PIONEER BAIT & TACKLE CASTING REELS

[Terry McBurney]

I just finished two articles on Ranger reels - Part I & Part II, and the two articles will be running in upcoming issues of THE REEL NEWS.

Ranger, Inc., from Rockford, Michigan, went bankrupt in 1949, and the company was eventually sold to Pioneer Bait and Tackle Company of Harbor Springs, Michigan.

I have been able to track down a little information on Pioneer, but the background information is sketchy. I drove up to Petoskey three weeks ago in a snow storm and came up with only a little new information and some speculation at the Petoskey library.

I have photos of only three Pioneer reels: the Pioneer 50 casting reel (Carl Schultz), the Pioneer Iroquois reel (Carl Schultz); and the Pioneer Chippewa reel (the Reelguys).

George Richey, former NFLCC Gazette editor, wrote an article on a Pioneer casting reel made in Petoskey, Michigan (not Harbor Springs) that ran in the March 1996 NFLCC Gazette. The reel came in unassembled kit form and had to be assembled from bags of parts reading from an instruction sheet. The B&W photos in the article are not good enough to identify much else about this unusual item. Does anyone have information on this boxed kit reel or know anyone who might own one?

I did find a Pioneer instruction sheet/guarantee that lists 7 specific reels:

1. Mohawk casting reel
2. Chippewa casting reel
3. Iroquois casting reel
4. Ottawa casting reel
5. Sioux casting reel
6. Blue Water surf reel
7. Blue Water Trolling reel
Any new information will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Terry

[KarlWhite]

I. Have an Ottawa Reel, by Pioneer,Inc. just recently purchased. Paid $10.00. Going up in the museum. History of Fishing Museum, Branson Mo.