2 for big reel fans

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colby sorrells
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2 for big reel fans

Post by colby sorrells »

Here's two for you big reel fans.
First is from the June 1943 Southern Sportsman magazine. The characters are Lum and Abner.




The second is the cover of April 1957 Western Sportsman. The inside caption reads "A Sila-Flex rod fitted with a Nep-Tuna cradle, Penn 6/0 reel and Western Squid Line combines to make one of the sweetest custom outfits a fisherman can own.



Keepin' It Fun!

Colby
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john elder
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Re: 2 for big reel fans

Post by john elder »

Nice 16/0 Type I Kovalovsky! Anyone recognize the littler feller?
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Specializing in saltwater reels...and fly reels...and oh, yeah, kentucky style reels.....and those tiny little RP reels.....oh, heck...i collect fishing reels!...and fly rods....and lures
TomHarwood
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Re: 2 for big reel fans

Post by TomHarwood »

Didn’t recognize the reel, little too pixilated, but it looks like it has a somewhat distinctive shaped hang tag, maybe someone recognizes?
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54bullseye
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Re: 2 for big reel fans

Post by 54bullseye »

I like the Nep-Tuna cradle with the Silaflex rod !! One of the most common rods to go with the Nep-Tuna's !!

Here is a 12/0 Penn in a Nep-Tuna cradle with a Silaflex rod !! Good post !
Thanks Colby !! John Taylor




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Brian F.
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Re: 2 for big reel fans

Post by Brian F. »

Thanks, Colby. I've never come across an ad or anything to date those frames, or at least I've not paid much attention. That's a bit earlier than I've always thought.
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Brian F.
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Got a spare reel stamped "Pflueger" or a Montague Imperial?
"Caution, objects in reel view mirror are older than they appear."
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john elder
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Re: 2 for big reel fans

Post by john elder »

Brian, note the (presumably) earlier shape of that cradle… looks a bit “flatter” than John’s or ones we used to play around with!

J
ORCA member since 1999
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Specializing in saltwater reels...and fly reels...and oh, yeah, kentucky style reels.....and those tiny little RP reels.....oh, heck...i collect fishing reels!...and fly rods....and lures
Nick in NY
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Re: 2 for big reel fans

Post by Nick in NY »

And along comes John!!!! NICE! Bet it looks good next to that Penn clock! Tight lines Nick n NY
Wanted Ultra rare salt water reels including big game as well as unknown rare surf reels!
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54bullseye
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Re: 2 for big reel fans

Post by 54bullseye »

Nick in NY wrote: Thu Dec 08, 2022 4:49 pm And along comes John!!!! NICE! Bet it looks good next to that Penn clock! Tight lines Nick n NY
This old thing ??
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m3040c
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Re: 2 for big reel fans

Post by m3040c »

Love the Kovalovsky.

The Nep-Tuna Western Sportsman cover photo is a fantastic find. Especially because of the date of the issue. Could very well be the origin of the Nep-Tuna cradles. The very early Nep-Tuna cradles were not anodized, and some did carry the Nep-Tuna sticker. The ferrule used in that cradle is a friction non-locking type, which were used on the early Cradle combination rod and reel rigs made by Nep-Tuna. That magazine cover is a great find for anyone that collects Nep-Tuna cradle rigs.

I suspect the cradle looks a bit flatter because of the size. The larger the cradle becomes, the flatter the top, front of the casting gets. here is a very early Nep-Tuna 12/0 Cradle handle assembly. I feel the cradle looks flatter than later models and the ferrule is also a non-locking friction type that will accept any rod tip that fits the female ferrule size.


This rig is about as early as you can get with a Nep-Tuna handle assembly. The Penn logo on the reel being used in the cradle is first generation 12/0.


The use of Sila-flex blanks for Nep-Tuna built rod and reel rigs was also very early. Sometime in the 1960's I feel they changed over to Lamiglas blanks for in house combination rigs.

Thank you very much for sharing that magazine cover and thank you John Taylor for the pictures of that great Nep-Tuna rig.
mike cass,,, if you can't collect it, it must be food
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