interested in some of the older tackle and reels I used or remember being used in my youth. I think what got me started down this path was remembering using a Shakespeare Wondereel as a kid at a fishing lodge in Canada. This was the old style spincaster with the short foot that mounted on the back of the rod like a fly reel. The rig was in a canoe by the shore that belonged to the owner's son and he had told me I could use it anytime. I remember puzzling out how the reel worked and casting small spoons with it, catching rock bass, smallmouth and hammer handle pike. I started picking up older reels, nice clean ones to collect and others that needed work, cleaning them up and repairing them. Now I do some of my fishing with the old stuff for the sheer pleasure of it.

I've been a hunter and shooter most of my life, have accumulated quite a number of guns and have a large collection of gun books. I'm a hobby gunsmith. Early in my life I raced motorcycles and was trained as a motorcycle mechanic, making my living that way at times when I was in college. So I have some familiarity with the process of working on mechanical stuff. I also know what it is to be a collector. Gun collectors and book collectors are some of the most AR people on the planet when it comes to condition and rarity and I have no doubt there are plenty of reel collectors in the same category.

I'm certainly not in that league when it comes to reels and fishing tackle, I'm just a casual collector of the stuff I'm interested in, mostly underspins, spinning reels, rods, lures and tackle from the '50s -70s.

Anyway, I'm glad to be here and look forward to sharing what little I know and soaking up some of the knowledge I've seen people share on this forum.

Post by **Brian F.** » Fri May 31, 2019 4:42 am

Welcome, Skip. If it seems a bit quiet around here, it's because a lot of people are in Tulsa at ORCA's National Convention. I think you'll find lots of helpful information and overall a great bunch of people here on Reel Talk. Might even consider joining ORCA for the endless resources available in terms of Reel News articles and first class reel/tackle library.

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Fri May 31, 2019 5:02 am

Brian-

Thanks for the welcome. I read about the annual convention. The big Wannenmacher's gun show is in Tulsa, I've been to it a couple of times. Wish I could have gone to the ORCA convention, judging by what I read it's a good time.

Skip

Post by **john elder** » Fri May 31, 2019 6:17 am

Welcome, Skip! Yes, you missed a great show here in Tulsa... still going on through saturday and lots of fun and reels! The auction yesterday was a great success and an excellent opportunity to pick up lots of collectable tackle from about every maker. As your collecting expands, be sure and share what directions you take and there will no doubt be other boarders than can help you make nice adds!

John

Jonathan P. Kring · Post by **Jonathan P. Kring** » Fri May 31, 2019 6:30 am

Welcome aboard. Many fine folks. I have many people in the club I consider to be good friends, but have never met face to face. At 73, I have begun trying to downsize. Fun hobby and very addictive. Enjoy!

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Fri May 31, 2019 7:54 am

Welcome! We all look forward to your contributions/questions/comments! Love those Shakespeare Wondereels. What a fun reel.

-- Dr. Todd

Midway Tommy D · Post by **Midway Tommy D** » Fri May 31, 2019 12:07 pm

Welcome, Skip. There's an awful lot of great information to be found here via the advanced search feature at the top right hand portion of the page. There are a lot of friendly helpful folk here, too.

I think you'll enjoy your time spent here.

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Fri May 31, 2019 7:55 pm

John-

Thanks for the welcome. I've been reading some of the threads and have some things I want to say and some questions. Looking forward to it.

Skip

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Fri May 31, 2019 7:59 pm

Jonathan-

Thanks for the welcome. You're relatively close to me, I'm in southern Lake Co. in NW Indiana. Worked some in Indy so I know the town somewhat. Hope to make some new friends here myself.

Skip

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Fri May 31, 2019 8:03 pm

Dr. Todd-

Thanks for the welcome. I really like the the short foot Wondereels. I've acquired several and am putting them in good order to use them. It's been over 50 years since I used one.

Skip

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Fri May 31, 2019 8:07 pm

Tom-

Thanks for the welcome. I've been lurking a few times and reading threads so I know there are some friendly and helpful people on the board and a lot of good information available. Looking forward to participating in the discussions.

Skip

kyreels · Post by **kyreels** » Fri May 31, 2019 11:04 pm

Welcome Skip, from the Tulsa National.

The show has been great, really fun to meet old friends and make new ones. I acquired at least 5 Shakespeare reels, many of which I will cast in the near future. I am not certain, but think that they make up the majority of casting accuracy tournament reels in use. I am certain they are a great reel for our antique casting tournament at the National.

Hope you continue to find Orca interesting and I would encourage you to join as a full member. I would personally like to invite you to Frankfort, Kentucky for our 2020 National convention. Thanks for joining Reeltalk.

Mike N · Post by **Mike N** » Fri May 31, 2019 11:17 pm

Glad to have you aboard, Skip.

Mike N

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Fri May 31, 2019 11:21 pm

Thanks for the welcome, Mark.

If the 2020 convention is in Frankfort I might be able to attend.

Definitely closer to me than Tulsa!

Skip

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Fri May 31, 2019 11:23 pm

Mike N-

Thanks for the welcome. Looking forward to having some fun and learning a few things here.

Skip

joe klaus · Post by **joe klaus** » Sun Jun 02, 2019 7:53 am

Glad to have you onboard Skip.

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Sun Jun 02, 2019 6:26 pm

Thanks Joe.

Glad to be here.

Skip

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