My Fav's Carlton/ Rochester bait caster w/ free spool

[Kevin Kinnear]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/293 ... 1b2803.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/293 ... 61a39e.jpg

[Reel Geezer]

Since Kevin didn't identify his great reel, most viewers will assume it is a Carlton reel. It isn't - The rolling lever in the headplate spacer identifies it as a free spool reel. But the aluminum spacers identify this reel as a product of the real Rochester Reel Company. The Rochester Reel Company of Rochester, NY. The company that purchased the Carlton Manufacturing Company and manufactured the Carlton designed reels for a couple of years c1907-08.

These were not the fairly common Rochester reels designed by Andrew Wollensak and patented in 1909, and sold by HJ Frost.

[john elder]

thanks for the history lesson, Geez...Hey Kevin! Can you dump the duplicate pic and put in one that shows the tail stock? You can do that by hitting the "edit" button in the upper right of your post, then just change one of the urls!

[Kevin Kinnear]

Sorry John I don't have a pic of the back side of the reel. When I get a chance I'll post one for you.

[fishbugman]

John, here are back side images of similar reels. The first one in Kevin's pics is a Carlton Free spool Bait Caster. The thumb bar on back pillar pushes forward to disengage the gears for free spool. I believe this was the first Carlton free spool model, circa 1904-05. The second Carlton free spool model had the same design as Kevin's second picture, with free spool disengage on rim and black spacers. As Phil noted, the Rochester Reel Company versions all had the aluminum spacers and were only made for a year or so. While Kevin's picture is of a highly prized free spool version, mine is of the lowly 9 multiple.

Carlton




Rochester Reel Co.