Automatic fly reels

[Tanker]

I was looking through all my old fishing stuff. I found some old automatic reels. I have 1 Shakespeare, 1 South Bend, and 1 Ocean City. All work fine. The Shakespeare was my very first reel I had. Im thinking of putting one on a rod and taking it for a walk. More of just a walk down memory lane. Does anyone still use automatic reels any more? Anyone else find some long forgotten items and brought them back to the stream?

 

[scotty macfly]

I have a Penn automatic reel that belonged to my grandfather. It's still in great working condition.

 

[mtbright]

My dad still uses one. I still remember using it when I was like 6 and ripping the hook out of the fishes mouth when I hit the lever.

 

[Tanker]

My dad still uses one. I still remember using it when I was like 6 and ripping the hook out of the fishes mouth when I hit the lever.

The ripping the hooks out comment made me remember one of the first fish I caught on a fly rod with this reel. It was a very small sun fish. The poor fish never had a chance. I hit the lever and he was ripped out of the water and stuck to the top of the pole.

 

[desmobob]

I became interested in them a while back, spurred by nostalgia after finding an old one in the basement. I went on a short buying spree, picking up very nice (and in some cases, mint and unused) examples of many once-popular automatic reels. I was sure I'd outfit a couple of vintage fiberglass rods in my collection with them and take a trip back to the past.

It never happened. I did end up with a fun collection of automatic reels, though...

Tight lines,
Bob

 

[mtbright]

Here is one I got recently...

 

[DonW]

I've got a few of varying makes the Perrine model I have has cool drag worked by a second lever, but winding in or pulling out line makes a terrible noise as the spring rubs on the tin cover (grease didn't quiet it, so loud not one to use where stealth is important). Have a beat up Shakespeare Tru-Art (the South Bend Oreno is identical internally, and works just as well as the Tru-Art) that works very nicely and there are many for sale on the bay for a few bucks. But hands down if you want a nice auto buy the Garcia mitchell made in France, very well designed, refined in use, quiet, and looks almost like a standard fly reel if that is something important to you.

 

[bumble54]

Mitchel 710 automatic's, love em. I use them regularly and put my late fathers 710 to use every year on what was his birthday. I caught my seasons best fish last year using "his" reel, thanks Dad. Great memories come flooding back every time I use that reel.

 

[desmobob]

Here is one I got recently...
View attachment 14349

That's the one I used to look at in sporting good stores when I was a kid and dream of being a fly fisherman. I found one, brand new, old stock, in a hard plastic box just like that. Love that blue cover on the reel. I also found a new, old stock Mitchell 710.

From comparing a bunch of them, it seems the 710 is the most practical. You could even swap out spools in them. But in my hands, the Tru-Art feels like the cream of the crop. Well, the cream of the crop with an anvil inside. Those bad boys are heavy!

I really need to try fishing them next season...

Tight lines,
Bob

 

[dennyk]

My dad used one all the time. I'm sure it's at my brother's house and I'll need to look it up. I was always gun shy of those reels as a youngster, I was afraid I'd break the tip of my dad's fly rod.

Denny

 

[spm]

I did the same thing, Tanker. I was about 10 years old. First fish with my father's fly rod.

steve

 

[sparsegraystubble]

The old South Band Orenomatic was my first fly reel. Remember my first bluegill skimming across the water when I hit the lever.

But my best (or worst) memory of that reel was the first time I took it apart and managed to let the spring get away from me. Seems like it took hours of trying to get that coil spring back where it was supposed to be. And I think I got few cuts in the process.

After going to a simple click reel I had no desire to ever deal with an automatic again. Still don’t.

Don

 

[xsthomas]

I seemed to have collected about 2 dozen since the early seventies. I just seem to run across them. All except one, ( a new Pflueger I bought a few years back to see how they compared), have Made in USA stamped on them. All in excellent shape. Half a doz or so never even had line on them. Several with the box and papers. I grew up on the sound, with a dock in the back yard, that was nice. I started fly fishing around 1970 or so, and a friend gave me one to use, then saw how I liked it and gave it to me. A light blue Martin. I have a few of these, with box and papers. They worked well if you dont hook into something of any size. I just had a soft spot for them having learned on them, and would run across them, some were even given to me. Not sure what to do with then now, I dont want to do the whole Ebay thing.

 

[tcorfey]

I have a tru-art I use on a 6wt Shakespeare Wonder rod from time to time. Caught a nice fish on the Truckee last year with it. I only use the autowind after the fish is in the net or when needed to pick up slack.

Regards,

Tim C.

 

[TristianSutton]

I use one of the modern semi automatic reels for nymphing and love it

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[jangles]

That's a slick little reel . Whats the weight on it ?

 

[TristianSutton]

That's a slick little reel . Whats the weight on it ?

With the mono rig I currently use its 166 grams or roughly 5.85 ounces balances well on most of my euro sticks

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[canoeman1947]

One of my friends has that Maxcatch Semi-automatic reel. Very smooth, much lighter than the old automatics, and more practical for fishing. Also much less expensive than the Italian semi-automatics.

Larry

 

[TristianSutton]

One of my friends has that Maxcatch Semi-automatic reel. Very smooth, much lighter than the old automatics, and more practical for fishing. Also much less expensive than the Italian semi-automatics.

Larry

It's a solid reel, I just wish more companies would make them to help drive the price down and make them semi common

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[bigjim5589]

I have two of them, not sure what brands, but don't use them. I got them while buying other items in which they were included and just kept them around, primarily for nostalgia. I had planned to give one of them a try on an old fiberglass rod that I have, but after discovery of one of the guides needing to be replaced, just never got around to it. The second reel I have is green in color but don't have photo's of it.