I still use an old Shakespeare 2200 ultralight that I bought in 1971. It never let me down with the hundreds of crappies and perch I've taken with it. It has a relatively fast 4.3:1 retrieve ratio for reels of that time period. Even the paint still shines. I keep it spooled with four pound test line. It's even brought in a large northern pike that attacked a Mepps Comet spinner bait I used for crappie fishing.
Update - I now have just about 400 vintage reels in my collection. I will never forget your Daiwa 8600 spinning reel video. I now have seven of the reels in that series. By the way, almost all of my vintage spinning reels are 50 years old or older. Keep up the good work! - Chris
All I use are Mitchell 300 and 308s. I still have my first one I every own, bought when I was 14, I am now 60. Easy to maintain and the trick for putting braid on is to cut a piece of cloth bandage tape and tape the braid after you tie it around the spool.
Love the old Penn 420SS. Metal body, brass / ss worm drive, single bearing, skirted spool, quiet (but not instant) anti-reverse, a large, single Teflon drag washer that can be replaced with a more modern material such as HT-100. The older Penn 716 has a very similar drive train, a cup-type rotor, a clicking AR system, and a very similar drag system. I like these too. The 420SS and 716 / 716z reels are in some demand though, so costs are quite a bit higher than for a Mitchell 308 or a Shakespeare 2052. Penn 714 and 430SS are the next size up. The 4300SS, a later version of the 430SS, retains the worm drive but has a graphite body and a different drag system. Note that while the 4300SS has a worm gear drive, the 4200SS does *not*! The main gear is garbage-metal, the pinion brass, and you should not reel under pressure if you want to prolong the service life of the gears. I've caught a *lot* of fish using the 4200SS in salt water in spite of these shortcomings. Biggest was a 20lb+ bat ray that took me 45 minutes to land and left me with an aching wrist for a week. Just putting that out there so people understand there's more to reel design than just gears and body material.
Love my Mitchells. Been using them since I got my first on, a 304 CAP, as a kid in 1958. These days I use mostly a 300 and 488. Great video thanks for sharing....
Thank you for your video. I recently got 3 Garcia Mitchell reels. 301,306,&307 I'm going to clean em and use them. All I need in a reel to cast and retrieve a fish. These are perfect for catfishing.
Very nice job my friend, it is so welcoming to know how good we had it back then. Boy they sure don’t make them like they used to. Of course there are very good reels made today but very pricey yet, there is something special about fishing with vintage reels. On your subject, the Shakespeare 2052 resembles the Quick Dam reels that came from West Germany, what simple mechanism yet very durable and well made. Even though Shakespeare reels were US made; I also consider reels made in Japan of high quality. I was a bit naïve on your Abu Garcia Cardinal 3, and you have been very helpful in your description on your reels and what to look for when looking on vintage reels. Muchas Gracias
Excellent video.Very informative, I've been using Mitchell 300 for many years and Penn greenies for salt water fishing. I recently purchased my first 2062 and it is almost exact clone of the greenie except for the internal parts. Greenies are all brass inside making for exceptional use in saltwater. Thanks for sharing your video.
Excellent video. I know rhe this video is over a year old, and although I’ll agree with you about 95% of what you said but if I may I’ll may some possible corrections. I’ve been working with fishing reels for over 40 years (worked doing service and repair part-time while in college) and have fished from the Florida Keys to New England. While I agree with you about the excellence of the Shakespeare 2052 and the Quality of much of the Cardinal line. When I was in Florida, I was taking some time away from college, I was working and fishing in South Florida. I did spend some time hanging around the Florida Keys in the mid-1970’s. While as I was still a college student I couldn’t afford very many trips to bonefish, I did,hang around the guides while they were fishing “off the clock” and in the areas where I was, the most common reel among the guides was the Shakespeare 2052. It seemed that another common reel was the high end Orvis SS100,:which is the saltwater version of their 100 size reel. Of course I didn’t spend an unlimited time there, and so didn’t talk to everybody, but that’s what I remember. Now here’s where what I remember is that they used the 2052 in saltwater without any apparent concern. Don’t know if they used special lube or what. As far as my contacts, in the early 80’s the 2052 was replaced by another reel that is currently being produced and sold today, which covers many of the points you made - the Daiwa SS series, that came in Ultralight, the SS700, the SS1300, the light-weight-medium series, the SS1600, and the medium-heavy SS2600 Reels. Isn’t it odd that one of the largest reel manufacturers in the world, as all most all other reel companies produce dozens of new models every year sells a reel that was produced nearly 40 years ago. As I’ve been fishing Ultralight or light tackle abut 85% of the time since the late 70’s, although I’ve tried hundreds of reels since then, I’ve pretty much settled on the three following UL reels; the Daiwa 500C of the 1970’s and 80’s, the Orvis 50, bother with bail and bailess, introduced in the 1950’s-1960’s and the SS700 from 1980 to today. Some of the newer reels I’ve used over the years have had some nice features and some had pretty good quality, but I’ve got reels that haven’t needed a major repair in 50 years and still perform on par with the newer reels. Oh yeah, with old reels don’t buy just one as the reel manufacturers stop stocking old reel parts after 5 years or so. Also, reel companies have produced some really bad reels over the years, some “innovations” were produced by almost every company but were SO BAD the reels disappeared within one or two years or when all the parts dried up. Lastly, I’ve just picked up a specimen of one of the oldest, 1932 era, spinning reels ever made, the Hardy Altex, and while it needs some work, initial examination seems to show it’s of excellent quality. If you are looking for the reels mentioned above, please be aware that even though these reels are 40 years old or so, if they are in decent to excellent condition, they probably won’t be cheap, especially if your buying at auction or in an area where there are people who know vintage tackle. However, the Daiwa SS series reels are still in the catalog, so they can be purchased new, and just a little cheaper used. Really appreciated the video, it was quite educational.
I have a 500C that I do like quite a bit but I prefer the 1000 size personally (the extra diameter of the spool helps keep the mono from coiling as much IMO). I love old Daiwa reels. I have a video on an old model you may not be aware of that you may want to have a look at: th-cam.com/video/2wfTREc_nUA/w-d-xo.html The Daiwa 8100 is one of the best made ultralight reels I've ever had my hands on. Love that reel. Daiwa also still makes the aluminum bodied BG series reels in addition to the SS reels 👍 Daiwa has definitely made some of my favorite reels that I own. Very good quality and a lot of parts still available.
Hello again! I now have over 260 vintage spinning reels. With the use of circle hooks an instant anti-reverse is not a necessity to me. I also use the AR override all the time with the way I fish. I only use vintage reels. You and I have a favorite vintage reel - the Daiwa 8600. Recently I finally found an 8700. The other reels in that series - the 8300 and 8100 - are excellent Rees as well. I do the same thing with pulling the one out before beginning a retrieve. I have a lot of reels with what are called “hammer bails.” I always close the bail on these reels by hand. I collect vintage surf spinning reels that are medium to large in size. I have several reels that have a switch that cuts off the clicker while leaving the AR engaged. An example would be the Mitchell 4400 series reels. I do have a few reels with an AR clutch but all the ones I have also have an AR override. I will not own a reel w/o that override. I happen to love the Mitchell planamatic oscillation. I have 56 French Mitchells including a couple with what is called an Ottomatic bail release. It takes a little practice but they are a lot of fun to use. (330 and 440 have this feature.) I have the Shakespeare reels you mentioned. I happen to love a worm gear spinning reel. The early Penn greenies are also worm gear reels as well as the Zebco Cardinal reels made in Sweden. I have six of these Cardinal reels in the 6 and 7 size. They are superb reels. I also love the Shakespeare Sea Wonder reels. I have all of those. I guess the vintage reel is the Daiwa 8600. You cannot find a better vintage reel. By the way the prices you are quoting are probably not available now. Just last night I got my second 1961 Penn Spinfisher 700 first edition spinning reel. It is probably the most difficult to find of all the greenies. - Chris
I don't use reels as old as what you have, but I've bought quite a few 90s spinning reels from places like Goodwill. After a clean and lube they run like new. I prefer to use those older reels than some of my newer stuff. Just reminds me of the reels I used when I was a kid. I don't think I've spent over $5 on any of those reels. They also make for great rods for people visiting us that don't have all that much experience.
A very informative presentation for those who haven't lived and fished through the times of both vintage and new reels. I liked the info regarding gearing and durability. I will add one comment on avoiding that "loop" and tangle potential when closing the bail on an older reel. Simply lifting the rod tip slightly while closing the bail will give the line enough of a tug at the same time the bail closes to totally prevent that little bit of slack that might occur otherwise. It does the same thing as your "pause and pull" method, but it's quick and effective with no delay, and something many people learned ages ago to do without even thinking. I still do it with modern reels (which I still close by turning the handle - force of habit!)
Great tip and that will be helpful to a lot of people so thanks for making the comment! I do the same thing myself at times when using a lure or bait with some weight to it, when using little to no weight (I do a lot of ultralight fishing) I tend to pull the line by hand so as to not move the lure from the area I put it in on the cast. Thanks for helping others out with your comment and tight lines!
Nice, simple video. Very insightful for newbies like me and I think you've sold me on the 2052. Picking the Cardinal as your favorite floored me. I personally can't get past the looks but you can, which says volumes about you being a fisherman first and collector second (that's a compliment). Well done.
Thanks for the great comment. The 2052 doesn't normally look like that (they are a maroon color). The Cardinal is one of the best made spinning reels I have seen and this particular model the C3 (the older Cardinal 3 is similar in some ways and very different in others) has a lot of features that make them more like modern reels (silent anti-reverse, a bail that can be closed by hand, skirted spool and a few other things) which are more user friendly. A well cleaned and lubed 2052 is a real pleasure to use though, make no mistake about it!
Hello, informative video. It is interesting that you rate the Cardinal so highly. I would agree with you. Though the Cardinals are not very good in Saltwater. I think where all reels fall down when it comes to self servicing them are the bail arm springs. Not come across a reel that is ideal. So easy to sprain the Abu ones. Other reels can be much more fiddley. When it comes to bail arm springs I'm not sure which make has it. Regards Stephen
I have a couple of old vintage reels I have I've got the typical Mitchell 300 the 300A + a 400 and an old wonderod that I use as my go-to but I don't know the pecking don't bother me as much as if you got a person that you're fishing with is constantly talkin you kind of wish they had a a lever or switches you could cut them off! Lol! Enjoyed your video!
Excellent tutorial!! Learned some things I didn't know despite rebuilding dozens of spinners- and conventionals and spincasters. Got many Mitchells , some DAM Quicks, Daiwas , Shimanos A South Bend, and A Jarvis Walker. Love them all
Thank you for the video, I learned many things. I like vintage reels and rods and all equipement because of nostalgia (everything was better in the past!). ; )
Excellent video, TFH. I totally agree on the merits of all three of those great reels and particularly love the innards of the Abu which looks nothing special until opened up then , wow ! You make a good point regarding instant anti-reverse or lack of: that is probably the greatest and most useful advance to be found in modern reels and folk getting into vintage reels should be aware that they won't find it there but if you can live without it vintage reels are generally great and great fun.
I agree, instant anti-reverse is a great thing when it is working correctly. I also like being able to close the bail manually. Overall build quality on the older reels is much better. If I could design a reel it would be an aluminum bodied, worm drive with a worm geared oscillation setup with instant anti-reverse and a skirted spool/bail setup. It would probably cost a boat load of money to make 🙁
Wow!!... You definitely know your vintage reels.That was some great information!!!... I have a few vintage Abu ambassadeurs... and closed spincast reels and I love them...they definitely don't make them like they used to!!!!!!... Great video sir!!!!
Good video, when I get time I plan to do similar videos on the same subject. I also own and use many older spinning and conventional reels; mostly Mitchell, Penn, Daiwa, Abu, and one Shakespeare. Much prefer the look and feel of older reels over the newer stuff, although I do have some newer ones as well. Still own several reels (and rods!) that I bought new back in the 70's and my first Mitchell 300 given as a birthday gift back in '69. Thanks for posting.
William Stayton I went ahead and subscribed to your channel and will look forward to any reel videos you decide to make! I'm with you, these classic reels are of much better quality than what you see out there now. I like some of the features of new reels but the build quality just isn't the same!
Share the same thought as you friend, I was a teenager in the late 60s, and I bought a couple of Mitchell's 300, back then I didn't think much about keeping the boxes; what a mistake.
I most have the Mitchell 300 with the Johnson century reels right beside. I have a Vagabond Model 1 it needs a ugly stick. I need to get to a lake and see how it feels.
I agree. I own all of the reels you mentioned as well. My Quick 110 is practically new, the others are well used but still going strong. I fish a lot of small creeks myself as well 👍
Oh man, I'm jealous!!! I'd love to find either one of those locally for a good price (they usually get expensive on eBay). The reel I'd like to have more than any other at the moment is the Penn 420SS. If I ever get a chance to pick one up for a reasonable price I'm going to. They usually fetch a high price!
Take a look at this video: th-cam.com/video/JOOGfnFVu-w/w-d-xo.html At about the 1:19 second mark of the video you can see me turning the anti-reverse off and on and you can see the plastic pawl that stops the reel from reversing in the top left hand corner of the side plate assembly. Make sure that the spring is in the proper position on that anti-reverse pawl and that it is working as it should. The reel in the video is a different model but the parts should be very similar to what is in the 300A reel. There is a possibility that the anti-reverse isn't able to raise up enough out of the way when cranking forward and causing your problems. That is where I would start looking. Good luck with it!
@@TheFishingHobby I will be fishing it in the morning. I just peiced them together this past week. Both were yardsale finds! One hell of a 5 dollar combo! LoL
Have you ever used the old Mitchell Luxor reels? My father use those and I still use them to this day they also are easy to maintain all metal and work courses I have about 10 of them that I have on various rides. I get a lot of compliments on them from other fishermen. Particularly when they’re mountain on a bamboo rod.
EXCELLENT VIDEO AND INFO ❗❗👍great pointers that I learned today and I will apply them when using my Vintage reels 👍..EBAY has a lot of reels like U said but shipping is pricey as u know👎 I'm looking for a 2052... I didn't know about the Abu ❓..too bad there's so much play in the crank ...where would u find parts for these reels ❓..Thank for the great video ❗🍻 Salud
Ive been watching youtube for 10 years atleast..i watch youtube every day..i have a channel with 3000 subs and i have to say this is the best youtube video ive seen..perfectly presented informative and on point...im going to find all three of these..thankyou for your time..what are your recomendations for salt water?
Thanks! I don't really fish saltwater, but most people who do love the old Penn reels. Search "penn greenie" online and you will find what most people think we're the best saltwater reels.
Not sure why, they have been used for years by saltwater fishermen (and still are). The later "Z" series reels are basically the same reels but different colors.
The Mitchel 300 may not be instant AR, but its pretty close, far less back play than any real you have there. Have you played with any of the old Daiwa reels? I have a few Daiwa Silver and Black Gold series reels and IMO they are miles ahead of the reels of the time in terms of smoothness and drag. On most of them the bail can be closed by hand.
The Mitchell 300 is a good reel. Their beveled gear setup in the 308 isn't as durable as a worm drive or as smooth, but isn't far from it either. The 300 uses more of a spur type of a gear. I love a lot of the old Daiwa reels. The C and X series reels were great! The X series is very similar to the BG series. You may like this video I did on an old Daiwa 1000x: th-cam.com/video/2wfTREc_nUA/w-d-xo.html This line of Daiwa reels are cream of the crop though: th-cam.com/video/AeozEEIChMo/w-d-xo.html I'll talk vintage reels all day, please comment back anytime! Tight lines!!!
Thanks for the link, I've been thinking about getting another old Daiwa for ice fishing, as cranking my 308 closed isn't ideal in that situation. There seems to be more light action Daiwa's around than most other vintage reels.
Thanks for the links, I've been thinking about picking up another old Daiwa for ice fishing. I currently use a couple 308's but cranking the bail closed somehow seems like a much bigger pain on the ice.
You are dead on! Have a 2062 I got for $3.00! Cleaned it up and could not believe the quality. The roller has a brass sleeve inside! Got a Penn 710 and didn't do anything other than clean it. It is Smith beyond belief. The drag is incredibly Smith.
Awesome reels (both of them)! You got the 2062 for a fantastic price!!! I have a playlist of vintage spinning reels you may want to take a look at: th-cam.com/play/PLX7a8aD_4rElR6gqC4w0cQOQmvqDK5p0I.html Those Penns really hold their resale value well!
The Fishing Hobby You did an awesome job on the 2052. I might try that. I've got a Pflugerville 641 that is smoother than most new reels, but the screw on the bail arm is giving me fits. If I tighten it, the nail is to stiff to work. So it keeps loosing up on me. Have you ran into this problem befor? O, my Penn is actually a 711, left-handed!
Have you tried switching the two bail arm screws around? They usually have a shoulder on them that keeps them from tightening down too much. If the two screws are the same thread size but different lengths on the shoulder, they may have been switched to the wrong position at some point. If that isn't the problem, take the screw into a home improvement or hardware store and see if you can find a piece of brass tubing that you could cut to length to use as a shoulder to allow it to tighten down but not pinch the arm. If you have trouble figuring out what I'm talking about, shoot me an email (thefishinghobby@gmail.com) and I can send you some pics that may help.
The Fishing Hobby Tried that and broke the spring. Part of playing with older gear. LOL All and all, I have good luck with the old reels. I got Shakespeare my 2062 for $3.00 because the bail spring was broke. It wasn't broke, just put on wrong. ☺
Very helpful video even 3 + years later. The prices have gone up, I’m sure thanks in part to your excellent video. I’ve been looking for a vintage ultralight spinning reel for a 5’ fiberglass rod I paid too much for (but fishing it makes me feel like a kid in the best way). I will probably pull the trigger on a Shakespeare. I see that Zebco also had a “Cardinal 3” model in the 70s that was made in Sweden and looks like a similar model. Is it possible they kept the manufacture going when Abu moved their cardinals to Japan?
The Zebco Cardinal reels are made by Abu. By the time Abu started having them made in Japan, Zebco had already stopped selling that product line. Thanks you the kind words. Have fun with that glass rod, I love using fiberglass 👍
Did Shakespeare make a lefty version of the 2052? Great video! Thanks. Just picked up a cardinal 3 at goodwill. Still looking for Mitchell 309. Thanks again.
What did you use to polish the 2052? Its true man,I've put all my new reels on the shelf and have bombarded Ebay and started hoarding the Shakespeare 2062,2052 and as many Penn Greenies I can get my hands on! These reels are true beasts! The prices are really going up on the ultralight vintage reels. Still cheaper than equal quality today. Thanks and enjoyed!
I used a buffing wheel and polishing compound on a grinder. Makes it pretty quick and easy 👍 I really like using older reels. You have picked some of the best as user reels...great quality and built to last a lifetime!
First off, Great Video! Appreciate you taking the time to explain in detail the different models. My question is - what vintage spinning reel would you recommend for saltwater application that incorporates the worm gear design described in the video above? Looking for one that has a gear ratio of 4.1:1 or higher. Thanks, Chris.
Chris L Penn made some great ones and they were saltwater reels. The ones often referred to as "greenies" were a cup/rotor style and the later SS series were skirted spool models. Not all SS series reels were worm gear drives. What size reel are you looking for (line lb test/capacity)? I can give you some specific models based off of that.
I tend to do a good deal of fishing from the surf. I normally fish with 5000 - 6000 size reel. If I'm doing a lot of casting, I'll use a 3000 - 4000. I watched your other videos and I just recently picked up an 8600 myself. Big fan of the old stuff... it's simple in design and just works!
I think you will want to look for a Penn 704z or 706z on the larger end and a 710z on the smaller side. I agree, the simplest design is often the most reliable. I know the sealing isn't as good as some modern reels but if you do regular maintenance, it isn't an issue. Doing maintenance is easier because of the more basic design and some of these old reels are still working that are 50+ years old which says a lot about them!
@TheFishingHobby thank you for the suggestions! You're right on the sealing but that doesn't bother me because I don't mind the maintenance. I usually take them apart once a year to clean them and regrease them. Thanks again!
It is a Shakespeare 2052. I removed the maroon colored paint from the body of the reel and polished the aluminum. It does look nice, but it is also one of the better made small spinning reels you will find in my opinion.
Are you talking about the silver switch in this picture on the rotor cup? images.app.goo.gl/o2JMQT1BAWhfJ9JcA If so, I believe that would be the bail trip release switch/lever. I don't own that particular reel to know for sure, but that is my best guess by the looks of it.
Fantastic video and thanks. Could you suggest the best places to purchase these reels other than eBay? Just wondered if you had other sources for reels in good condition. Thanks very much.
I find them at fleamarkets pretty regularly as well. You can find a lot of fishing gear at fleamarkets in communities around recreational lakes. Fleamarkets where there are retirement communities near recreational lakes are great places to find vintage rods and reels. Fleamarkets around costal areas where fishing is popular are great places to find gear as well.
Yes, thank you. I don't have access to those markets where I am but when traveling will check it out. I was wondering if you could recommend a vintage rod, or vintage rods that would be equivalent in age and quality? I would like to fish strictly vintage for some of my fishing (which is mainly for bass). Appreciate your expertise very much.
The old Garcia Conolon fishing rods are great. Wright McGill made some nice ones too. A lot of the old fiberglass rods we're really well made and can still be used today with no issues. You may have to do some work to them to get them back in good shape. Here is a video give away series I did on a vintage rod and reel combo. It may give you an idea about what kind of work is involved in rebuilding a rod: th-cam.com/play/PLX7a8aD_4rElZsWcBWRHU1l62aRMvpH5C.html
The drag knob screw on the C3 is a left hand thread screw so you have to loosen it by turning it clockwise. That is a great deal on the new in box 2062! Those are great reels
About the same size as the 704 and yes it is a worm drive. The Shakespeare reels and Penns were made in a similar way and both are very rugged and easy to work on. Because you can pick up the Shakespeare reels so much cheaper, I'd fish them and enjoy using them. The Penn's are more valuable for collectors but realistically aren't vastly superior to these old Shakespeares. If you pick one up, let me know what you think!
The Fishing Hobby I'm looking at picking one up along with a mitchell 304 maybe penn 704 too....got a bug. I've noticed there are 2091 and 2091A. The A,s look a little sleeker. Would you happen to know the difference. Thanks for the info.
I'm not sure what the difference is. I know they changed little things like the handle style on the smaller ones over the years but the internals were the same. All 3 of the reels you are looking at are good ones!
I can't recommend that you do yours the same way as I did mine. I use my oven in the self cleaning mode to remove paint and then I leave it in overnight to slowly cool back down to room temperature. This helps prevent warping. I removed all non aluminum parts before doing this including the pressed in bronze bushings. The reason I can't recommend this process to someone else is because all ovens are different and yours may get hotter than mine. I don't want to recommend this to someone and have it ruin a perfectly good reel! After that, I polished the aluminum using a buffing wheel. I'd recommend a chemical paint stripper that is safe to use on aluminum. Good luck to you if you decide to strip the paint!
I have an 80s ryobi reel and idc what yall say im throwing 30lbs braided line on it because why not. Its my main combo and im tired of losing fish because the line snaps. I've tried higher mono and no luck. The ibky thing i can say i really hate about it is the gear ratio. Its a 3.4:1 where im used to 5.1:1
@TheFishingHobby I believe it's like cast aluminum maybe. The whole thing is pretty sturdy considering I've caught some really good sixes fish with it.
@@TheFishingHobby good to know, I have some reels to ugly to be collectors, so I won't ruin them with some hot rodding. thanks for info. how did you get the paint off?
@@seymourwrasse3321 I put the painted parts in my oven and ran the self cleaning cycle. It turns all the paint to dust so I put the parts on aluminum foil to catch it the powder. My wife doesn't mind me doing that, some others might not be so lucky! I've heard some ovens get too hot on a self cleaning cycle and can actually melt aluminum, mine doesn't. I'd highly recommend testing some aluminum you don't mind getting messed up first and keep a close eye on it for any melting or warping. Aircraft paint stripper would probably be a good alternative. It is safe to use on aluminum. You used to be able to find it in autoparts stores, but I haven't looked for any in several years.
I think several of them were known for being good saltwater reels. You may take a look at a vintage reel forum on a site called Orca, tons of good info on there and lots of saltwater fishermen on the site too 👍 reeltalk.orcaonline.org
Hey I’m looking at buying a Shakespeare 2052 and doing what you have done to it however I fish salt ! If I maintain it will it be ok ? Also how did you polish it ???
The Fishing Hobby hello again I have been on eBay searching and have a 2052 & 2062 on my watch list about to buy, I watched your video on the 2062 and you noted they have an aluminium spool, I’m finding some on eBay with black spools! Are those black spools aluminium? I definitely plan to polish both reels as you did . Such a cool idea 👌
Do you know anything about a shakespeare w005gg? Just got one, $6.00 at a pawn shop. Bail spring was not right enough, got it working. So far, not that impressed. Made in Korea, the older ones were made in USA, much better. Any ways, are these any good at all? Oh, by the way, got a DAM Quick 220n, on a mediocre pole for $12.00! The real is near perfect! : )
Those Shakespeare reels like the one you picked up were not some of their better reels. They were pretty inexpesive to make and sell. The older ones like the one in this video are actually a little nicer than the DAM Quick 220n in my opinion. They both use the same type of gear setup (worm gear drive) and they are both very high quality reels. The Shakespeare has a better feel to it IMO so of course that is a personal preference thing. If you like the size of that 220N, the Shakespeare equivalent you will want to look for is a 2062. Here is a video I did on those if you would like to take a look: th-cam.com/video/t6aXXEImWS0/w-d-xo.html
The Fishing Hobby Seen that video several times, loved it! AND I have one. Looks horrible but smooth as silk. Very smooth drag, original leather drags.
The Fishing Hobby with the exception of the drag, the DAM Quick is smother and stronger in my opinion. But what do I know, I'm just an old fisherman.LOL
@@thejim3501 I had forgotten that you had left responses on that video already. I have seen some variation in smoothness in a lot of different reels (probably from wear) so that could account for some of the differences. I own some DAM Quicks and think they are great reels as well, no doubt about that 👍 The Daiwa 8300 is one you will probably want to look at as well. That worm gear driven Daiwa line of reels is right up there with the best of them and they aren't really sought after. A little difficult to find but very nice reels too!
Nice if you only catch freshwater fish but these reels would never hold up or perform in saltwater. They lack strong drag systems. I use Daiwa BG’s and Spinfisher 5’s which are not too expensive but are superior to any old reels. The Daiwa BGs have huge main gears and the Spinfisher have the amazing Slammer drag system. I throw live bait in saltwater and these reels have stopped 6 foot blacktip sharks and 42 inch snook in their tracks for very little money.
These are all ultralight reels so they definitely aren't built for that sort of fishing, no doubt about that. I like the old Daiwa BG reels so I'm sure they are still well made reels. If you want to see a tank of a vintage saltwater reel, take a look at this old Daiwa I did a video on a while back 👍 th-cam.com/video/AeozEEIChMo/w-d-xo.html They are made a lot like the old Penn Spinfishers (later renamed to the Z series). Penn still makes the old style ones too but they aren't cheap!
Here is a link to the old style Penn reels they are still making: www.pennfishing.com/penn-reels-spinning-reels-penn-z/penn-z-series-spinning/1315424.html#sz=16&start=35&gclid=
I still use an old Shakespeare 2200 ultralight that I bought in 1971. It never let me down with the hundreds of crappies and perch I've taken with it. It has a relatively fast 4.3:1 retrieve ratio for reels of that time period. Even the paint still shines. I keep it spooled with four pound test line. It's even brought in a large northern pike that attacked a Mepps Comet spinner bait I used for crappie fishing.
They are good reels 👍
I love hearing people are using older stuff
Update - I now have just about 400 vintage reels in my collection. I will never forget your Daiwa 8600 spinning reel video. I now have seven of the reels in that series. By the way, almost all of my vintage spinning reels are 50 years old or older. Keep up the good work! - Chris
Wow! That’s a lot of reels!!!!
All I use are Mitchell 300 and 308s. I still have my first one I every own, bought when I was 14, I am now 60. Easy to maintain and the trick for putting braid on is to cut a piece of cloth bandage tape and tape the braid after you tie it around the spool.
Mitchell made some very reliable reels!
I found my dads old Olympic JC Penny 440 Spinning Reel, I just love the style and character these old reels have
The middle Mitchell is what my dad collects and he and I use. They are bulletproof
Love the old Penn 420SS. Metal body, brass / ss worm drive, single bearing, skirted spool, quiet (but not instant) anti-reverse, a large, single Teflon drag washer that can be replaced with a more modern material such as HT-100. The older Penn 716 has a very similar drive train, a cup-type rotor, a clicking AR system, and a very similar drag system. I like these too. The 420SS and 716 / 716z reels are in some demand though, so costs are quite a bit higher than for a Mitchell 308 or a Shakespeare 2052.
Penn 714 and 430SS are the next size up. The 4300SS, a later version of the 430SS, retains the worm drive but has a graphite body and a different drag system. Note that while the 4300SS has a worm gear drive, the 4200SS does *not*! The main gear is garbage-metal, the pinion brass, and you should not reel under pressure if you want to prolong the service life of the gears. I've caught a *lot* of fish using the 4200SS in salt water in spite of these shortcomings. Biggest was a 20lb+ bat ray that took me 45 minutes to land and left me with an aching wrist for a week. Just putting that out there so people understand there's more to reel design than just gears and body material.
I love my 4300SS! It is a great reel 👍
This is mine: th-cam.com/video/WvUP6mPP3tg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=yRizT3Glk3ksgBo2
I use the Mitchel 300 for bass fishing. The slower retrieve works great with plastics like Ned Rigs. Great video.
Love my Mitchells. Been using them since I got my first on, a 304 CAP, as a kid in 1958. These days I use mostly a 300 and 488. Great video thanks for sharing....
Thank you for your video. I recently got 3 Garcia Mitchell reels. 301,306,&307 I'm going to clean em and use them. All I need in a reel to cast and retrieve a fish. These are perfect for catfishing.
Very nice job my friend, it is so welcoming to know how good we had it back then. Boy they sure don’t make them like they used to. Of course there are very good reels made today but very pricey yet, there is something special about fishing with vintage reels. On your subject, the Shakespeare 2052 resembles the Quick Dam reels that came from West Germany, what simple mechanism yet very durable and well made. Even though Shakespeare reels were US made; I also consider reels made in Japan of high quality. I was a bit naïve on your Abu Garcia Cardinal 3, and you have been very helpful in your description on your reels and what to look for when looking on vintage reels.
Muchas Gracias
I have a few of those DAM Quick reels, very good reels too!
Cardinal 3&4 are the best spinning reels ever made. Still working strong after all this years.
Hard to argue with that! They are really nice reels for sure 👍
Excellent video.Very informative, I've been using Mitchell 300 for many years and Penn greenies for salt water fishing. I recently purchased my first 2062 and it is almost exact clone of the greenie except for the internal parts. Greenies are all brass inside making for exceptional use in saltwater. Thanks for sharing your video.
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Excellent video.
I know rhe this video is over a year old, and although I’ll agree with you about 95% of what you said but if I may I’ll may some possible corrections.
I’ve been working with fishing reels for over 40 years (worked doing service and repair part-time while in college) and have fished from the Florida Keys to New England.
While I agree with you about the excellence of the Shakespeare 2052 and the Quality of much of the Cardinal line.
When I was in Florida, I was taking some time away from college, I was working and fishing in South Florida. I did spend some time hanging around the Florida Keys in the mid-1970’s.
While as I was still a college student I couldn’t afford very many trips to bonefish, I did,hang around the guides while they were fishing “off the clock” and in the areas where I was, the most common reel among the guides was the Shakespeare 2052. It seemed that another common reel was the high end Orvis SS100,:which is the saltwater version of their 100 size reel. Of course I didn’t spend an unlimited time there, and so didn’t talk to everybody, but that’s what I remember. Now here’s where what I remember is that they used the 2052 in saltwater without any apparent concern. Don’t know if they used special lube or what. As far as my contacts, in the early 80’s the 2052 was replaced by another reel that is currently being produced and sold today, which covers many of the points you made - the Daiwa SS series, that came in Ultralight, the SS700, the SS1300, the light-weight-medium series, the SS1600, and the medium-heavy SS2600 Reels. Isn’t it odd that one of the largest reel manufacturers in the world, as all most all other reel companies produce dozens of new models every year sells a reel that was produced nearly 40 years ago.
As I’ve been fishing Ultralight or light tackle abut 85% of the time since the late 70’s, although I’ve tried hundreds of reels since then, I’ve pretty much settled on the three following UL reels; the Daiwa 500C of the 1970’s and 80’s, the Orvis 50, bother with bail and bailess, introduced in the 1950’s-1960’s and the SS700 from 1980 to today. Some of the newer reels I’ve used over the years have had some nice features and some had pretty good quality, but I’ve got reels that haven’t needed a major repair in 50 years and still perform on par with the newer reels.
Oh yeah, with old reels don’t buy just one as the reel manufacturers stop stocking old reel parts after 5 years or so. Also, reel companies have produced some really bad reels over the years, some “innovations” were produced by almost every company but were SO BAD the reels disappeared within one or two years or when all the parts dried up.
Lastly, I’ve just picked up a specimen of one of the oldest, 1932 era, spinning reels ever made, the Hardy Altex, and while it needs some work, initial examination seems to show it’s of excellent quality.
If you are looking for the reels mentioned above, please be aware that even though these reels are 40 years old or so, if they are in decent to excellent condition, they probably won’t be cheap, especially if your buying at auction or in an area where there are people who know vintage tackle. However, the Daiwa SS series reels are still in the catalog, so they can be purchased new, and just a little cheaper used.
Really appreciated the video, it was quite educational.
I have a 500C that I do like quite a bit but I prefer the 1000 size personally (the extra diameter of the spool helps keep the mono from coiling as much IMO). I love old Daiwa reels. I have a video on an old model you may not be aware of that you may want to have a look at: th-cam.com/video/2wfTREc_nUA/w-d-xo.html
The Daiwa 8100 is one of the best made ultralight reels I've ever had my hands on. Love that reel.
Daiwa also still makes the aluminum bodied BG series reels in addition to the SS reels 👍
Daiwa has definitely made some of my favorite reels that I own. Very good quality and a lot of parts still available.
Hello again! I now have over 260 vintage spinning reels. With the use of circle hooks an instant anti-reverse is not a necessity to me. I also use the AR override all the time with the way I fish. I only use vintage reels. You and I have a favorite vintage reel - the Daiwa 8600. Recently I finally found an 8700. The other reels in that series - the 8300 and 8100 - are excellent Rees as well. I do the same thing with pulling the one out before beginning a retrieve. I have a lot of reels with what are called “hammer bails.” I always close the bail on these reels by hand. I collect vintage surf spinning reels that are medium to large in size. I have several reels that have a switch that cuts off the clicker while leaving the AR engaged. An example would be the Mitchell 4400 series reels. I do have a few reels with an AR clutch but all the ones I have also have an AR override. I will not own a reel w/o that override. I happen to love the Mitchell planamatic oscillation. I have 56 French Mitchells including a couple with what is called an Ottomatic bail release. It takes a little practice but they are a lot of fun to use. (330 and 440 have this feature.) I have the Shakespeare reels you mentioned. I happen to love a worm gear spinning reel. The early Penn greenies are also worm gear reels as well as the Zebco Cardinal reels made in Sweden. I have six of these Cardinal reels in the 6 and 7 size. They are superb reels. I also love the Shakespeare Sea Wonder reels. I have all of those. I guess the vintage reel is the Daiwa 8600. You cannot find a better vintage reel. By the way the prices you are quoting are probably not available now. Just last night I got my second 1961 Penn Spinfisher 700 first edition spinning reel. It is probably the most difficult to find of all the greenies. - Chris
Nice job my friend. And I got the rod and reel. Thanks so much. I recently bought a house and will be hanging them in a yet to be determined man cave
Thanks and congratulations on the house too!
I don't use reels as old as what you have, but I've bought quite a few 90s spinning reels from places like Goodwill. After a clean and lube they run like new. I prefer to use those older reels than some of my newer stuff. Just reminds me of the reels I used when I was a kid. I don't think I've spent over $5 on any of those reels. They also make for great rods for people visiting us that don't have all that much experience.
A very informative presentation for those who haven't lived and fished through the times of both vintage and new reels. I liked the info regarding gearing and durability. I will add one comment on avoiding that "loop" and tangle potential when closing the bail on an older reel. Simply lifting the rod tip slightly while closing the bail will give the line enough of a tug at the same time the bail closes to totally prevent that little bit of slack that might occur otherwise. It does the same thing as your "pause and pull" method, but it's quick and effective with no delay, and something many people learned ages ago to do without even thinking. I still do it with modern reels (which I still close by turning the handle - force of habit!)
Great tip and that will be helpful to a lot of people so thanks for making the comment! I do the same thing myself at times when using a lure or bait with some weight to it, when using little to no weight (I do a lot of ultralight fishing) I tend to pull the line by hand so as to not move the lure from the area I put it in on the cast.
Thanks for helping others out with your comment and tight lines!
Yes, I totally agree
Nice, simple video. Very insightful for newbies like me and I think you've sold me on the 2052. Picking the Cardinal as your favorite floored me. I personally can't get past the looks but you can, which says volumes about you being a fisherman first and collector second (that's a compliment). Well done.
Thanks for the great comment. The 2052 doesn't normally look like that (they are a maroon color). The Cardinal is one of the best made spinning reels I have seen and this particular model the C3 (the older Cardinal 3 is similar in some ways and very different in others) has a lot of features that make them more like modern reels (silent anti-reverse, a bail that can be closed by hand, skirted spool and a few other things) which are more user friendly. A well cleaned and lubed 2052 is a real pleasure to use though, make no mistake about it!
Hello, informative video. It is interesting that you rate the Cardinal so highly. I would agree with you. Though the Cardinals are not very good in Saltwater. I think where all reels fall down when it comes to self servicing them are the bail arm springs. Not come across a reel that is ideal. So easy to sprain the Abu ones. Other reels can be much more fiddley. When it comes to bail arm springs I'm not sure which make has it. Regards Stephen
I have a couple of old vintage reels I have I've got the typical Mitchell 300 the 300A + a 400 and an old wonderod that I use as my go-to but I don't know the pecking don't bother me as much as if you got a person that you're fishing with is constantly talkin you kind of wish they had a a lever or switches you could cut them off! Lol!
Enjoyed your video!
I know the feeling haha!
Excellent tutorial!! Learned some things I didn't know despite rebuilding dozens of spinners- and conventionals and spincasters. Got many Mitchells , some DAM Quicks, Daiwas , Shimanos A South Bend, and A Jarvis Walker. Love them all
Walter Cooling the Dam Quicks were really nice too!
My 2052 arrived today 👌👍😁 completely serviced it . Very nice ...
They are very good reels, congratulations 👍
Thank you for the video, I learned many things. I like vintage reels and rods and all equipement because of nostalgia (everything was better in the past!). ; )
Nice video! I enjoy using vintage reels - my favorite is an early 60's Ambassadeur!
Very popular reels! Thanks for checking out the video!
Excellent video, TFH. I totally agree on the merits of all three of those great reels and particularly love the innards of the Abu which looks nothing special until opened up then , wow ! You make a good point regarding instant anti-reverse or lack of: that is probably the greatest and most useful advance to be found in modern reels and folk getting into vintage reels should be aware that they won't find it there but if you can live without it vintage reels are generally great and great fun.
I agree, instant anti-reverse is a great thing when it is working correctly. I also like being able to close the bail manually. Overall build quality on the older reels is much better. If I could design a reel it would be an aluminum bodied, worm drive with a worm geared oscillation setup with instant anti-reverse and a skirted spool/bail setup. It would probably cost a boat load of money to make 🙁
Sounds like a great reel !
Wow!!... You definitely know your vintage reels.That was some great information!!!... I have a few vintage Abu ambassadeurs... and closed spincast reels and I love them...they definitely don't make them like they used to!!!!!!... Great video sir!!!!
Thanks Fredo! I love the oldies.
Good video, when I get time I plan to do similar videos on the same subject. I also own and use many older spinning and conventional reels; mostly Mitchell, Penn, Daiwa, Abu, and one Shakespeare. Much prefer the look and feel of older reels over the newer stuff, although I do have some newer ones as well. Still own several reels (and rods!) that I bought new back in the 70's and my first Mitchell 300 given as a birthday gift back in '69. Thanks for posting.
William Stayton I went ahead and subscribed to your channel and will look forward to any reel videos you decide to make! I'm with you, these classic reels are of much better quality than what you see out there now. I like some of the features of new reels but the build quality just isn't the same!
Share the same thought as you friend, I was a teenager in the late 60s, and I bought a couple of Mitchell's 300, back then I didn't think much about keeping the boxes; what a mistake.
I most have the Mitchell 300 with the Johnson century reels right beside. I have a Vagabond Model 1 it needs a ugly stick. I need to get to a lake and see how it feels.
Thank you! Another video with great and quality information.
Got the Cardinal 5, so the same one, just bigger.
My favourite reel also...
I just recently acquired an old DAM Quick 330 so your video was very informative. Thanks
I'm glad you found it useful. Those DAM Quicks are very good reels, congratulations on the find!
I would add the DAM Quick 110, Mitchell 408, Penn 716z/714z/420ss/430ss.
I fish creeks and rivers exclusively with vintage ultralight gear
I agree. I own all of the reels you mentioned as well. My Quick 110 is practically new, the others are well used but still going strong. I fish a lot of small creeks myself as well 👍
I picked up a set of old Penn's about a month ago,714 & 716 greenies, gona use them for trout fishing this spring ...can't wait
Oh man, I'm jealous!!! I'd love to find either one of those locally for a good price (they usually get expensive on eBay). The reel I'd like to have more than any other at the moment is the Penn 420SS. If I ever get a chance to pick one up for a reasonable price I'm going to. They usually fetch a high price!
The Fishing Hobby join me & our group VINTAGE PENN REELS on Facebook
Wayne D, is the one with 5k members?
The Fishing Hobby yes 5.3k in the group...ask to join ..very good group & lots of knowledge in Penn reels
I'm on it!
Man, that's a great review of the older reels vs newer reels!
Thanks! Hopefully it is useful to some folks
I have a Mitchell 300a. My problem is truing to retrive a fish, my reel locks and I have to work with it to reeling my catch in??
Take a look at this video: th-cam.com/video/JOOGfnFVu-w/w-d-xo.html
At about the 1:19 second mark of the video you can see me turning the anti-reverse off and on and you can see the plastic pawl that stops the reel from reversing in the top left hand corner of the side plate assembly. Make sure that the spring is in the proper position on that anti-reverse pawl and that it is working as it should. The reel in the video is a different model but the parts should be very similar to what is in the 300A reel. There is a possibility that the anti-reverse isn't able to raise up enough out of the way when cranking forward and causing your problems. That is where I would start looking.
Good luck with it!
I have a Mitchell 300 that I have paired with a Conolon Live Fiber 7' 2 pc rod. Very nice action.
Great vid!! I subbed.
I bet that is a nice setup!
@@TheFishingHobby I will be fishing it in the morning. I just peiced them together this past week. Both were yardsale finds! One hell of a 5 dollar combo! LoL
Wow! I'd say so 😁
Great find and a bargain at that. A lot of those old Conolon rods are still sought after and they can sell for quite a bit 👍
@@TheFishingHobby My Rod is a Conolon. I have my eyes on a Blue 7' Med Garcia Conolon rod. I should be able to pick up on the cheap.
Better get it before someone else does!
Have you ever used the old Mitchell Luxor reels? My father use those and I still use them to this day they also are easy to maintain all metal and work courses I have about 10 of them that I have on various rides. I get a lot of compliments on them from other fishermen. Particularly when they’re mountain on a bamboo rod.
Yes I have! They are solid reels 👍
I don't know why but I love the clicking sounds.
Well, you know for sure they are working! I like them just fine with live bait, but for spinners and crank baits I'll admit I usually turn off the A/R
Great instructional Video. Thanks!
EXCELLENT VIDEO AND INFO ❗❗👍great pointers that I learned today and I will apply them when using my Vintage reels 👍..EBAY has a lot of reels like U said but shipping is pricey as u know👎
I'm looking for a 2052... I didn't know about the Abu ❓..too bad there's so much play in the crank
...where would u find parts for these reels ❓..Thank for the great video ❗🍻 Salud
I’ve had good luck finding parts on eBay
Great video. Thank you!
Ive been watching youtube for 10 years atleast..i watch youtube every day..i have a channel with 3000 subs and i have to say this is the best youtube video ive seen..perfectly presented informative and on point...im going to find all three of these..thankyou for your time..what are your recomendations for salt water?
Thanks! I don't really fish saltwater, but most people who do love the old Penn reels. Search "penn greenie" online and you will find what most people think we're the best saltwater reels.
The Fishing Hobby weird-the descriptions of the greenies say FRESHWATER.
Not sure why, they have been used for years by saltwater fishermen (and still are). The later "Z" series reels are basically the same reels but different colors.
The Mitchel 300 may not be instant AR, but its pretty close, far less back play than any real you have there. Have you played with any of the old Daiwa reels? I have a few Daiwa Silver and Black Gold series reels and IMO they are miles ahead of the reels of the time in terms of smoothness and drag. On most of them the bail can be closed by hand.
The Mitchell 300 is a good reel. Their beveled gear setup in the 308 isn't as durable as a worm drive or as smooth, but isn't far from it either. The 300 uses more of a spur type of a gear. I love a lot of the old Daiwa reels. The C and X series reels were great! The X series is very similar to the BG series. You may like this video I did on an old Daiwa 1000x: th-cam.com/video/2wfTREc_nUA/w-d-xo.html
This line of Daiwa reels are cream of the crop though:
th-cam.com/video/AeozEEIChMo/w-d-xo.html
I'll talk vintage reels all day, please comment back anytime! Tight lines!!!
Thanks for the link, I've been thinking about getting another old Daiwa for ice fishing, as cranking my 308 closed isn't ideal in that situation. There seems to be more light action Daiwa's around than most other vintage reels.
Thanks for the links, I've been thinking about picking up another old Daiwa for ice fishing. I currently use a couple 308's but cranking the bail closed somehow seems like a much bigger pain on the ice.
@@bushleague3472 the Shimano MLZ10 should make a nice ice fishing reel. Not highly sought after by collectors but well made with an aluminum body 👍
Classic reels nice vid
Thanks for watching!
You are dead on! Have a 2062 I got for $3.00! Cleaned it up and could not believe the quality. The roller has a brass sleeve inside! Got a Penn 710 and didn't do anything other than clean it. It is Smith beyond belief. The drag is incredibly Smith.
Awesome reels (both of them)! You got the 2062 for a fantastic price!!! I have a playlist of vintage spinning reels you may want to take a look at: th-cam.com/play/PLX7a8aD_4rElR6gqC4w0cQOQmvqDK5p0I.html
Those Penns really hold their resale value well!
The Fishing Hobby You did an awesome job on the 2052. I might try that. I've got a Pflugerville 641 that is smoother than most new reels, but the screw on the bail arm is giving me fits. If I tighten it, the nail is to stiff to work. So it keeps loosing up on me. Have you ran into this problem befor? O, my Penn is actually a 711, left-handed!
Have you tried switching the two bail arm screws around? They usually have a shoulder on them that keeps them from tightening down too much. If the two screws are the same thread size but different lengths on the shoulder, they may have been switched to the wrong position at some point. If that isn't the problem, take the screw into a home improvement or hardware store and see if you can find a piece of brass tubing that you could cut to length to use as a shoulder to allow it to tighten down but not pinch the arm. If you have trouble figuring out what I'm talking about, shoot me an email (thefishinghobby@gmail.com) and I can send you some pics that may help.
The Fishing Hobby Tried that and broke the spring. Part of playing with older gear. LOL
All and all, I have good luck with the old reels. I got Shakespeare my 2062 for $3.00 because the bail spring was broke. It wasn't broke, just put on wrong. ☺
Do you need a spring?
Is that 2052 polished or painted?
Edit; you answered my question in the video!
Very helpful video even 3 + years later. The prices have gone up, I’m sure thanks in part to your excellent video. I’ve been looking for a vintage ultralight spinning reel for a 5’ fiberglass rod I paid too much for (but fishing it makes me feel like a kid in the best way). I will probably pull the trigger on a Shakespeare. I see that Zebco also had a “Cardinal 3” model in the 70s that was made in Sweden and looks like a similar model. Is it possible they kept the manufacture going when Abu moved their cardinals to Japan?
The Zebco Cardinal reels are made by Abu. By the time Abu started having them made in Japan, Zebco had already stopped selling that product line. Thanks you the kind words. Have fun with that glass rod, I love using fiberglass 👍
Did Shakespeare make a lefty version of the 2052? Great video! Thanks. Just picked up a cardinal 3 at goodwill. Still looking for Mitchell 309. Thanks again.
I'm not aware of a lefty version of the Shakespeare 2052. Congratulations on the Cardinal pickup, those are great reels!
What did you use to polish the 2052? Its true man,I've put all my new reels on the shelf and have bombarded Ebay and started hoarding the Shakespeare 2062,2052 and as many Penn Greenies I can get my hands on! These reels are true beasts!
The prices are really going up on the ultralight vintage reels. Still cheaper than equal quality today. Thanks and enjoyed!
I used a buffing wheel and polishing compound on a grinder. Makes it pretty quick and easy 👍
I really like using older reels. You have picked some of the best as user reels...great quality and built to last a lifetime!
First off, Great Video! Appreciate you taking the time to explain in detail the different models. My question is - what vintage spinning reel would you recommend for saltwater application that incorporates the worm gear design described in the video above? Looking for one that has a gear ratio of 4.1:1 or higher. Thanks, Chris.
Chris L Penn made some great ones and they were saltwater reels. The ones often referred to as "greenies" were a cup/rotor style and the later SS series were skirted spool models. Not all SS series reels were worm gear drives. What size reel are you looking for (line lb test/capacity)? I can give you some specific models based off of that.
I tend to do a good deal of fishing from the surf. I normally fish with 5000 - 6000 size reel. If I'm doing a lot of casting, I'll use a 3000 - 4000. I watched your other videos and I just recently picked up an 8600 myself. Big fan of the old stuff... it's simple in design and just works!
I think you will want to look for a Penn 704z or 706z on the larger end and a 710z on the smaller side. I agree, the simplest design is often the most reliable. I know the sealing isn't as good as some modern reels but if you do regular maintenance, it isn't an issue. Doing maintenance is easier because of the more basic design and some of these old reels are still working that are 50+ years old which says a lot about them!
@TheFishingHobby thank you for the suggestions! You're right on the sealing but that doesn't bother me because I don't mind the maintenance. I usually take them apart once a year to clean them and regrease them. Thanks again!
No problem! Old Penns are a good investment. They are rugged, work great and they really hold their value (usually actually increase in value).
i have and use 2 of those, so thanks a lot for the video ! Capt.Z NC !
Thanks for watching!
Great video interesting , greetings from the uk.
Thank you!
hi, i have garcia mitchell 301, but i want to know the drags, ? this model 301
I still have my first spinning real. 1/2 bail recore
Which brand&model on right hand side, it looks pretty!
It is a Shakespeare 2052. I removed the maroon colored paint from the body of the reel and polished the aluminum. It does look nice, but it is also one of the better made small spinning reels you will find in my opinion.
What steps did you do to get the Shakespeare 2052 to look like that ? Thanks
I just removed the paint and polished the body a little bit.
31:57 ... What is the function of the switch on the bell housing of a Zebco 777? Thanks
Are you talking about the silver switch in this picture on the rotor cup? images.app.goo.gl/o2JMQT1BAWhfJ9JcA
If so, I believe that would be the bail trip release switch/lever. I don't own that particular reel to know for sure, but that is my best guess by the looks of it.
Fantastic video and thanks. Could you suggest the best places to purchase these reels other than eBay? Just wondered if you had other sources for reels in good condition. Thanks very much.
I find them at fleamarkets pretty regularly as well. You can find a lot of fishing gear at fleamarkets in communities around recreational lakes. Fleamarkets where there are retirement communities near recreational lakes are great places to find vintage rods and reels. Fleamarkets around costal areas where fishing is popular are great places to find gear as well.
Yes, thank you. I don't have access to those markets where I am but when traveling will check it out.
I was wondering if you could recommend a vintage rod, or vintage rods that would be equivalent in age and quality? I would like to fish strictly vintage for some of my fishing (which is mainly for bass). Appreciate your expertise very much.
The old Garcia Conolon fishing rods are great. Wright McGill made some nice ones too. A lot of the old fiberglass rods we're really well made and can still be used today with no issues. You may have to do some work to them to get them back in good shape. Here is a video give away series I did on a vintage rod and reel combo. It may give you an idea about what kind of work is involved in rebuilding a rod: th-cam.com/play/PLX7a8aD_4rElZsWcBWRHU1l62aRMvpH5C.html
How do you get the drag knob off on the Cardinal C3? I got a 2062 Shakespeare on eBay $30 new in the box & have 2 other 2062.
The drag knob screw on the C3 is a left hand thread screw so you have to loosen it by turning it clockwise. That is a great deal on the new in box 2062! Those are great reels
Hey pardon what are your thoughts on the 2091? Were they worm drive? How would you say they stack up to the Penn 704. Great video.
About the same size as the 704 and yes it is a worm drive. The Shakespeare reels and Penns were made in a similar way and both are very rugged and easy to work on. Because you can pick up the Shakespeare reels so much cheaper, I'd fish them and enjoy using them. The Penn's are more valuable for collectors but realistically aren't vastly superior to these old Shakespeares. If you pick one up, let me know what you think!
The Fishing Hobby I'm looking at picking one up along with a mitchell 304 maybe penn 704 too....got a bug. I've noticed there are 2091 and 2091A. The A,s look a little sleeker. Would you happen to know the difference. Thanks for the info.
I'm not sure what the difference is. I know they changed little things like the handle style on the smaller ones over the years but the internals were the same. All 3 of the reels you are looking at are good ones!
Cool video of reels I havent seen in ages lol
The old ones are pretty much all I use now. I will occasionally use a newer one but I really like the oldies. Can't kill them 😀
What did you use to remove the paint on the 2052? I'm thinking about doing the same to mine and clear powder coating it.
I can't recommend that you do yours the same way as I did mine. I use my oven in the self cleaning mode to remove paint and then I leave it in overnight to slowly cool back down to room temperature. This helps prevent warping. I removed all non aluminum parts before doing this including the pressed in bronze bushings. The reason I can't recommend this process to someone else is because all ovens are different and yours may get hotter than mine. I don't want to recommend this to someone and have it ruin a perfectly good reel! After that, I polished the aluminum using a buffing wheel. I'd recommend a chemical paint stripper that is safe to use on aluminum. Good luck to you if you decide to strip the paint!
Buenas maquinas loco!!!😮
I have an 80s ryobi reel and idc what yall say im throwing 30lbs braided line on it because why not. Its my main combo and im tired of losing fish because the line snaps. I've tried higher mono and no luck. The ibky thing i can say i really hate about it is the gear ratio. Its a 3.4:1 where im used to 5.1:1
@@taturtotmorrison2807 Braid shouldn’t hurt it at all unless it has a plastic spool. Most of the older Ryobi reels were actually good quality reels.
@TheFishingHobby I believe it's like cast aluminum maybe. The whole thing is pretty sturdy considering I've caught some really good sixes fish with it.
Just like that...there it is!!
did you refinish the Shakespeare 2052, if so how and what did you do to it?
I just removed the paint and polished the aluminum with a Dremel and aluminum polish.
@@TheFishingHobby good to know, I have some reels to ugly to be collectors, so I won't ruin them with some hot rodding. thanks for info. how did you get the paint off?
@@seymourwrasse3321 I put the painted parts in my oven and ran the self cleaning cycle. It turns all the paint to dust so I put the parts on aluminum foil to catch it the powder. My wife doesn't mind me doing that, some others might not be so lucky! I've heard some ovens get too hot on a self cleaning cycle and can actually melt aluminum, mine doesn't. I'd highly recommend testing some aluminum you don't mind getting messed up first and keep a close eye on it for any melting or warping.
Aircraft paint stripper would probably be a good alternative. It is safe to use on aluminum. You used to be able to find it in autoparts stores, but I haven't looked for any in several years.
Also do you know what models Garcia Mitchell were saltwater reels??
I think several of them were known for being good saltwater reels. You may take a look at a vintage reel forum on a site called Orca, tons of good info on there and lots of saltwater fishermen on the site too 👍
reeltalk.orcaonline.org
What did you use to paint the 2052?
I didn't paint it. I removed the paint and polished the aluminum body.
Hey I’m looking at buying a Shakespeare 2052 and doing what you have done to it however I fish salt ! If I maintain it will it be ok ? Also how did you polish it ???
Yes, they will work for saltwater, but extra maintenance will be needed because the aren't sealed in anyway.
And I polished it out on a buffing wheel on a bench grinder.
Thank you
No problem!
The Fishing Hobby hello again I have been on eBay searching and have a 2052 & 2062 on my watch list about to buy, I watched your video on the 2062 and you noted they have an aluminium spool, I’m finding some on eBay with black spools! Are those black spools aluminium? I definitely plan to polish both reels as you did . Such a cool idea 👌
Do you know anything about a shakespeare w005gg? Just got one, $6.00 at a pawn shop. Bail spring was not right enough, got it working. So far, not that impressed. Made in Korea, the older ones were made in USA, much better. Any ways, are these any good at all?
Oh, by the way, got a DAM Quick 220n, on a mediocre pole for $12.00! The real is near perfect! : )
Those Shakespeare reels like the one you picked up were not some of their better reels. They were pretty inexpesive to make and sell. The older ones like the one in this video are actually a little nicer than the DAM Quick 220n in my opinion. They both use the same type of gear setup (worm gear drive) and they are both very high quality reels. The Shakespeare has a better feel to it IMO so of course that is a personal preference thing. If you like the size of that 220N, the Shakespeare equivalent you will want to look for is a 2062. Here is a video I did on those if you would like to take a look: th-cam.com/video/t6aXXEImWS0/w-d-xo.html
The Fishing Hobby Seen that video several times, loved it! AND I have one. Looks horrible but smooth as silk. Very smooth drag, original leather drags.
The Fishing Hobby with the exception of the drag, the DAM Quick is smother and stronger in my opinion. But what do I know, I'm just an old fisherman.LOL
@@thejim3501 I had forgotten that you had left responses on that video already. I have seen some variation in smoothness in a lot of different reels (probably from wear) so that could account for some of the differences. I own some DAM Quicks and think they are great reels as well, no doubt about that 👍
The Daiwa 8300 is one you will probably want to look at as well. That worm gear driven Daiwa line of reels is right up there with the best of them and they aren't really sought after. A little difficult to find but very nice reels too!
Here is a video of the larger 8600. The 8300 has 2 bearings instead of 3 but otherwise they are very similar. th-cam.com/video/AeozEEIChMo/w-d-xo.html
Hi ! I bought the abu garcia cardinal C5 in a flea and I don't know its value (price) . Someone can help me ?
Best bet is to look on eBay and see what they are selling for right now 👍
💯💪👊LET'S GO!!!
"3:48: ""it's a small one""
Nice if you only catch freshwater fish but these reels would never hold up or perform in saltwater. They lack strong drag systems. I use Daiwa BG’s and Spinfisher 5’s which are not too expensive but are superior to any old reels. The Daiwa BGs have huge main gears and the Spinfisher have the amazing Slammer drag system. I throw live bait in saltwater and these reels have stopped 6 foot blacktip sharks and 42 inch snook in their tracks for very little money.
These are all ultralight reels so they definitely aren't built for that sort of fishing, no doubt about that. I like the old Daiwa BG reels so I'm sure they are still well made reels. If you want to see a tank of a vintage saltwater reel, take a look at this old Daiwa I did a video on a while back 👍 th-cam.com/video/AeozEEIChMo/w-d-xo.html
They are made a lot like the old Penn Spinfishers (later renamed to the Z series). Penn still makes the old style ones too but they aren't cheap!
Here is a link to the old style Penn reels they are still making: www.pennfishing.com/penn-reels-spinning-reels-penn-z/penn-z-series-spinning/1315424.html#sz=16&start=35&gclid=
Just pull out the catch and close the bail by hand.
That works too 👍
I close the bail by hand my 301 i can't do that.
Yep, can't do that without some modifications.
Please