An interesting thread on Classic Fly Rod forum...

[Mike N]

It mutated into a thread about the enameled silk line capacity of an 1880 No. 1 Kentucky reel...

http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/vie ... 0&t=130850

[bettybarr]

I have been reeling with my right hand since 1958 or so. Why? (As the guy on the thread said) ‘cause my Dad did! I just never found it a disadvantage to switch the rod to my left hand after I cast. Besides, I am worthless with my left hand. As a dentist, it is the appendage you use to hold the mirror.

[Mike N]

Some updated data on whether a tiny No. 1 Kentucky reel could “store” a sufficient quantity of the the 1890s braided silk enameled fly line to be usable for Dr. Henshall’s version of fly-fishing, as JL Sage did with his click reel. Thanks to Ron Gast for several measurements and Royce Stearns for the mathematical calculation:



With help from Ron Gast, ORCA President and website owner of luresnreels.com:

Here are the spool lengths and diameters. All are a little different.

Meek &. Milam No. 1 (numbered screws) : 1 15/32 x 1 3/8

Meek & Milam No.1 (No numbers) : 1 7/16 x 1 1/8

BC Milam No. 1 : 1 5/16 x 1 ¼

BF Meek No. 1 : 1 3/8 x 1 1/8

__________________________________

Roycestearns wrote:

Here's the first test wound by hand (PITA), with medium hard cotton, cable twisted, no finish
.04 diameter
1/4 arbor
1 1/2 wide
16 yards/48ft wound side by side measures out to approx 1.79" in dia.

Calculated it comes out 17.9 yards = (1.5+.25)*(1.5)*(1.5)*(0.2618)/(.04)

Here's the calculation
Line length = (H+B)*(H)*(T)*(0.2618)/(L*L)
H= portion of spool flange to be used
T= Traverse across arbor
B= Arbor diameter
L= Line diameter

Using the max size #1 reel spool of 1.5 X 1.375 and perfect level wind on the spool
the calculated length would be

Braided silk, finish - BL oil and varnish
5wt .035 = 19.9 yards
6wt .042 = 13.8 yards
7wt .050 = 9.8 yards

Linen: (no finish) Hall's cable laid linen measures out to .026 = 36 yards

It appears you would need a fly line that was similar to the Halls cable laid linen to get a random wound fly line (75-90ft) on a #1. with finish, a .026 line is estimated to be a 2-3wt


____________________________
Very interesting, Royce. If you assume one had to leave at least 2-3 yards of the old braided silk line with oil and varnish finish on the tiny No.1 Kentucky reel as backing on the spool, a cast of 10-15 yards (30-45’) including a 9’ bamboo rod would still be possible. That’s plenty for most Kentucky streams I’m familiar with that hold trout or ponds that holds black bass.


Mike N.
Honorary Life Member, ORCA
Member, NFLCC & FATC
Vintage Orvis collector

[bettybarr]

Great information and very interesting calculations. You could certainly fish the Elkhorn with a No 1. I bet Sage did.

[Jim Schottenham]

No need to cast very far, as shown in this short film of a Brook Trout Angler:

Brook Trout Fishing circa 1900

So, I'd say the limited amount of line on such a small Kentucky reel would be good for small stream fishing.

[Mike N]

No need to cast very far, as shown in this short film of a Brook Trout Angler:

Brook Trout Fishing circa 1900

So, I'd say the limited amount of line on such a small Kentucky reel would be good for small stream fishing.

Great find, James.

Of course, now I want to know more about that landing net the guy used....

Mike

[Robin Sayler]

Thats a great video! Thanks for sharing

[bettybarr]

We just came back from dinner with my 97 year old cousin who grew up on a farm on the Elkhorn Creek in Frankfort. As a teen, he and his dad fished the Elkhorn. He used a No. 3 B.C. Milam and his dad used a No. 1 Meek and Milam. Don and I have both of their reels that we restored. Colonel Gray (Marine combat pilot in WWII, Korea and Vietnam) said they would use steel back minnows caught with a seine. His dad, standing on the bank, easily cast the Meek & Milam No. 1 to the middle of the stream. Afterwards they always strung the line from the hen house to the house to let it dry overnight.

[leland99]

a great thread. Betty thanks for the colorful family history! Bryce