The 1498 Pfleuger

[Ard]

I used them and liked them fine, few years back I sold a few nice ones on here dating back into mid 70's. They were in very good shape because they seemed to hold up well if taken care of. I always thought their brake shoe drag thing was cool. Another really unique American made clicker drag was the Martin MG series reels. I had kinda a collection of those too. The drag adjustment / tension spring is like no other I know of.

 

[GRASSNGLASS]

Love my 1498.....

 

[AndrewFromBoston]

It’s a good basic reel. Used one for years. Never had a problem landing a trout. I only “upgraded” after I inherited my dad’s gear and wanted to use as much of it as I could.

 

[Ard]

I have one.
Since yours was a gift I won't say what it cost, but it wasn't all that much.
I bought mine as a back-up at a fly show, but I ended up using it a lot.
There were some issues. You had to be very careful not to lose the ratchet as it's not attached and the drag mechanism collects salt like you wouldn't believe and is a bear to dissemble to clean.
After they went out of production, I ordered a single spare spool from a discount shop. They ended up sending me two for just $10.
Less than their listed asking price for one.

This picture is not very PC but shows that the reel worked as it should
The fish was only out of the water for a second.

View attachment 36113

I've always admired that fish Paul

 

[westcoast]

Big fan ...

 

[gpwhitejr]

Sadly, I have never hooked anything big enough to cause a problem for my old Medalist.

 

[dennyk]

I wish I never parted with mine, that goes back about 4 decades.

Denny

 

[GRASSNGLASS]

Only problem I've encountered with 1498's is it costs more for backing to fill this puppy up than the cost of most used ones.

 

[pnc]

Got mine almost 30 yrs ago. Still use at times. But only for fresh water.
Back is cut out like pictured previously. Did the cutting and used it in salt water. Shortly after getting. Never felt guilty about it. If anything happy to have something with easy adjustable drag.
Did add a piece of leather (epox to frame) after lighting up finger tips. Fish like described by , Rip. Leather then pressed to spool not fingers. Helped for sure in catching more that week.
Fall, mid 80's . . . south shore, Long Island. Blues were high teens, low mid twenties. Swarmed south shore for a week.

 

[GRASSNGLASS]

I always thought they were too wide. I wish they would have made the 1496 in left hand wind. I think it would make the perfect reel for longer boo.

 

[Wet dreams]

We used to order them by the case at the lodge where I worked in Alaska. We would land Kings over 40 lbs on them with no problems.
Another modification I think by Lefty Kreh was to add a leather thumbing pad to the cut out. Never tried this or felt the need to.
Didn't Lee Wulff land bill fish on a medalist too?

 

[Rip Tide]

Didn't Lee Wulff land bill fish on a medalist too?

A Farlow Python actually, and a $12 Garcia rod

 

[Skeet6]

My 1498 hanging off a Cortland 1000 rod caught many bluefish and stripers in the surf and off jetties back in the 90's and early 2k's. Solid stuff, no frills.
Mike B

 

[tcorfey]

Over Christmas I got a new rig it came from a very good friend of mine whom had a desire to try fly fishing for steelhead back in the 70's. He built a fiberglass rod from Herters and bought a Medalist 1495 1/2 (made in Akron), The rod was a one-piece and before he could fish the rod or the reel a car door closed on it and broke it at close to the mid point. He had a guy fit a ferrule to it to make it a two-piece. He fished it a few times but never really got in to it. He is in his 80's now so he gave me the rod and the reel still in it's original box with the receipts. The reel is almost brand new, I took the rod out and used another reel with an 8wt floating line and it casts really nicely but it is quite heavy. The reel has 200 yards of 30lb Dacron backing, 100 feet of gold 25lb Mono for shooting line and 30 feet of T10 type IV sinking line for a head. Really takes me back... Because the butt end is about a foot shorter than the tip section I am thinking I might refit the rod with a fighting butt and turn it in to a light salmon rod.

 

[trev]

Actually there were quite a number of factory rods that had one section a lot longer than the other or "staggered ferrules" as I believe they were called. however a fighting butt might be nice too.

 

[thom]

Here is an uncut, unbalanced 1498 on a 1970’s glass Fenwick. This one is hopping ready to chase Silver salmon soon.

 

[Danbo27]

I miss the putt-putt purr of those old reels. Solid build & on the heavy side.
Credit River Coho's & Kawartha Lakes Largemouth Bass fishing tools of my past..