1960's Orvis Bamboo Spinning Rod...What Reel?

[skep]

I recently acquired a seven foot Orvis bamboo spinning rod from the 60's, on eBay. It's marked "medium spinning" Last night, I took it down to my pier on the Severn River in Maryland to try it out. I used a variety of medium weight modern reels. Nice rod. It's not in the same league, performance-wise, with current top-end stuff; but, I gotta tell ya, it holds its own! And more important, I really enjoyed it.

I caught a couple of large White Perch and a just legal rock (local name for Striped Bass) in about thirty minutes of casting. Delightful.

Now, I've never purchased a reel to match an old rod. Should I look around for something from the same era? Or should I just find something current I like?

Any recomendations?

[Tom E.]

I also struggle with this problem. Strongly feel rod needs matching period reel, but choices not all that great. Clicks drive me nuts and lack of smoothness also sometimes frustrating. With casting reels not a problem, because they can be tuned so well.

Recommendations? Mitchell 300's or 308s sort of the standard from the 60's, but there are also some pretty good Heddon's (green ones's), Tougher to find, but pretty smooth are Horricks and Ibbotson's.

But having said all that the only choice is the Orvis 50 or 100. You can find them on ebay now and then.

[gadabout]

Skep,

I've got the 1960's Orvis catalogs. In the 1967 catalog, the 7' medium spinning rod has the following specs:

Weight: 4 5/8 oz.
Lure range: 3/8 to 5/8 oz.

The recommended matching reel in this catalog is the Orvis 150A. I would also consider a Mitchell 300 or a Cardinal 4.

[skep]

I think I get it: buy an Orvis 150 for show (who knows, it might be a great real!) and use whatever works when terrorizing my local rocks in a feeding frenzy!

Thanks!

[SWIM JIG]

cool-thumb USA Skep, do you know where WEEMS Creak comes into the Severn River? well where it bends into the Severn, check out that weed bed! Some Dandy yellow pearch, and a few (ROCKS) when the tide is going out! How do i know? we used to fish it all the time! Do you remember the garage called (Lorens Engine Works) my uncle Amos Lorens had that, also give a call to My cousin Tom DARDEN, 1-410-286-3073) his address is 304 Garden Lane Annapolis Maryland 21403) he is the Chief photograper for the State Of Maryland! Tell him he owes His cousin Col. milton Lorens a visit up here in Amherst Ohio! Darn this world is small! Do you recall the rail bridge they took out some years back! yup fishing and Crabing was fantastic! Again for gen use, the Zebco Cardinal 4 will hold anthing in the Severn river! you will like the rear drag on it! Enjoy that nice rod! your Ohio conecton on Lake ERIE , Col. M. Lorens aka SWIM JIG

[Ron Mc]

best spinning reel I've ever had my hands on is Hardy Altex No. 2 Mk V.
I fish one on 6-1/2' Arjon cane - medium freshwater.
I have a few good Mitchells, and next to the Altex, the best of them feels like a jackhammer.

I would recommend the MkV because it has anti-reverse and the older reels don't. If you can find a good one for under $120, you've scored.

You could also do well with the larger No. 3 size.

[SWIM JIG]

cool-thumb USA Ron, when did Mitchel ever make a Quite reel? all of them sound like a worn out egg beater! As for the Hardy? nice reel, however parts are a bit hard to find, remeber , he is fishing in semi Salt water! , I stll say the Zebco Cardinal 4 is about the best and quitest reel for (dummys) like me to use, and parts are easy to find! and they are a quit reel, has dual bail springs and will stop a 15 lb Rock in its tracks! or if he wants a larger reel go to the Zebco Cardinal 6x or 7x the x is for salt water! at least a 40 inch eal wont tear up even the #4 , now Ive opened a can of (BLOOd WORMS)ha ha ! Ron You have to fish that river to understand whats in it! Your ohio Conection On lake ERIE, and Homesick for the Severn River days, Col. Milton Lorens aka SWIM JIG

[skep]

Say Ron and Milton! Thanks for the tips. I'm looking forward to trying out all the good stuff you recommend.

As for the stuff in the Severn, it's one of those things you've got to do to know. I dug around in my clutch pile last night and found an old Daiwa 7000. I remember buying it new in the box (still has the box!) in 1970 something. It's a bit big for the rod, but I took it down to the pier anyhow.

Boys heading out for the big water assured me the rockfish never got this far up the Severn... Nice thing about being an old guy, you can be reel stupid. I nodded and told 'em I was just playing with the reel.

Well, I doubt if I changed the line on the reel since the last time it was used. And that would have been at least twenty years ago.

Anyhow, I tied on a Black and White Daredevil big enough to hang hogs, and had at it.

Now you know how crazy fish get in the Fall. All of 'em trying as hard as they ever can to fatten up for the hard times to come. Well, those White Perch just wouldn't leave my lure alone. And it half as long as they were! I gave it twenty minutes or so, and was about to head in, when I glanced at the lure as it came up six feet below me: SMACK.

And it was a rockfish. A very big rock.

Well the rod bend the better part of double before the drag figured out it was supposed to give way. And it did; for about two hundred yards.

I reached in and gave it a twist.

POP.

Who knew?

[john elder]

sigh...how many times have we "reached in and gave it a twist" with the same outcome! You'd think we'd learn. Oh, well, you now have created a memory that is probably twice as good as if you brought him in...he's free to continue to grow..and grow

[piscesman]

Sorry to hear about the fish. But as Harvey always says" fish are too important to lose just once"... I should know because I'm the king around here!
Kim

[SWIM JIG]

cool-thumb yay-banana USA , Ok SKEP, those wave skippers like the BAY, however to get the realy big ones they need to go to OCEAN CITY MD. I dont recomend that just yet!ha ha ! So they dont go into the river? Well Now, be glad they are that stupid, that leaves more fish for you! And if you want a real thril, Try the South River when the Rocks RUN, I have seen some 30 lb. and larger taken out of that river, However they use BIG PENN Senators for that! Also , to have some fun try SPAW CREEK! they go up in there to feed on peeler crabs! ( on your reel go find a ZEBCO CARDINAL 4 or a larger 6X, get some 30 lb POWER PRO Line , it wont break or stretch, The dark green or gray will do just fine, YUP! that Black and White DARE
deville will do just fine or--- a blue and white works around dusk! as for Power Pro Line 30lb test is only 8lb dia. If the local stores dont have it, Call 1-800-650-8003) Now the next fish in the medium size you get 20-30lb range place a photo of it on this site! Again I am a wee bit homesick! Your ohio Conection on Lake Erie Col. M. Lorens aka SWIM JIG ! DONT BREAK THE ROD!

[Ron Mc]

you know me, Milt, I baby my reels. I fished my Altex with the girls one night this summer, catching croaker after croaker on a city park pier in Corpus. I treated it very nice when I got it home.
Of course, I also catch bass on a Tonka Princess, and a 44" king mackerel on a Sage RPLX-7.

The only reels that you can fish in salt and put away without giving them attention (and expecting them to work next time you pick them up) are Penns. (And I admit it's not recommended.) There's a thought - a Penn Spinfisher.

[skep]

You guys!

Here you tell me all about the reels I ought to look at and then you bid 'em right up there on eBay. I ask you, is eBay worth a thousand garage sales, or what?

I was wondering about the Penn. I've used their trolling reels forever; like Milt says, they hold up against salt. Unfortunately, there's no getting around the zillion yards of monel and lbs and lbs of lead that goes with 'em. I mean, the first time I hauled the last fifty feet of thirty pound leader in hand over hand (on account of how that's where the weight is rigged), I wondered if it was really fishin' at all.

Shall I tell you what the 18lb Blue on the other end of the apparatus had to say about that when he got close enough to realize there might be a problem here!

But seriously, it's not the same as running a down-rigger in the Great Lakes. Monel and lead takes some of the joy right out of it.

That's why I like casting to those big slammers when they're working the bait fish. It's a little like stalking a rising trout; maybe more like flats fishing. When the Bay's flat, I'll paddle out in my canoe and chase the flocks of seagulls. Now that's action.

Anyhow, go ahead and bid reels right up!