I DO appreciate the quality and history of the older reels but the performance just can't match a modern Penn or other modern "high $" reel. The $15 Wal-Mart special usually won't last for long. You get what you pay for but I still collect a few older reels.
Took my brand new Battle II 5000 for a spin yesterday for the very first time and I hooked a 20lb yellowtail using a Ugly Stik X2 (medium hard) rod th-cam.com/users/postUgkxM68VkfsQhHaabDce1IwOCXuvumcpbZ_k . This combo was recommended on some website and it did not disappoint me. The reel is smooth, the drag click is pretty cool cause i think it adds to the excitement of fighting the fish, personally the drag is my favorite part. I use braid and 300 yards will fill the entire spool. This combo is my main setup from now on although I have to disclose I am new to fishing.
The reason they made the old reels to come apart is because people weren't as stupid as they are now days and they could actually work on their own reel.
Not just that, if something breaks and you can’t take it apart to fix it then you’ll probably buy another one so they can get more business that way with repeat customers
Silvano Gonzalez I use my dads old Mitchell reels on the river Severn in England. Not much different from my modern ones. They do all the same stuff and have a more basic shape so it’s easier to keep them clean
The sargosa caught all small fish the biggest fish you caught was on the mitchell....i love my mitchell 300 caught a California legal 34 in white sea bass on my mitchell 300 with a diawa regal strike on 20 lb test ..to me the drag on the mitchell is one of the best and is very smooth so you don't snap off any fish
I love vintage fishing gear. I collect high end vintage and contemporary fly fishing reels and rods. Its great to see other young people like myself be into the old gear. While I'm strictly a fly fisherman I really enjoy your channel.
The old reels and rods were built to last. No ball bearings but no stupid gimmicks either. Though modern reels haven't changed all that much from the old school reels and rods our parents used (only we have better materials today at our disposal). The fishing gear our parents and grandparents used still does the same job as the fishing gear we use today. At that time it was the best that they had for fishing. The fishing gear worked and the gear caught fish. What more can you ask for? As a child we used the aluminum rods we bent off of the old TV antennas salvaged from old houses being torn down in the early 1970s. We then tied on on some fishing line to the end and a lead sinker and a bobber. The whole setup cost less than $3.00 and worked great for catching perch at the local reservoir. Fishing is a summer recreation for most people and people don't need to spend $500.00 on the latest and greatest gear just to catch fish.
I fish with vintage reels very almost exclusively and Mitchell’s have become a distinct favourite of mine. At the end of the day it’s what you’re used to. I went from Mitchell 300s to an ABU Soron and I felt it was less sensitive. Obviously it’s not it’s just different. That being said, I fish on small welsh sea-trout and salmon rivers in Wales with those reels and for what you were doing you probably had to heavy of a line for the reel (6lbs-8lbs is the prime for these reels) if you want a vintage Mitchell more equipped for this try a Mitchell 440 which is a lot bigger. I might also add when fighting a fish retrieve speed is almost irrelevant, it’s about giving and taking line. You set drag for a reason. If I wound line in like you do on a 10lbs + Sea trout or Salmon in a river I’d loose it.
Hey man, hope you’ve had more time to play with the 706. I’m from the east coast, it’s van staal, zeebaas, saltiga and torque country. I now live in salmon country. I personally have few 706, 706z, 710 reels. Some modified some not. I’ve used my 706 on a 9 foot lamiglas now for over 10 years and still catch fish over 20 pounds. Those 706 reels still have parts available, literally they cost cents, and are easily serviceable. So I hope you’ve given it more time to grow on you, those reels are indestructible.
I love my older Penn bait cast & conventional reels for Fluke, Sea bass & other bottom fish, boat fishing in 20 - 60' of water on the inlets of Long Island. The Penn 109 I have, was purchased at Herman's sporting goods, year 1971 by my father when I was 6 years old, still have it!!
*MITCHELL REELS ARE SEVERELY UNDER RATED! PROBABLY THE BEST REELS I HAVE EVER USED* I'm still using several from the mid 1990s I will continue to buy Mitchell
Mate, I've used these reels all my life, and I have caught everything from small stuff to monster kingfish,they are reliable, tough, durable and simple, shimano is awesome gear as well,but fishing is all about fun,and if you lose a fish it really doesn't matter, you can always try again!!!
I LOVE old fishing gear. I have a multitude of old reels, with my favorites being an old Penn 155 Beachmaster. Also have an OLD Mitchell that I dated from the 40s. While new fishing gear is great, old stuff will always have a special place in my heart. Great vid as always Senko!
The Mitchell 300 series reel is a classic. I've been using a pair (the same ones) for the last 45 years. Just remember to rinse them after a day in salt water and lube them every once in a while and it will last forever. Or longer than you, anyway - which is the same thing. BTW - my "new" rig is a 20 year-old Penn 704Z. I've used them off of piers for such things as schoolie stripers and whatnot and found that they worked well. I have no experience with Tautog, so can't speak to it. I use 12 lb mono, it *does* stretch, which is why when I go into the surf, I use the larger Peen with braid. As always, adjust your gear to match your quarry. I've recently moved to central Florida's Atlantic coast and am learning new techniques & locations.
Hey Brandon, my generation fished with those reels, and we only used mono cause that's was only line available back then, and funny we still brought fish home at end of day. Why don't you ask your father what kind of line he used back in the day . And let's see if your saragpssa reel will still be fishing in 70 years.
Bingo! I have a lot of all metal reels. Mitchell, vintage Daiwa, etc. The youngest is 40 years old and the oldest almost 75 years. They were my dad's reels and now I use them over "any" new reel. I can't tell you how many new plastic cr%p modern reels I have tried and threw in a box or threw away. My favorite salt water reel is a Mitchell 302. I believe it is from the early 1960s. They are reliable and made in a quality that is long lost on modern manufactures of "anything" these days. I have a year old Penn that just is horrible in comparison. Quite disappointing considering how much it cost.
I really wish a company would remake these old reels! The sheer simplicity and ease of maintenance would be amazing compared to a lot of the newer reels out there.
60 years from now that Shimano will be long gone and the Mitchell and Penn will still be catching fish. Just like so many other things the generations before us were so much better at doing things because they didn’t have technology like we do that makes everything easy.
When you're having trouble using a stiff rod take the line tension in your trigger finger and feel the line and if you are having trouble setting your hook from mono stretch use as light of a weight as you can get away with and sharpen your hooks!
I do most of my fishing with vintage Mitchell and Daiwa reels, spooled with mono, on Ugly Stik rods and they work fine. I fish a lot and I hate replacing $100 reels every few years, the vintage reels will outlast most newer reels by a wide margin, and they are very simple to maintain and repair. Sure they retrieve a little slower than most modern reels, and they don't have the same cranking torque, but I've learned to live with these minor handicaps.
And just a heads up, I think the reason you're 300 felt so slow was because you didn't fill the spool up. They may not have a terribly fast ratio, but with the wide diameter spool filled the 300 does pull in a reasonable amount of line per crank. I agree that some of the Penn and DAM reels can feel pretty slow.
I agree I've been fishing in general over 20 years I'm 27 ill take a reel older than me over an overpriced reel that will only last 3 years. You can get used to the older in technology .
The Mitchell 300 is better suited for shore fishing on rivers and lakes. Anything heavier that 12lb mono line of them makes them a little funky to work with. Spoons, spinners and crankbaits don’t need super fast retrieval speeds to be effective. I use a 300 and also the smaller and slightly more rare Mitchell 304, which is one of their smallest spinning reels and is best set up with 4-6lb mono on a 5’6” light action rod. This is a great set up for any spots loaded with small pan fish like crappies or sunfish. Good video but I don’t think it’s a 100% fair comparison.
I use an updated Mitchell 300 from the 90s, same as the older ones, for all my spinning fresh water use. It's a 5.1-1 so it is slower than most of my casters. Practice with it. I wouldn't use it in salt.
All I use are vintage Penn Reels with modern drags HT 100s and you got a real Workhorse Old school durability with a bit of modern technology and you get the best of both worlds. Spool it up with some braid. Those old wooden handle fiberglass rods are great for durability, heavy fishing and trolling but are heavy put old reel on a modern rod to help lighten it up and you'll get more feel out of it. Best of all you can Source out the old Penns relatively cheap do a little fixing up and you got some good quality stuff. One of mine is from the 40s and I still use it today all the time but my favorite is the jigmaster 500
Man, that Penn 704 was my first surf reel (1975), I still have it, and it still works just fine. It's kind of like driving a 1961 VW bug. Clunky as hell but totally functional.
Fishing technology has come so far since we used those reels. It’s amazing how many fish we caught back then. That Penn was a workhorse and probably in every old guys closet. The only thing that could brake was the bail and if you were a surf guy, you bought the manual bail version.
Those old reels are made that way because you had to actually do your service on them, rinse them from salt and re grease it. It's pretty cool pulling those old reels apart and putting them back together
8:05 I use my 300 for trout fishing in rivers using a spin lure like a veltic, those spinners only need to be pulled along slowly making this reel ideal
I have a awesome penn baymaster from back in the day.... my uncle gave it to me when I was a kid and it still works awesome. I have only had it serviced once.
I've used that Mitchell for 50 years. The only drawback is it corrodes easily. I buy "collectors" reels and rebuild my old ones for friends. Try filling the reel and you'll get more speed...about 4" per crank turn.
I think It's not the line or the reel why you can't feel the bites. It's the rig. You have a heavy sinker and when bait stealers nibble and pull on the bait, they pull against the weight of sinker and the sinker makes it easier for fish to tear the bait off from your hook too. So all this time when fish work against the sinker, there is no movement on your mainline.
this happen to me as well using the rig you are using the bottom rig. It is my favorite rig since it's easy to tie and you can rig it so that it becomes a breakaway rig by using loop to loop to connect the bottom sinker to the rig.
LOVE the old Mitchell reels. I have an oldie I use as a spinning bass rig now and again with a Cabelas Tourney Trail IM8 Graphite rod. It's a cool setup. I've caught a 6'8" Sturgeon on that rod setup too, so you CAN in fact get some monsters in this as well.
these reels were made in an era where fishermen was the key word,,, it wasn't the tweeked out gear that caught fish ,,, it was based on the skill level of the fisherman ,,,,, you rely to mush on all the fancy bells and whiskles of your gear now a days ,,, a real fisherman can catch fish with them easily ,,, even just a bamboo pole is more then enough for a real fisherman ,,,, so I would say spend more time with those reels ,,, the Penn 704 is all I use,, for surf and inshore ,,and a Garcia Mitchel on a colonial pole for deep sea and boat fishing ,,,, after a while you can catch just as much as anyone else even with all the fancy gear ,,,,after all ,,fishing is a sport of man against wild .. a show of your true fishing skills .... to me all those newer things just make you sences soft and give you something to blame other then yourself
Thanks for the fun video. Just as is true today there was a wide range of quality in the reels available in the early days of spinning reels. The development of nylon line by Dupont marked a milestone for reel technology, Notice the first spinning reel tended to be larger, due in part to the fact the early mono lines were pretty stiff and didn't work well on small spools. When the original Stren came out in 1959 smaller reels became a lot more practical. There were also slower and faster reels available early on. If you're fishing in a situation where fast retrieve speed is important you need a faster reel. Take some time, do some research, and you can identify some high-quality vintage reels that will serve you well. Times were different then and things were built to last (unless they were obviously being built to a price-point). The quality of materials and manufacturing of the some of the older rods and reels is really impressive. The older fiberglass rods will not be as sensitive as modern graphite rods in most cases but the quality rods are very tough and they will take static loads that will break graphite rods. They also tend to be a slower action, the transition from flexible tip to stiffer butt is slower. There is definitely a learning curve, too, if you're used to graphite rods. I grew up using glass rods and we learned to watch the tip of the rod for movement, not depending on feeling the bite. Low stretch lines definitely help and you can always use a mono or fluorocarbon leader. If you're using mono, it helps to use higher test for less stretch. If you do the same thing you would do with modern tackle, use quality gear and match it to your situation, you'll find the vintage tackle performs well and is a lot of fun to use.
So amazing hell they used to make things back in the day. But I love watching the progression of fishing gear. Would love to see a show on casting with all different size surf rods and the techniques. Thanks again for all you guys do!
I totally agree with you dude.!! Guess what, sans the sleek looks of today's reels?, they won't last in as much as these vintage ones do... Love them vintage reels! 👍👍👍
The Mitchell 300 is a classic freshwater reel - used to be de rigeur for English coarse fishing e.g. fishing with floats etc. There is an otherwise identical, but faster version called the 400. The big, fast Mitchell saltwater reel is the 498 or 499 (right/left handed). We use those for land-based game fishing. They use a roller instead of a bail wire.
I built a modern rod in retro style for a 1970’s penn ultralight I got my hands on, definitely worth getting the modern rod with an antique feel cause it’s a lot of fun to catch anything on
When the sand flea was bitten in half, you didn't hook the fish because the fish was nowhere near the hook, nothing to do with braid or mono. If the fish had hit the sand flea's head then you'd have hooked it. That's why you hook a bait in the middle if you're only using one hook
The lady who lived next door to me for a couple years had over 100 of her late husband's combos that she wanted to show me. Most were saltwater, but a few were fresh. Most looked completely unused. I asked if she might want to sell any and she said "Oh, no, I couldn't do that." LOL. I think he was a hoarder and she was just hanging onto his memory through his fishing tackle. I understand because I have some of my dad's.
I live in the UK and the Mitchell was the reel to have in the 60. If you had loaded the spool up to 1/8 inch from the top you would have double the speed of your retrieve. I notice your spool was full on your new reel. Not a fair comparison ?
I only use vintage Mitchells now. After 55 years I have found a comfortable feel with them. Mostly the 408 and the 308's are my to go reels. I fit them on vintage 60's Berkley rods..Buccaneer and Triden't's are my fav's. Use the line for feel when they bite.
I love some of the reels I have from the 80s early 90s. They are not the fastest in line retrieve but work and don't corrode to hell if I forget to rinse them off. Next time you fish these old reels. Put a finger on the mono and you will definitely feel the bite and can set the hook. Seen that technique watching vintage fishing videos.
Sorry Senko, I have Penn 700's and Penn 704's. Some are 50 years old. The Penns do have a ball bearing under the spool. The retrieve rate is slower than modern reels. BUT! Parts are readily available to repair nearly every model of Penn reels. The can always be fixed. Try that with a Saragosa or any other brand or model 2 years from now. I have caught 40lb Stripers and huge Blues with my old Penns, using 17lb mono. No problem. My 700's and 704's work fine. PLUS. I have a few new Penns as well.
The Mitchell's were primo when they can out. I've used them in the past growing up. That's what we had and yes they've landed a lot of big fish. You're too young to know about it but I'm not. Mitchell's were one of the best built reels of their time because of being solid steel and as you saw the gears that were in there not ball bearings gave it a hard drive so much direct drive on it instead of meaning it can torque more then with the ball bearings. A lot of people were using them for all kinds of fishing steelhead walleye bass you name it. They worked well for our time and we did very good on them. As a matter fact I still buy the little Mitchell Ultra Lights now. But if I could I would get me another one of those just because the Mitchell 300 or legendary for their time and the durability and long-lasting. Yes you can't compare them to any real with the way that they are. You just can't do it. And that's what you're used to if you would have been used to it like we were and had to grow up on him it'd be a different story those zip codes were some of the most popular ones. Abu Garcia in the sixties and seventies. We were bringing northern pike and Muskie in on them too so don't try to say or tell us that these results aren't that good. We know we've done with them we've know what we've caught
The Mitchell 300 is designed for fresh water spinning primarily although it soon became a favourite of European match Anglers. It ain't going to survive salt and any grit in the gear train will hurt it badly. By the way your example with the boomerang shaped anti reverse lever is a relatively early example and in the condition it was in before you exposed it to brine was possibly collectable . It does not have a free spinning line roller just a tungsten carbide cone, I really don't think braid is a good idea. The 306 has a good line roller, is designed for brackish water and heavier fishing, but you do need to rinse it out if you use it in brine. Your main obstacle to success was your rod, fibreglass can be a tad spongy but that not withstanding your manner of playing a fish, using the reel to winch in rather than drawing it in with the rod, left a lot to be desired.
back when those reels were bought, it was an investment,,, it was a tool that you needed to learn take care of and service,, ,not like today " oh ,, it broke,,, ill just go buy another $600 reel" ... those reels were bought as a family gem to be past down through generation
fishing and hunting back then was 1 of your gateways into manhood,,, skills you howed ,,, and if your father gave you a Penn or he passed and left it to you ,,, it was a big deal ,,, with a little service they will out live you and your kids easily,,,, yeah things sure have changed,,, we become and rely on the top dollar disposable things ,, and when you don't catch anything you blame the gear ,,, back then if you didn't catch anything you asked a senior fisherman for pointer,,, he would never tell you you needed better gear, he was just as happy with a coke bottle and string( you old timers know what that means) as he was with a Penn reel and pole... SKILL is the key word,, but he would tell you the skill
There was a high speed version of the Garcia reel. I have countless Garcia reels and old Penn 700, 704 and 706 reels. These old Penn reels will reel up a Volkswagen front the deep.
I use the Garcia M 300 for salt/fresh water . I just picked up an old Penn. like that an cant wait to use it . Love to use Vintage gear . Around New England they use small rock crabs 4 Tataug . If ya think those reals are slow , try a hand line . Much luck
Those slow gear ratio spinning reels with the stretchy mono and old fiberglass rods works great with big crankbaits and spinners, they have enough resistance that the line is already stretched out when the fish hit so no worries there. For bait fishing I'd probably go with circle hooks and let the fish hook themselves so you don't need such a strong set.
Nice job dropping that small blackfish a few times - I’m sure it really appreciated it. Also, what the hell is a “sensitive” reel? It’s the rod that allows you to feel the bites, not the reel.
Match that Penn with the right rod and you won't use that Shimano anymore. I have been using one for years on the beach and jetties. Use 12lb mono and caught just about everything on it. That Mitchell is better for freshwater.
When I discovered the old penn 704z reels i bought a ton of them. They were made to last a very long time. They make great bait fishing reels as they are very strong.
I had both reels and never had an issue with them. The Mitchell was for Pike, Walleye and Bass fishing. The Penn is a real SaltWater Reel. I caught plenty of fish with it. The reels didn't have enough line on them and should be topped off. Thanks for making me feel really really old by constantly saying the reels are vintage and really old.....lol
I believe the white pool you were using is solid fiberglass yes much slower. I have the old Michelle that you had. Remember that fishing was not a science back then. Smoothness and reliability was the goal then.😎
nice vid old reels I dont mind older rods are stiffer and less sensitive even deep sea models also tell buddy to try and not grab fish from the bottom imo behind the head and gills grab between your thumb and index finger having fish laying flat on your palm
When the blackfish runs down into the hole it will wrap its tail around a rock and wedge itself in (feels like you got snagged) give a little slack and wait . After a bit the fish will forget and let go when he does rip him up . It works try it.
Don’t know if you see comments on older videos… but I’d love to know what brand the old green reel is? You need to get some old D.A.M. reels. Excellent reels that will continue to outperform many new, expensive reels.
I have both reels. Mitchell’s were work horses 40-50 years ago and I still have a penn greenie on one of my surf rods. The main difference between old and new rods is the gear ratios. Newer rods are just easier to real in, especially with a larger fish on the line.
8:00 Fore sure, it's slower than modern reels. But I'm wondering if there isn't enough line on it. As the spool gets fuller, the diameter gets larger. Would the retrieve ratio increase?
That's exactly what I was just about to comment on too. That spool is almost empty so of course it's going to feel like it's slower than expected, plus the "300" class is the slower geared version where the "400" class is the high speed version of the old Mitchells
I have 50 + penn,Mitchell reels.The green is a 704,use braided line.I love the 700z series reels.The Mitchell 306,need to go to a 406 I have 4 of these.Braided line again,with mono leader. My newer reels are the Penn spinfisher, Battle, when you must have speed your right, Try to set up the Old reels right, you'll be surprised. Enjoy your shows.
Keep using those vintage combinations. Just because equipment is old or obsolete doesn't mean it won't work. The worst thing for guitars, motorcycles, cars or fishing gear is to not use it.
Outstanding, I love your indian river inlet videos,we vacation there every August and I fish that same rail and every taug I catch is just shy of a keeper. Keep up the good work. Tight lines.
Mitchell made a higher ratio in the 410. Basically same as the 300. I bought my Mitchell 410 Series in 1970. I still use it today. The other real that I still enjoy is the Penn 712 series. The simplicity of the vintage Penns and Mitchell make them very durable. Great idea for the video.
that is so cool that you got them so long ago and can still use them. they are incredibly durable! I've started to scan ebay for some old reels, but I haven't seen the 410. I now have the 402, 406, and 300! thanks for commenting
For a list of our gear, map of our fishing locations and merchandise visit us at SenkoSkipper.com
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Senko Skipper i guessed shimano
hi senko skipper i love your video
Great website!!... but the loading time is not good. Check your wordpress plugin... cheers~~
+Shah F that is very good to hear this feedback. Thank you for letting us know:) we will get on it!
Senko Skipper bb
The old mitchell reels are all me and my dad use, between the two of us we have about 50-60 of them
How do you afford all those replacement bail springs? That is my only gripe with the Mitchel 300's.
bullshit never heard of that issue.
Shit you wouldn't have a spare spool and nut for a Mitchell 307
I DO appreciate the quality and history of the older reels but the performance just can't match a modern Penn or other modern "high $" reel. The $15 Wal-Mart special usually won't last for long. You get what you pay for but I still collect a few older reels.
Agree bro i love those old reel and i know how yo fix its bail spring.
Took my brand new Battle II 5000 for a spin yesterday for the very first time and I hooked a 20lb yellowtail using a Ugly Stik X2 (medium hard) rod th-cam.com/users/postUgkxM68VkfsQhHaabDce1IwOCXuvumcpbZ_k . This combo was recommended on some website and it did not disappoint me. The reel is smooth, the drag click is pretty cool cause i think it adds to the excitement of fighting the fish, personally the drag is my favorite part. I use braid and 300 yards will fill the entire spool. This combo is my main setup from now on although I have to disclose I am new to fishing.
The reason they made the old reels to come apart is because people weren't as stupid as they are now days and they could actually work on their own reel.
lol too true
You do realize modern technology is a lot more advanced right? People today are much more intelligent, hence why tech is advancing as far as it is.
Also nearly everything is produced with cnc machinary and only serviceable with very complex or specific tooling..
Not just that, if something breaks and you can’t take it apart to fix it then you’ll probably buy another one so they can get more business that way with repeat customers
Silvano Gonzalez I use my dads old Mitchell reels on the river Severn in England. Not much different from my modern ones. They do all the same stuff and have a more basic shape so it’s easier to keep them clean
The sargosa caught all small fish the biggest fish you caught was on the mitchell....i love my mitchell 300 caught a California legal 34 in white sea bass on my mitchell 300 with a diawa regal strike on 20 lb test ..to me the drag on the mitchell is one of the best and is very smooth so you don't snap off any fish
I love vintage fishing gear. I collect high end vintage and contemporary fly fishing reels and rods. Its great to see other young people like myself be into the old gear. While I'm strictly a fly fisherman I really enjoy your channel.
The old reels and rods were built to last. No ball bearings but no stupid gimmicks either. Though modern reels haven't changed all that much from the old school reels and rods our parents used (only we have better materials today at our disposal). The fishing gear our parents and grandparents used still does the same job as the fishing gear we use today. At that time it was the best that they had for fishing. The fishing gear worked and the gear caught fish. What more can you ask for?
As a child we used the aluminum rods we bent off of the old TV antennas salvaged from old houses being torn down in the early 1970s. We then tied on on some fishing line to the end and a lead sinker and a bobber. The whole setup cost less than $3.00 and worked great for catching perch at the local reservoir.
Fishing is a summer recreation for most people and people don't need to spend $500.00 on the latest and greatest gear just to catch fish.
I fish with vintage reels very almost exclusively and Mitchell’s have become a distinct favourite of mine. At the end of the day it’s what you’re used to. I went from Mitchell 300s to an ABU Soron and I felt it was less sensitive. Obviously it’s not it’s just different. That being said, I fish on small welsh sea-trout and salmon rivers in Wales with those reels and for what you were doing you probably had to heavy of a line for the reel (6lbs-8lbs is the prime for these reels) if you want a vintage Mitchell more equipped for this try a Mitchell 440 which is a lot bigger. I might also add when fighting a fish retrieve speed is almost irrelevant, it’s about giving and taking line. You set drag for a reason. If I wound line in like you do on a 10lbs + Sea trout or Salmon in a river I’d loose it.
Hey man, hope you’ve had more time to play with the 706. I’m from the east coast, it’s van staal, zeebaas, saltiga and torque country. I now live in salmon country. I personally have few 706, 706z, 710 reels. Some modified some not. I’ve used my 706 on a 9 foot lamiglas now for over 10 years and still catch fish over 20 pounds. Those 706 reels still have parts available, literally they cost cents, and are easily serviceable. So I hope you’ve given it more time to grow on you, those reels are indestructible.
I love my older Penn bait cast & conventional reels for Fluke, Sea bass & other bottom fish, boat fishing in 20 - 60' of water on the inlets of Long Island. The Penn 109 I have, was purchased at Herman's sporting goods, year 1971 by my father when I was 6 years old, still have it!!
*MITCHELL REELS ARE SEVERELY UNDER RATED! PROBABLY THE BEST REELS I HAVE EVER USED* I'm still using several from the mid 1990s I will continue to buy Mitchell
I agree!
Mate, I've used these reels all my life, and I have caught everything from small stuff to monster kingfish,they are reliable, tough, durable and simple, shimano is awesome gear as well,but fishing is all about fun,and if you lose a fish it really doesn't matter, you can always try again!!!
Agree bro
I LOVE old fishing gear. I have a multitude of old reels, with my favorites being an old Penn 155 Beachmaster. Also have an OLD Mitchell that I dated from the 40s. While new fishing gear is great, old stuff will always have a special place in my heart. Great vid as always Senko!
The Mitchell 300 series reel is a classic. I've been using a pair (the same ones) for the last 45 years. Just remember to rinse them after a day in salt water and lube them every once in a while and it will last forever. Or longer than you, anyway - which is the same thing. BTW - my "new" rig is a 20 year-old Penn 704Z.
I've used them off of piers for such things as schoolie stripers and whatnot and found that they worked well. I have no experience with Tautog, so can't speak to it. I use 12 lb mono, it *does* stretch, which is why when I go into the surf, I use the larger Peen with braid. As always, adjust your gear to match your quarry. I've recently moved to central Florida's Atlantic coast and am learning new techniques & locations.
Hey Brandon, my generation fished with those reels, and we only used mono cause that's was only line available back then, and funny we still brought fish home at end of day. Why don't you ask your father what kind of line he used back in the day . And let's see if your saragpssa reel will still be fishing in 70 years.
Bingo! I have a lot of all metal reels. Mitchell, vintage Daiwa, etc. The youngest is 40 years old and the oldest almost 75 years. They were my dad's reels and now I use them over "any" new reel. I can't tell you how many new plastic cr%p modern reels I have tried and threw in a box or threw away. My favorite salt water reel is a Mitchell 302. I believe it is from the early 1960s. They are reliable and made in a quality that is long lost on modern manufactures of "anything" these days. I have a year old Penn that just is horrible in comparison. Quite disappointing considering how much it cost.
I really wish a company would remake these old reels! The sheer simplicity and ease of maintenance would be amazing compared to a lot of the newer reels out there.
china doesn't make 'em like WE used too
@@MrCurtisass China makes them better!
Penn makes the 704z now
60 years from now that Shimano will be long gone and the Mitchell and Penn will still be catching fish. Just like so many other things the generations before us were so much better at doing things because they didn’t have technology like we do that makes everything easy.
Nothing beats an old Mitchel reel!
If you fill the spool on the small mitchell, it will be faster. More line retrieved per crank.
I have several Mitchell 498 and they are really one of my favourite reels
When you're having trouble using a stiff rod take the line tension in your trigger finger and feel the line and if you are having trouble setting your hook from mono stretch use as light of a weight as you can get away with and sharpen your hooks!
Exactly bro thats what im doing also.
I do most of my fishing with vintage Mitchell and Daiwa reels, spooled with mono, on Ugly Stik rods and they work fine. I fish a lot and I hate replacing $100 reels every few years, the vintage reels will outlast most newer reels by a wide margin, and they are very simple to maintain and repair. Sure they retrieve a little slower than most modern reels, and they don't have the same cranking torque, but I've learned to live with these minor handicaps.
Totally agree with you man
And just a heads up, I think the reason you're 300 felt so slow was because you didn't fill the spool up. They may not have a terribly fast ratio, but with the wide diameter spool filled the 300 does pull in a reasonable amount of line per crank. I agree that some of the Penn and DAM reels can feel pretty slow.
I agree I've been fishing in general over 20 years I'm 27 ill take a reel older than me over an overpriced reel that will only last 3 years. You can get used to the older in technology .
The Mitchell 300 is better suited for shore fishing on rivers and lakes. Anything heavier that 12lb mono line of them makes them a little funky to work with. Spoons, spinners and crankbaits don’t need super fast retrieval speeds to be effective. I use a 300 and also the smaller and slightly more rare Mitchell 304, which is one of their smallest spinning reels and is best set up with 4-6lb mono on a 5’6” light action rod. This is a great set up for any spots loaded with small pan fish like crappies or sunfish. Good video but I don’t think it’s a 100% fair comparison.
I use an updated Mitchell 300 from the 90s, same as the older ones, for all my spinning fresh water use. It's a 5.1-1 so it is slower than most of my casters. Practice with it. I wouldn't use it in salt.
The Mitchell 300 the best reel made I've owned one for 20 plus years with lite maintenance.
All I use are vintage Penn Reels with modern drags HT 100s and you got a real Workhorse Old school durability with a bit of modern technology and you get the best of both worlds. Spool it up with some braid. Those old wooden handle fiberglass rods are great for durability, heavy fishing and trolling but are heavy put old reel on a modern rod to help lighten it up and you'll get more feel out of it. Best of all you can Source out the old Penns relatively cheap do a little fixing up and you got some good quality stuff. One of mine is from the 40s and I still use it today all the time but my favorite is the jigmaster 500
Big green all day
Man, that Penn 704 was my first surf reel (1975), I still have it, and it still works just fine. It's kind of like driving a 1961 VW bug. Clunky as hell but totally functional.
I'll chalked that one up for my future garage sale raid!.. Yeah👍👍👍👍..
Fishing technology has come so far since we used those reels. It’s amazing how many fish we caught back then. That Penn was a workhorse and probably in every old guys closet. The only thing that could brake was the bail and if you were a surf guy, you bought the manual bail version.
man! that's mitchell 300 series! awesome! I used couple of them for seabass fishing with live bait. They are legends!
i'll take the vintage all day!!!
+lojo.fishing lol, I really love the vintage reels.
Lojo do a ventage challenge
Do a ventage challenge Lojo also I don't know if that was you at the east Tennessee Walmart 3 years back but if so sorry for being a dick.
Damn 3 years ago you just about commented on every fishing channel.
Me too
Those old reels are made that way because you had to actually do your service on them, rinse them from salt and re grease it. It's pretty cool pulling those old reels apart and putting them back together
8:05 I use my 300 for trout fishing in rivers using a spin lure like a veltic, those spinners only need to be pulled along slowly making this reel ideal
I have a awesome penn baymaster from back in the day.... my uncle gave it to me when I was a kid and it still works awesome. I have only had it serviced once.
+Andrew Williams have you ever tried fishing with it?
I fish with it all the time, it's one I take with me for large sharks as well as the occasional halibut and the fast and fun Bonita.
I'm moving to Oklahoma soon and want to get ready for lake fishing what rod and reel so recommend?
I've used that Mitchell for 50 years. The only drawback is it corrodes easily. I buy "collectors" reels and rebuild my old ones for friends. Try filling the reel and you'll get more speed...about 4" per crank turn.
I paired my Garcia Mitchell with modern rods. And I love them.
My michell 300 works great! MINE IS VERY FAST AND I USE IT ON largemouth bass.
I've caught 12lb steelhead on a 300. So operator error.
The Mitchell 300 is a good all around reel for fresh water, I have two and they are all I use
I think It's not the line or the reel why you can't feel the bites. It's the rig. You have a heavy sinker and when bait stealers nibble and pull on the bait, they pull against the weight of sinker and the sinker makes it easier for fish to tear the bait off from your hook too. So all this time when fish work against the sinker, there is no movement on your mainline.
this happen to me as well using the rig you are using the bottom rig. It is my favorite rig since it's easy to tie and you can rig it so that it becomes a breakaway rig by using loop to loop to connect the bottom sinker to the rig.
LOVE the old Mitchell reels. I have an oldie I use as a spinning bass rig now and again with a Cabelas Tourney Trail IM8 Graphite rod. It's a cool setup. I've caught a 6'8" Sturgeon on that rod setup too, so you CAN in fact get some monsters in this as well.
these reels were made in an era where fishermen was the key word,,, it wasn't the tweeked out gear that caught fish ,,, it was based on the skill level of the fisherman ,,,,, you rely to mush on all the fancy bells and whiskles of your gear now a days ,,, a real fisherman can catch fish with them easily ,,, even just a bamboo pole is more then enough for a real fisherman ,,,, so I would say spend more time with those reels ,,, the Penn 704 is all I use,, for surf and inshore ,,and a Garcia Mitchel on a colonial pole for deep sea and boat fishing ,,,, after a while you can catch just as much as anyone else even with all the fancy gear ,,,,after all ,,fishing is a sport of man against wild .. a show of your true fishing skills .... to me all those newer things just make you sences soft and give you something to blame other then yourself
Thanks for the fun video.
Just as is true today there was a wide range of quality in the reels available in the early days of spinning reels. The development of nylon line by Dupont marked a milestone for reel technology, Notice the first spinning reel tended to be larger, due in part to the fact the early mono lines were pretty stiff and didn't work well on small spools. When the original Stren came out in 1959 smaller reels became a lot more practical.
There were also slower and faster reels available early on. If you're fishing in a situation where fast retrieve speed is important you need a faster reel. Take some time, do some research, and you can identify some high-quality vintage reels that will serve you well. Times were different then and things were built to last (unless they were obviously being built to a price-point). The quality of materials and manufacturing of the some of the older rods and reels is really impressive.
The older fiberglass rods will not be as sensitive as modern graphite rods in most cases but the quality rods are very tough and they will take static loads that will break graphite rods. They also tend to be a slower action, the transition from flexible tip to stiffer butt is slower. There is definitely a learning curve, too, if you're used to graphite rods. I grew up using glass rods and we learned to watch the tip of the rod for movement, not depending on feeling the bite. Low stretch lines definitely help and you can always use a mono or fluorocarbon leader. If you're using mono, it helps to use higher test for less stretch.
If you do the same thing you would do with modern tackle, use quality gear and match it to your situation, you'll find the vintage tackle performs well and is a lot of fun to use.
So amazing hell they used to make things back in the day. But I love watching the progression of fishing gear. Would love to see a show on casting with all different size surf rods and the techniques. Thanks again for all you guys do!
+Rick Friedman good suggestion! Thanks rick
I totally agree with you dude.!! Guess what, sans the sleek looks of today's reels?, they won't last in as much as these vintage ones do... Love them vintage reels! 👍👍👍
This video makes me want to sell my reels and get me that vintage reel. Looks dope and easy to maintain
I love the Mitchell 300
I still use the old 302s on alot of my rigs. You just can't beat those reels
The Mitchell 300 is a classic freshwater reel - used to be de rigeur for English coarse fishing e.g. fishing with floats etc. There is an otherwise identical, but faster version called the 400. The big, fast Mitchell saltwater reel is the 498 or 499 (right/left handed). We use those for land-based game fishing. They use a roller instead of a bail wire.
My dad had a green reel just like you have. It was a great reel. I am going to go online and try to find one
Love the videos! Keep them coming. How about using the OLD reel on a new modern rod?
I built a modern rod in retro style for a 1970’s penn ultralight I got my hands on, definitely worth getting the modern rod with an antique feel cause it’s a lot of fun to catch anything on
When the sand flea was bitten in half, you didn't hook the fish because the fish was nowhere near the hook, nothing to do with braid or mono. If the fish had hit the sand flea's head then you'd have hooked it. That's why you hook a bait in the middle if you're only using one hook
Maybe you should fill the reel w line if you want it faster
I have 2 of the mitchell 300’s and they work lovely
I have nine 300s people on eBay are buying the hell out of them!
I like the old school ones.
The lady who lived next door to me for a couple years had over 100 of her late husband's combos that she wanted to show me. Most were saltwater, but a few were fresh. Most looked completely unused. I asked if she might want to sell any and she said "Oh, no, I couldn't do that." LOL. I think he was a hoarder and she was just hanging onto his memory through his fishing tackle. I understand because I have some of my dad's.
I live in the UK and the Mitchell was the reel to have in the 60. If you had loaded the spool up to 1/8 inch from the top you would have double the speed of your retrieve. I notice your spool was full on your new reel. Not a fair comparison ?
I only use vintage Mitchells now. After 55 years I have found a comfortable feel with them. Mostly the 408 and the 308's are my to go reels. I fit them on vintage 60's Berkley rods..Buccaneer and Triden't's are my fav's. Use the line for feel when they bite.
That’s very cool. I have the small black one along with some other old ones. You’re the one that got me into fishing.
Still use the Mitchell 300A, great reel has to be one of the best of all time!
Yes and it is almost impossible no to like it! Mitchell and penn at the top! Grettings
at 7:26 you say the reel was slow but you can clearly see the spool is only half filled! so the reel is half the speed it should be.
I love some of the reels I have from the 80s early 90s. They are not the fastest in line retrieve but work and don't corrode to hell if I forget to rinse them off.
Next time you fish these old reels. Put a finger on the mono and you will definitely feel the bite and can set the hook. Seen that technique watching vintage fishing videos.
Mitchell 300 is fresh water. Trout and such. Awesome reel
Sorry Senko, I have Penn 700's and Penn 704's. Some are 50 years old. The Penns do have a ball bearing under the spool. The retrieve rate is slower than modern reels. BUT! Parts are readily available to repair nearly every model of Penn reels. The can always be fixed. Try that with a Saragosa or any other brand or model 2 years from now. I have caught 40lb Stripers and huge Blues with my old Penns, using 17lb mono. No problem. My 700's and 704's work fine. PLUS. I have a few new Penns as well.
The Mitchell's were primo when they can out. I've used them in the past growing up. That's what we had and yes they've landed a lot of big fish. You're too young to know about it but I'm not. Mitchell's were one of the best built reels of their time because of being solid steel and as you saw the gears that were in there not ball bearings gave it a hard drive so much direct drive on it instead of meaning it can torque more then with the ball bearings. A lot of people were using them for all kinds of fishing steelhead walleye bass you name it. They worked well for our time and we did very good on them. As a matter fact I still buy the little Mitchell Ultra Lights now. But if I could I would get me another one of those just because the Mitchell 300 or legendary for their time and the durability and long-lasting. Yes you can't compare them to any real with the way that they are. You just can't do it. And that's what you're used to if you would have been used to it like we were and had to grow up on him it'd be a different story those zip codes were some of the most popular ones. Abu Garcia in the sixties and seventies. We were bringing northern pike and Muskie in on them too so don't try to say or tell us that these results aren't that good. We know we've done with them we've know what we've caught
The Mitchell 300 is designed for fresh water spinning primarily although it soon became a favourite of European match Anglers. It ain't going to survive salt and any grit in the gear train will hurt it badly. By the way your example with the boomerang shaped anti reverse lever is a relatively early example and in the condition it was in before you exposed it to brine was possibly collectable . It does not have a free spinning line roller just a tungsten carbide cone, I really don't think braid is a good idea. The 306 has a good line roller, is designed for brackish water and heavier fishing, but you do need to rinse it out if you use it in brine. Your main obstacle to success was your rod, fibreglass can be a tad spongy but that not withstanding your manner of playing a fish, using the reel to winch in rather than drawing it in with the rod, left a lot to be desired.
back when those reels were bought, it was an investment,,, it was a tool that you needed to learn take care of and service,, ,not like today " oh ,, it broke,,, ill just go buy another $600 reel" ... those reels were bought as a family gem to be past down through generation
fishing and hunting back then was 1 of your gateways into manhood,,, skills you howed ,,, and if your father gave you a Penn or he passed and left it to you ,,, it was a big deal ,,, with a little service they will out live you and your kids easily,,,, yeah things sure have changed,,, we become and rely on the top dollar disposable things ,, and when you don't catch anything you blame the gear ,,, back then if you didn't catch anything you asked a senior fisherman for pointer,,, he would never tell you you needed better gear, he was just as happy with a coke bottle and string( you old timers know what that means) as he was with a Penn reel and pole... SKILL is the key word,, but he would tell you the skill
There was a high speed version of the Garcia reel. I have countless Garcia reels and old Penn 700, 704 and 706 reels. These old Penn reels will reel up a Volkswagen front the deep.
My dad has the blue one but in grey and its really good on bringing in big fish its also really hard to get tangled
Glad to see ya back!
+Hurrah Bay where have we been?
Senko Skipper unfortunately TH-cam algorithms
I use the Garcia M 300 for salt/fresh water . I just picked up an old Penn. like that an cant wait to use it . Love to use Vintage gear . Around New England they use small rock crabs 4 Tataug . If ya think those reals are slow , try a hand line . Much luck
Those slow gear ratio spinning reels with the stretchy mono and old fiberglass rods works great with big crankbaits and spinners, they have enough resistance that the line is already stretched out when the fish hit so no worries there. For bait fishing I'd probably go with circle hooks and let the fish hook themselves so you don't need such a strong set.
I've cought so many fish on my 1978 daiwa 7000 reel and I was using big game mono 20lbs
Nice job dropping that small blackfish a few times - I’m sure it really appreciated it.
Also, what the hell is a “sensitive” reel? It’s the rod that allows you to feel the bites, not the reel.
Match that Penn with the right rod and you won't use that Shimano anymore. I have been using one for years on the beach and jetties. Use 12lb mono and caught just about everything on it. That Mitchell is better for freshwater.
I use a lot of vintage fishing reels I also have the 306 Mitchell and lots of other ones they are awesome
When I discovered the old penn 704z reels i bought a ton of them. They were made to last a very long time. They make great bait fishing reels as they are very strong.
I love the simple old school reels that are work horses. No gimmicky shit.
Y’all are champs!
I had both reels and never had an issue with them. The Mitchell was for Pike, Walleye and Bass fishing. The Penn is a real SaltWater Reel. I caught plenty of fish with it. The reels didn't have enough line on them and should be topped off. Thanks for making me feel really really old by constantly saying the reels are vintage and really old.....lol
I believe the white pool you were using is solid fiberglass yes much slower. I have the old Michelle that you had. Remember that fishing was not a science back then. Smoothness and reliability was the goal then.😎
I think the Michell was designed for fresh water fishing they used to be very popular over here in the UK
I have a Penn battle 2 size 6000 ! nice and smooth but I promise that Mitchell and Penn greenie will outlast anything modern !!
nice vid old reels I dont mind older rods are stiffer and less sensitive even deep sea models also tell buddy to try and not grab fish from the bottom imo behind the head and gills grab between your thumb and index finger having fish laying flat on your palm
Loved this! Ever since I saw that post in Facebook, I knew you’d come out with some great videos. Good work!
+TheMasterCasters thanks man:)
I enjoy fishing with vintage gear, but then, I'm vintage too!
When the blackfish runs down into the hole it will wrap its tail around a rock and wedge itself in (feels like you got snagged) give a little slack and wait . After a bit the fish will forget and let go when he does rip him up . It works try it.
Marceldbd I’ve tried. I’d say it’s 50/50 whether the tog decides to come back out. I will keep using this tactic though. Thank you!
It's not how expensive or branded, it's the know how of fishing.
I have faith in the penn spinfisher!
me too. next time i'll know how to use it better
Don’t know if you see comments on older videos… but I’d love to know what brand the old green reel is? You need to get some old D.A.M. reels. Excellent reels that will continue to outperform many new, expensive reels.
I'm buying like 6 vintage reels right now!
I have both reels. Mitchell’s were work horses 40-50 years ago and I still have a penn greenie on one of my surf rods. The main difference between old and new rods is the gear ratios. Newer rods are just easier to real in, especially with a larger fish on the line.
8:00 Fore sure, it's slower than modern reels. But I'm wondering if there isn't enough line on it. As the spool gets fuller, the diameter gets larger. Would the retrieve ratio increase?
That's exactly what I was just about to comment on too. That spool is almost empty so of course it's going to feel like it's slower than expected, plus the "300" class is the slower geared version where the "400" class is the high speed version of the old Mitchells
Just started watching your guy's vidoes really enjoying content.
You guys are very genuine people.
Keep up the good work
Lmao fished "Blackfish", for thirty years with mono and a Penn 704z and never had a problem.
You kids need to learn to fish.
I have 50 + penn,Mitchell reels.The green is a 704,use braided line.I love the 700z series reels.The Mitchell 306,need to go to a 406 I have 4 of these.Braided line again,with mono leader. My newer reels are the Penn spinfisher, Battle, when you must have speed your right, Try to set up the Old reels right, you'll be surprised. Enjoy your shows.
Keep using those vintage combinations. Just because equipment is old or obsolete doesn't mean it won't work. The worst thing for guitars, motorcycles, cars or fishing gear is to not use it.
i like the first vintage one
The green reel my grandpa had and it still in good condition
Outstanding, I love your indian river inlet videos,we vacation there every August and I fish that same rail and every taug I catch is just shy of a keeper. Keep up the good work. Tight lines.
+Lee Nale haha story of my life. All just an inch shy of keeper.
Mitchell made a higher ratio in the 410. Basically same as the 300. I bought my Mitchell 410 Series in 1970. I still use it today. The other real that I still enjoy is the Penn 712 series. The simplicity of the vintage Penns and Mitchell make them very durable. Great idea for the video.
that is so cool that you got them so long ago and can still use them. they are incredibly durable! I've started to scan ebay for some old reels, but I haven't seen the 410. I now have the 402, 406, and 300! thanks for commenting