For Fishing Purposes...

[Paul Roberts]

Strikes me, having not yet fished with an antique reel, that retrieve speed is going to be the major limitation, compared to modern tackle and techniques. Is there an old reel (pre-Ambassadeur) that offers more ipt (inches per turn)? The ones I have give about 16ipt. 20+ would be much better.

I picked up a Hercules 1966 that, by geusstimate calcuation (spool circumference and 3:1), should break 20". Not sure whether it'll cast though. Might end up doing some more serious super-tuning with it to get the most out of it.

Thoughts?

[Jim Schottenham]

Is there an old reel (pre-Ambassadeur) that offers more ipt (inches per turn)?

Yep, quite a few in fact, going way back to the 1800's, with a 10:1 retrieve ratio on the America Reel Co. ball handle reels. The Carlton/Rochester reels featured a 9:1 or a mere 4:1 ratio just after 1900. If you can find a free-spool version of the Carlton/Rochester reel, that'd be the one to cast with. Not sure I'd want to cast with the any of these American Reel Co. models.

[Paul Roberts]

LOL, of course it's been done, and 100+ years ago. That's some fun history there. Just saw a Carlton/Rochester 9 multiplier on Ron Gast's site. Nice looking reel, and sports a sliding handle for different lengths.

[Steve]

Capt. Thomas Williamson recommended a 9-fold multiplier in 1808, a mere three-quarters of a century before the American Reel Co. existed.

[Paul Roberts]

OK... update...
The Hercules 1966 I bought -a gorgeous reel in VGC (for $20)- lubed up, and broke in, nicely. It does indeed give 21ipt with a full spool. It's a very large reel, meant essentially for heavy freshwater trolling. I filled it with kite string for temporary backing and put 45yrds of 50# PE braid and put it onto a 1980's Fenwick TriggerStick, a mod action MH/H I used for musky. And I took that Herc casting!

OK, it wasn't likely meant to be a casting reel, but it is so smooth and quiet, and spins so well, and has a proportionally narrow spool, I thought I'd give it a shot. I used a 1oz. bank sinker and it took some time to get the hang of it. It offered a great demonstration of inertia! Start-up and slow-down were the issues to deal with. No snap-casting -load that moderate rod- and stop that spool when the cast starts to slow down. A backlash could almost wrench the outfit from my hand! Once I got that inertia under control I could get 100ft casts with that 1oz weight, similar to what my small reels will do with 1/2 or 3/8oz weights. The Herc doesn't quite pitch very well, due to start-up inertia. I can pitch 30ft with it, but not without some risk. And I doubt 3/4oz would be enough to get things rolling.

I'm keeping this reel. Too pretty, and too nicely made. I may attempt some fishing with it, maybe large plugs and swimbaits. Perhaps some deep-water pitching?

[Ron Mc]

I think you found out every Shakespeare was intended to cast.

[Paul Roberts]

Getting there! And learning a lot along the way. What fun.

[john elder]

Paul, those are extremely well made, quality reels and i think the only reason they don’t get more respect is that a lot of them were made so not rare. Nice score!
J

[Paul Roberts]

Hi, John. I'm new to the old reel world, so this is the first one I'd seen. And it's in such nice -excellent- condition. I guess, to my inexperienced eye, I'd call it A8/M9. It's a keeper. Will be neat if I can use it for some fishing too.