Now this is an old reel
Now this is an old reel
The August issue of Saltwater Sportsman has an interesting article by AJ Campbell in which he is suggesting that fishing reels were used by citizens of the Roman Empire. That moves the "earliest" fishing reel back by about 6 centuries from those shown in Chinese paintings (referred to in Steve V.'s and other books on tackle history). The key, according to Mr. Campbell, is a silver plate showing a fisherman and reel. The plate was hauled up from either the Aegean or Black Sea and now resides at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, CA. Do you think they'd let ORCA hold a National in one of their marble halls? Would be a fine place for the casting contest.