Ocean City Surf reels

[spinyeel]

I have recently started a collection of surf sized reels made by this seemingly maligned company.For all I can see,most of these reels are at least the equal of the Penn offerings during their lifetimes.i Currently have two 250 Inductors,a mint 993 boxed with spare spool,a nice 936,a Bay City FARKAST and an Ollympic 250yd.Nothing rare or unusual I realize,but great functional reels.The Inductors cast as well as a lot of my new reels,and I bet they are a lot tougher.Why can't some of the present manufacturers see the advantage of a one screw take apart on their surf reels?

[Teal]

Spinyeel,

Good for you! I am also surprised that OC does not get nearly enough respect. Some of their baitcasters were quite nice, and their saltwater reels were generally quite functional, especially after they took over Montague.

You have your work cut out for you. There are dozens of OC models and they marketed trade reels for almost everyone.

--Dr. Todd

[m3040c]

Ocean City were great reels but there was a difference in the 1950's and 60's when I started fishing. I was a poor kid, fishing the waters of Jamaica Bay from the beach of Brooklyn, New York. I had one reel, a Penn. I fished with a Penn because it was cheaper than an Ocean City and just about as good. By the time I was old enough to afford a Ocean City, they were gone. That is why I think Penn became the reel of choice for salt water fisherman. Penn made a good reel for less money. Ocean City was as good as Penn and I also believe that they had one screw take aparts before Penn did but the buying public is not loyal. Even though Ocean City came first, Penn was able to steal the market by under pricing their competition. They did it to Pflueger too.

IMHO

[m3040c]

I believe Ocean City reels are a great investment, right now. They are under valued. I have a big game series that I am putting together and I have made five different big game Ocean City reels part of that collection (right in there with the Pflueger's and the Vom Hofe's), the quality is there but the price is very low compared to other reels. Find a nice clean Ocean City 9/0 and you can more than likely have it for under $100. Try to get a 9/0 Pflueger or Finor for that price, they are production reels too.

So, in my opinion, Ocean City reels are a great investment and a fun series of reels to collect. Especially for us working class guys that are looking to the future a bit.

[Reel Geezer]

I don't really collect OC reels, but have written three articles about their early reels for The Reel News. Their reels were quite interesting in the 1920s and 1930s, and were of high quality. Gary Quick also wrote several articles about their surf reels. I disagree with Dr. Todd and believe that their reels were far more interesting BEFORE the merge of Montague ideas.

I recently purchased a 1932 OC Salt Water Reel Catalog from another ORCA member, and copies of it will be available in the ORCA Library one of these days. It is the earliest OC catalog I have. If any ORCA member reading this would like a copy now, I can probably get one off to you.

[john elder]

O-City's reels were of high quality,
But pricey, with poundage galore.
They coulda done with a bit less Achtung,
And an ounce or two more of l'amour.

[Steve]

I hope we'll see the Norwegian translation of John's opus reel soon!

[Teal]

Phil,

I always think the fascinating OC reels were the Flash, Rapidan, and other early OC baitcasters and saltwater reels sold for a few years after they took over Montague. They are really neat amalgalms of both Montague gear workings and OC frames. But I won't disagree that early OC reels are neat too.

I would love to have a copy of the 1932 OC reel catalog, as I am working on A.H. Fox and am trying to pin down what models were affected by the purchase of Lautenberg's old factory in Philadelphia.

--Dr. Todd

[gadabout]

Ocean City were great reels but there was a difference in the 1950's and 60's when I started fishing. I was a poor kid, fishing the waters of Jamaica Bay from the beach of Brooklyn, New York.
IMHO

m3040c,

Like you I also grew up fishing the waters of Jamaica Bay. My first quality reel was a Penn 9MS which I purchased at Pop Klee's tackle shop for $10.75 with my hard-earned newspaper money. That reel did everything for me, pier fishing, boat fishing, even "surf casting" from the shores of Jamaica Bay. I still have it and it still works as well as the day I bought it. I don't remember Ocean City reels being sold in my area at the time (1960s). Everything was either Penn or Mitchell, with H-I filling in the low end range. I've only owned a couple of Ocean City reels but frankly, I think the Penns were better designs overall.

[m3040c]

Hello Gadabout,

It was nice to hear from a fellow Jamaica Bay beach traveler.

I will digress for a few lines,

June ?, 1962;

A normal day for me started by hoping the subway (Dekalb Ave Station, Canarsie Line to Rockaway Parkway station), then taking the bus to the Carnasie Pier, then walking to the Mill Basin Bridge (about three miles from the pier) and fishing the shoreline all the way back to the pier with a 8 foot broomstick rod and a Penn 25M. When I was young I flip that rig 100 yards with a 3 ounce sinker.

Anyways, I used to fish with a friend and his father. His father was a German guy that used a old Ocean City conventional surf reel and always made great casts. My friends father would tell me how superior the Ocean City was to the Penn and when I get older I should fish with Ocean City reels rather than those cheap Penn's. Well, as you said, the OC reels were almost non-existant as time went on, so I never get to test the old man's advice. I have used Penn reels all my life and I think they are very comfortable to fish with and strong but I wonder, if I would have fished with the OC's instead, what my feeling would be?

Have a great Holiday.

[gadabout]

This thread inspired me to grab an old Ocean City model 250 Inductor I bought a few years ago that needed a good overhaul. I spent a few hours this afternoon dissassembling and cleaning the reel while waiting for the turkey to cook, LOL. I found it a little easier to work on than a Penn in some ways. I could never get the spool to run smooth on it, and it was still the same after I put it back together. Anybody know where I can get a schematic for this reel?

[m3040c]

Maybe right here in the Orca Library? There are quite a few issues of Ocean City catalogs.

http://orcaonline.org/images/pixel.gif? ... rypage.htm

[john elder]

Hi, Guyz...I have a NIB OC Inductor 255, complete with Care and Feeding manual...has a schematic for that reel. What's the diff between this one and the 250? If nil, I'll post the blow-up for you!

[Jim Wiegner]

Hello down there Spinyeel:

Welcome to Reel Talk. Your comments regarding Ocean City surf casting reels, and the many responses from our fellow ORCA members are certainly thought provoking. And you are correct. Ocean City did produce some excellent salt water reels, especially in the 1930s to the early 1950s period. As with Mike, our family wasn't rolling in money, and any purchase was made with thought...and care.

My Dad was a striped bass and salmon fisherman, and also a very good mechanic, among other things. He fished with Pflueger, Ocean City and Penn reels, and was fond of each manufacturer. Ocean City had several neat features which were unique, such as the flip out automatic free spool lever, the saddle thumb bar...which was very comfortable to cast with, and a built in combination handle nut lock and wrench. Pop and my older brother caught many fine stripers and salmon with that reel.

For my 12th birthday Pop gave me my first new reel...a Penn 60 Long Beach, and a J.C.Higgins (Sears) rod, and 27lb test nylon line. Nothing fancy, but good solid quality tackle. Over the years, and especially since joining ORCA, I have added a number of Penns, Pfluegers, and Ocean Citys to my salt water collection, and in my humble opinion...and while I certainly respect John, the good folks at Ocean City did certainly pay "attention" to, and must have "loved" their work, because they made some *D.A.M. reel* fine reels!

Jim

[RAM]

Interesting (and great) that the Ocean City inquiry has elicited so many responses. Must be neat reels. As to "right in there with the Pfluegers and the VomHofes" I (although not from Missouri) am going to have to say "Show me!". Really, are the high end OCs that nice? Pflueger Atlapac, Templar, Adams? J. VomHofe 6/0s in German silver and HR (not to mention E. VH?). Maybe I have been overlooking some super reels!
Doubting Bad Bob

[Steve]

John, the Inductor 255 has a level wind, and the 250 doesn't. The 250 is seen much more frequently.

[Reel Geezer]

Bob: I believe that the only Pflueger reel that sold for more money than the Ocean City Orlando was the Atlapac. I only looked at early 1930s catalogs and know little about SW reel quality and mechanics, but I believe many of the reels in those OC catalogs compare favorably with many of the Pflueger reels.

[Araye50]

I've got about a dozen old Ocean City reels including a rough FREE SPOOL in German silver that was pretty much equal to Pfluegers of its era. Most OCs were considered better reels than Penns in the old days, the Penns were the cheapos. Old Otto defected from OC & undercut them, selling Penns right across the street the way I heard it.

I have fond childhood memories of fishing from the old causeway bridge across Jamaica Bay for flounder & Atlantic mackerel. We also went on headboats out of nearby Sheepshead Bay & caught the occasional fluke or striper & of course bluefish. Still have the Penn 155 I used. My Grandparents lived on the block where the Leffert's Blvd. E train ended & my Dad was very familiar with Coney Is. & Rockaway Bch.

Many years later, early 70's, I lived on the shore in Lyndenhurst & fished Great South Bay & Robt Moses Inlet with a Mitchell 302 which I still have. Last time I fished NYC area was late 80's on east side Mannyhattie from an old dock for stripers & the river was loaded with eager schoolies.

I still use Mitchell 302 & Penn Spinfisher 700 spinners, but the Penn bottom reels were retired 25+ years ago after I got my 1st Daiwa Sealine H. Never fished an OC, but am considering trying out an Inductor. Trouble is I have 2, 1 is to pretty to expose to salt & the other still needs help. Anybody got a 250 parts reel? It needs a disc for the mag system to work.

[m3040c]

This ones for you Bad Bob::::::::::::::::::::;

Lets have a short comparison of two old classics...

First the reels, a Pflueger Templar 1420 1/2----aka 8/0 in the left corner and a Ocean City Long Key 500 Yard----aka 7/0 in the right corner. Both are heavy reels and both have pretty much the same feel, that being smooth and strong.

I will not include my Vom Hofe because I believe it is not a fair comparison between a hand made Vom Hofe and any production reel.





These two reels are different vintages. The Ocean City Long Key I would guess at the late 1920's and the Pfluegar Templar in the 1930's. I am not 100% on the vintage so any help or corrections are welcome.

Lets have a closer look at the Pflueger:::



I would thing the Pflueger is a bit more ornate and art deco looking than the Ocean City, but check out the Ocean City:::



The Ocean City I feel has a no nonsence look about it and believe it is a high quality reel.

These reels have a different value. I would say the Pflueger is worth three times as much as the Ocean City. In my opinion the Ocean City is under valued because of its plain look and its brand name.

What do you guys think

[Brian F.]

I have to agree with Bob and I think some of the history I've gathered here about their use in Hawaii will offer somewhat of a unique perspective (Sorry Bob, didn't mean to let you hang out there in the wind by yourself!). The Long Key and Templar were not considered surf reels by their manufacturers but we consider them that or very light boat reels here. The original subject was about surf reels but I'd be happy to offer my comment on these!

The three manufacturers named in this comparison, Penn, Ocean City and Pflueger, were indeed used quite a bit by fishermen here. The thing you might find unusual is that the size of your examples were used in much greater proportion by shore fishermen here so the reels were put through some pretty good durability tests. In so far as surfcasting for ulua or giant trevally (that thing in my avatar photo) and the many unintended shark catches, the size of reels used ranged from a 3/0 to a 9/0.

After talking with many guys that fished from the 1920s and forward, I get the impression that on a comparison of volume sold here, at least for these size reels, the order would be Penn, Pflueger and Ocean City. That seems to jive with the proportions I come across when looking for old reels and I notice that there are relatively fewer Ocean Citys than Penns and Pfluegers. I agree that the Vom Hofes were in a different league altogether and although they came in the same popular sizes, I have found very, very few to be used by shoreline guys - cost factor I guess. I also agree that some of Ocean City's very early reels are similar in quality to Pflueger and Vom Hofe reels (ie. german silver/hard rubber) but the two reels being compared here are a step further in development in my mind.

Strictly on a scale of quality that guys wanted for the task (ie. something able to stand up to the kinds of fish and fishing conditions), many insisted the Pflueger reels were the best and would spend the extra money for the more expensive product. Geez points out that the Balboa was pretty expensive (maybe because of its neat little oil gauge) but the impression I got is that the Pfluegers, at least the Templars, were more expensive than the more comparable Bay City line and maybe even the Long Key here - maybe it was a local demand thing. I understand that many guys would extend themselves or make quite a serious effort (ie. lay aways, etc.) to be able to own these reels - in other words, I don't think many wives knew of these purchases! If price were not an issue, I feel many more would opt for the Pflueger. Guys thought so highly of the Templars and Atlapacs, they were using them well beyond their discontinuation in 1950-51 and as late as the early 1980s.

As for comparing the construction of the Templar and Long Key, I think there are a few things that make the Pflueger better in my opinion. One is that the Pflueger reel foot, star drag and handle crank are cast pieces and not stamped like the Ocean City or Penn. Another is that the Pflueger Templars and Atlapacs (virtually the same reel) both have interior metal reinforcing plates. I have not opened up a Long Key or Balboa in a long time but the other OC reel that was comparable in size and more popular here again was the Bay City 113 and it did not have any reinforcing, just plastic plates much like the Penns. While not great for casting, this is really evident if you compare the weights, especially between the Pflueger and Penn.

The drag system between all three look very similar in design but I don't know enough about them technically to compare them. The fellows that did use them a lot tell me the Pfluegers had a much better drag system and it was the only one you could "lock down" if you really didn't want to let line out at all. The only apparent thing that might be responsible for the difference to me is that the Ocean City and Penns used asbestos drag disks but the Pfluegers used a "micarta" or material that looks a lot like today's fiberglass drag disks made by Penn. Maybe they were ahead of their time?

My opinion of order would be Pflueger, Penn and Ocean City.

[gadabout]

Why can't some of the present manufacturers see the advantage of a one screw take apart on their surf reels?

Because it's far easier to impress idiots with ball bearing counts and gear ratios.

[spinyeel]

Why can't some of the present manufacturers see the advantage of a one screw take apart on their surf reels?

Because it's far easier to impress idiots with ball bearing counts and gear ratios.

Good point!You know it amazes me how silky smooth some of my old reels are,and not a ball bearing in sight.

[m3040c]

Thanks Brian for the detailed history lesson about the Templar and Long Key. It really does not surprise me that the Templar is considered a better reel. It is certainly a more high end reel in how it is tricked out with all those cast pieces. What does surprise me is that you place the Penn in front of the Long Key. I am sure that there were more Penn 9/0's sold but the Penn 9/0 is a later reel and we all know that it had a much longer production run than any OC large reel. I think Penn was a great reel for the money but could not hold a candle to the Long Key in terms of quality and strength. I did not include Penn in my comparison because I felt that Penn was in a different catagory than a Long Key. A Penn 9/0 and a Ocean City 609 would be an interesting comparison and would be a better match.

The strangest thing about your talk on the history of these reels was how you made them surf reels. I was comparing brands, it never occured to me that a Templar or a Long key would ever be considered a surf reel. I am sure that is a Hawaii Thing.

[Reel Geezer]

Why can't some of the present manufacturers see the advantage of a one screw take apart on their surf reels?

Because it's far easier to impress idiots with ball bearing counts and gear ratios.

Good point!You know it amazes me how silky smooth some of my old reels are,and not a ball bearing in sight.

About a week ago I had a columnist email me wanting a photo of a smooth older reel with bronze bearings. He was writing a column about the overkill in bearing counts and how they meant little after the initial spool bearings.

[Brian F.]

Mike,

Sorry, after writing all that, I realized it was sliding off into oblivion I can't promise it will not happen again

Yes, I probably should have left Penn out for the comparison but I just included them because based on what people preferred here, it seemed their reels, while inexpensive, held up and had the track record. My grandfather had both the Templar and a 9/0 long key (which he had a machinist widen ) My own experience with the Ocean Citys was not very good, for the reel at least.

After I inherited the reels from my Grandfather, I decided to take up surfcasting and graduate from spincasting. By that time, it had been almost 40 years since he last used them and had already given away the Templar. I decided to learn to cast with and use his Ocean City Bay City 113 since it was comparable to a 4/0 and very light. I ended up catching my first giant trevally with it on the very first trip (talk about luck and a storybook fishing tale ) The reel did everything it was supposed to and even had some good drag pressure left in the brake system. Maybe it was just age but after catching that 35 lb fish, I discovered that the headplate had cracked completely around the bearing so I could not use it anymore and just retired it again but with a few more great memories.

The reel on the left below is a Templar 1419 3/4 and the right a Penn Senator 9/0. This photo dates 1947.


Learning to cast them is easier than you think (certainly easier to me than casting a little baitcaster!) If you came to our demo at the National in Columbia Lakes, TX, I would have gladly let you give it a shot! It's all about perspective and what you accept as "normal" Oh yeah, you asked how to get a fish up a cliff. We use a "slide gaff" pictured below. Very similar concept to a "bridge gaff" where the end is attached to a 25-75 ft long rope - bring the fish up to the surface, clip the rings onto the mainline and send 'er down, hook the fish and haul 'er up! Sounds easy but not very when the surge is shoving the fish around like a washing machine.