Clutch or backwind?

[Graham Elliott]

]Do it Simon. Amazing experience. No doubt even more so with the line wrapped under the three pronged front drag...

 

[Dave Taylor]

I confess to being a tad out of touch with big fish reels, but I was under the impression that big game reels were usually multipliers that have a massive line capacity accompanied with the appropriate gearing to enable hefty cranking power.
I have four multi's that all have a star drag, and cannot backwind. You have to use the clutch unless the reel gearing is disengaged with the line out ratchet on and controlled with thumb pressure.
There used to be a few bait casting multipliers that would allow backwinding but were not the norm.
I did shell out on a top Penn fixed spool recently for saltwater work which has solid gearing, and a bail arm that is opened and closed manually,( which means it won't close halfway through a power cast). The front clutch is good, but you have to remember to tighten it up on a big cast.
I prefer the multipliers but they don't really lend themselves to braid, ( which tends to bed in too much on the spool), hence the Penn.
The drawback with having all these different reels with different clutches in different positions is being able to remember what you're supposed to be doing when all hell breaks loose!

 

[Dave Taylor]

That's a nice idea Dave, making a donation to the local ye old tackle shoppe, certainly would cause a raised eyebrow or two with the younger generation.

My first fixed spool was the Intreped Black Prince, which was the first for many too, 'up till then we had to make do with alloy 'pins as such, and to this day I cast fixed spools much the same was as we had to cast those

Here yer go Neil,..
As I mentioned, I,m in the process of sorting the tackle room, a job that I've put off for too long.
My dad passed away back in 2001 but I left it to today to sort through all the inherited tackle,...don't ask why, just never felt in the right mood I guess.
Anyway, when I worked my way through all the lovely perch floats, [ his fav. species], I came across these two reels that he had kept since I was a kid, which he had brought me for birthdays. Made me feel quite nostalgic for our days together trotting for dace and roach on the Mole in the sixties/ seventies. Like most of us, I progressed to Mitchells or similar and left my old birthday presents at home ... like old forgotten toys... when I moved out.
I give you the good old Black Prince and Boy'o

Don't know where I can find room for them though....can't give them to the shop!

 

[David Clewer]

Looks to me like you could start your own shop!!


Dave

 

[Dave Taylor]

You sound like my lady wife Dave.
Had a quick change of heart with the last pic. ,.. bit daft in this day and age advertising all the gear on a national forum.

 

[Neil Smart]

Here yer go Neil,..
As I mentioned, I,m in the process of sorting the tackle room, a job that I've put off for too long.
My dad passed away back in 2001 but I left it to today to sort through all the inherited tackle,...don't ask why, just never felt in the right mood I guess.
Anyway, when I worked my way through all the lovely perch floats, [ his fav. species], I came across these two reels that he had kept since I was a kid, which he had brought me for birthdays. Made me feel quite nostalgic for our days together trotting for dace and roach on the Mole in the sixties/ seventies. Like most of us, I progressed to Mitchells or similar and left my old birthday presents at home ... like old forgotten toys... when I moved out.
I give you the good old Black Prince and Boy'o

Don't know where I can find room for them though....can't give them to the shop!

Thanks for that Dave, brings back memories too, but a little question mark over what actually was my first fixed spool, I have a sneaky feeling it may have been the Prince Regent, all very grand names though for what was a very basic reel
My Dad was never really interested in fishing and it was left to my Uncle Doug to inspire me, he was a keen Match Angler in the 50's & 60's and fished or the Post Office in Bristol, he a was an intelligent soul who instructed budding telephone engineer's made his own rods and even light meters for his other hobby photography. To say he was a character was an understatement, I inherited all his old tackle on his death some 15 years ago, of which it still remains in the loft in the garage, I need like you to have a sort through.

 

[Barry Garwood]

Ooh they bring back memories! my first two reels!

 

[Paul Collins]

I remember saving as much of my holiday money as possible to buy an Intrepid prince from the local tackle shop in Westgate on sea on the day we went home. I also remember explaining to my great Grandmother how it was worth the £1 I'd spent as I could cast so much further than the old brass ratchet ceterpins and avoid getting so many tangles, which my Dad, God bless him, spent a good part of our days on the bank sorting out for me.
I've got to sort through all his old gear very soon, 20' cane Roach pole, 14' Apollo taperflash, Mitchell 300. He had a 10' Hardy glass Avon rod which even now seems quite light and has a lovely action, I may even use it.

 

[David Clewer]

Can't be certain, but I think my first reel was an Intrepid Elite. God knows how many times the line frayed on the pick up (or the rod rings which were equally abrasive)! I also used to have a lovely Hardy match rod (Matchman?) Beatiful action and very light for those days. Sadly it was stolen from my shed (along with much other gear) a few years ago....


Dave

 

[Paul Collins]

When I started to buy my own tackle my prize possession was my 12' Hardy matchmaker ànd it was a really nice rod. Caught more Carp on that rod fishing for Tench than I ever caught on my Carp rod for Carp.