Is anyone familiar with this reel winding attachment?

[michael anderson]

It's attached to a Plueger Rocket. No markings of any kind that I can find. Any idea of circa or maker? Oh, and I'm not smart enough to figure out how it works either ... can anyone help an intellectually challenged person with this? Thanks!

[Steve]

Wonderful gizmo. It looks as if it converts the reel to an automatic. Presumably, you'd wind the spring with that brown cap, probably release it with the lever on top to "crank" the reel. That other rim thing may be an adjustable brake. (Or vice-versa)

Something like that could be handy for setting a hook while trolling, for giving a one-handed fisherman some help with retrieve, or whatever. There have been lots of electric motors added to reels, but I've never seen a device like this. Dating the reel might be easier than dating the gizmo, but the maker could be a problem unless someone recognizes it.

[Brian F.]

Bravo for finding something like this, Mike. Even more amazing is that it looks like a perfect fit, maybe made specifically for the Rocket? Most after market gizmos are purely meant to bolt on but this thing fits like a glove. It does look like one of those automatic flyreels.

[Jim Madden]

Cool, Mike. I don't see how it can engage the spool, though, unless it's made for the Rocket. It seems to have the right size cutout for a Pflueger level wind assembly too. Could you possible just take the end cap off and force this thing on so that it grabs the spool end? It doesn't seem feasable. I'd love to play with that thing! You didn't find that under my nose at the nationals, did you? Jim Madden

[Harvey]

That is neat! In fact, the neatest thing I have seen since the Rubber Reel Lady made The Geezer a toupe out of that beaver pelt! TAKE IT APART! TAKE IT APART! We all want to see how it works.
"H"

PS: I want one!

[RAM]

Amazing dodad. Hope it was for some handicapped angler. The original owner could have bought an Autopla, however, which would accomplish much of the same thing. Just pump the rod and drop it forward-the line automatically rewound. All such gadgets seemed unnecessary to me for the average angler. Rewinding a few feet of fly line (even using a bit of care to wind it level) never seemed too much trouble to me. Never saw such a thing as that. Great find! Bad Bob

[john elder]

a word of caution before you follow Harvey's advice...if we are all correct in the assumption that the brown piece acts like the winder on an automatic fly reel, there is a big-A spring under there that can turn into quite an environmental enrichment toy if released...give it a crank and see if it puts tension on a spring underneath...and if you then throw that lever on top to let it go, keep your knuckles away from the crank...if it's in gear, it's going to spin at some ugly speed, me thinks!

[Richard Lodge]

The Reel Geezer has a toupe? I thought that was all natural. What a disappointment, Harvey!

[Reel Geezer]

For many years my toupe has been a cap. Now you have the Rubber Reel Lady snipping away at Bert gathering his nice wavy brown hair planning to make a toupe. There was a roadkill skunk down the road yesterday. I hope his tail isn't missing. See what you started, Harvey.

[michael anderson]

I have had this for a couple of years now. About every 6 months I pick it up with the intention of disassembling it to see how it works, then I chicken out for the reason John mentions in his post. I'm afraid parts will go flying everywhere and I'll never get it together again. If somebody on this board has seen one and disassembled it, at least I would have a source to contact for reassembly! Thanks for all your thoughts guys, I'll think real hard on it this time, and if I DO take it apart, I'll post some pics.

[Ron Mc]

it looks like it could come right off a Martin auto.
lever on the left (back) must be a clutch that binds up the spring. There's probably a ratchet then that lets it pay (and wind) with the clutch disengaged.
the knurled roller winds the spring?

The right side (face) is a normal free spool.

Very cool reel and very collectable. Would be so cool to find some history on it.

[Outtie61]

It might sound silly, but this is the most interesting find I have seen from someone in years. It does look like some type of automatic attachment... very, very interesting. What part of the country did you get this in? (assuming the United States?).

I thought I had something remotely interesting... but this is indeed a puzzle that someone will hopefully be able to shed some factual light on.

Outtie61

[john elder]

What really blows me away is that we have all this combined reel knowledge (even after subtracting points for me) staring at this apparatus and no one has A) spoken up to say they also have one or B) has even indicated seeing one before! that would normally mean it was some jury-rigged home-made contraption...but if that is so, then the fellow certainly knew what he was doing and had access to a good machine shop!

Hey, Swim-jig...you sure you don't have three of these? With that reel, looks like a classic Great Lakes rig!

[michael anderson]

I picked this up at the sale of the Donald Thoms estate in Kalamazoo (the Mother of All Reel Auctions). Several of you folks surely saw it there, but then we were all running around with glazed eyes from the offerings at that sale. Given the variety of reels Mr Thoms apparently collected/hoarded/stored, it could have come from anywhere.

[Harvey]

Michael,
I still say that is one of the neatest things I have seen. I have a bunch of questions that maybe some of the smarter people can chime in on. First, I can visualize how you could remove the original tail plate and by using the clicker gear, make it possible to wind the line back on to the spool that way. In fact, if you check the direction of the way Automatics work, at least the ones that I have, they wind in the right direction. One problem is how do you or could you in-gauage or dis-in-gauage (are those words?) the spring attachment? Is that what one of the levers do? Does the other wheel or lever release the tension on the spring? To be quite truthful, it looks like a lot of work to catch a fish. First, you bait the hook. Throw the reel into free spool, dis inuage the winding device. Cast out the bait. Throw the free spool lever back into gear. Set the drag. Wind up the retrieval devices. Put it back in gear. Take up the slack line and then wait till some catfish steals your bait. Say a few choice words that aren’t allowed in church. Follow the steps that I described in reverse. What ever happened to a cane pole and a bobber? Either way, I think you have a one of a kind and I don’t understand how you got it with Jim Madden being at the same auction.
Still can’t wait for you to get up enough nerve to take it apart.
“H”

[Brian F.]

...I picked this up at the sale of the Donald Thoms estate in Kalamazoo (the Mother of All Reel Auctions)...

I think there will be more surprises that surface as a result of that legendary event.

[michael anderson]

Just an update, I finally took the time to disassemble the winding mechanism. The plates were numbered, but no other identification was visible. I took pics and will take the time to edit and post them when I get back from vacation. (Who else but me would go to Miami in August?) I would consider selling this gizmo if anyone is interested ... no price in mind yet, so tell me what you think this is worth? I'll be gone until August 24.

[michael anderson]

I have posted pics of the disassembled winding mechanism on the FOR SALE link.

[Reelsptsmn]

Sure, you disasemble the thing, then talk about selling it ! I don't know about others, but as for me: Don't even think about me buying it, until its back TOGETHER! Seriously, good luck with reasembly. Tight Lines, Bruce

[Jerry J in OK]

Assembly would be no problem...I'll buy it like it is and put it back together...Jerry

[michael anderson]

It's all back together guys. Now if I could only figure out how to reassemble my sanity (2 kids in college on opposite coasts pretty much scrambled it all).