An item of tackle which has stood the test of time

[Keith M]

Or even the Abu 55 which very quickly kicked 'em into touch and were grasped with delight by the specimen anglers of the time.............

I still use my Abu 55 when I’m surface fishing for Carp but I broke one of its spools many years ago because it shattered when I wound line onto it under pressure because it’s made of a type of plastic.

Keith

 

[John Keane]

I believe that is what I have,a Hardy Richard Walker Avon,my god the fish I had on it,they reckoned it was a 1lb t.c.,by Christ it had some grunt,I cast 3oz feeders right across the Trent at Sawley,big chub,carp,double figure barbel,it never faltered....

Yep, 1lb tc and a strange animal to most of today’s carpers, an actual fishing rod instead of a lever for hauling out lumps!

 

[108831]

Absolutely,I can remember finding three barbel on the Somerley estate near Ringwood,one looked a goodun,I caught it on a lump of meat,my first double,10lb 4ozs,that was when doubles were rare,the rod handled it great,like it always did,whatever I asked of it.

 

[108831]

I still use my Abu 55 when I’m surface fishing for Carp but I broke one of its spools many years ago because it shattered when I wound line onto it under pressure because it’s made of a type of plastic.

Keith

Probably got brittle with age Keith,I know I am...

 

[barbelboi]

I still use my Abu 55 when I’m surface fishing for Carp but I broke one of its spools many years ago because it shattered when I wound line onto it under pressure because it’s made of a type of plastic.

Keith

The Abu55 was the dogs then Shimano entered the market, first with the Triton 3500, 4500 and the 6500 Baitrunners, fresh from the American market – the rest is history......................

 

[mikench]

Back to the Mitchell Match for a moment. Am I right in thinking that the 440a only differs from the 300a in having a faster retrieval?

 

[markcw]

They are 2 completely different reels Mike, the a denotes right hand wind, the 300 does not have the same bail arm set up as the 440. And I think the the 440 had a faster retrieve,
Mitchell did an 810 I think it was, similar th the match but with even faster retrieve.

 

[108831]

Not sure about the 810 Mark,I thought the 300,410,810 were basically just different gear ratios,there were 330(ottomatic I think),440 and maybe an 840 all with the dab bail system and corresponding retrieve ratios....

Now when the dab bail works well it is brilliant,any slight bend in the bail arm(this isn't a visible bend),which occurs occasionally and the bail arm doesn't open properly,normally it was a matter of flexing it one way or the other until you got it working again...

 

[Mark Wintle]

Not sure about the 810 Mark,I thought the 300,410,810 were basically just different gear ratios,there were 330(ottomatic I think),440 and maybe an 840 all with the dab bail system and corresponding retrieve ratios....

Now when the dab bail works well it is brilliant,any slight bend in the bail arm,which occurs occasionally and the bail arm doesn't open properly,normally it was a matter of flexing it one way or the other until you got it working again...

Something like 300 = 3.5:1, 300A 4.2:1, 410 5:1, 810 6:1 ratios without auto bale,

330 3.5:1 (? not sure on this one), 440/440A 5:1, 840 6:1, all with autobale.

 

[108831]

Yes Mark,the 330 was the predecessor of the match,ive seen a few,but never had one....

 

[markcw]

Not sure about the 810 Mark,I thought the 300,410,810 were basically just different gear ratios,there were 330(ottomatic I think),440 and maybe an 840 all with the dab bail system and corresponding retrieve ratios....

Now when the dab bail works well it is brilliant,any slight bend in the bail arm(this isn't a visible bend),which occurs occasionally and the bail arm doesn't open properly,normally it was a matter of flexing it one way or the other until you got it working again...

I knew it was an 800 reel thanks for correcting, the 330 was the otomatic, was this the front runner to the match ,?

 

[markcw]

Yes Mark,the 330 was the predecessor of the match,ive seen a few,but never had one....

I bought an otomatic for £3 from cash generators in warrington. Cleaned it up it up and used it a few times before giving to daughter in laws charity car boot stall along with my other Mitchell's and abus

 

[mikench]

So is the 440a the one to have for a nostalgia trip?

Does the prefix Garcia make any difference to the model.?

 

[flightliner]

I have several mitchell matches for my stik float work the oldest I bought in '75, two good centrepins , a Trudex and an original Reynolds Stanton that I bought in '64- love em both.
A pair of original Dellareed optonics that are in constant use that I bought in '79, never had a problem with them.
Perhaps the most surprising bit of kit that's survived thirty years of constant use and abuse is my old Whychwood rucksack , incredible how it's survived thousands of outings on the rugged Trent rocks, bogs, soakings/ drying and general rough treatment.
Hate the thought when it's no longer serviceable as replacing it with today's "paper bag replicas" will be difficult.

 

[David Rogers 3]

Does the prefix Garcia make any difference to the model.?

Pinched from Wikipedia: Garcia was already involved in the importing, marketing and distributing of the Mitchell 300 spinning reel from France since 1947. The Garcia Tackle Company of 1979 to 1980 was a short lived partnership between ABU and Mitchell S.A. of France, and in 1980, ABU AB acquired the New Jersey based Garcia Tackle Company, and changed their name to Abu Garcia. ABU Garcia - Wikipedia

I have two Mitchell 301s, one Garcia and the other pre-Garcia. I can't detect any difference between them, other than the badge!

 

[mikench]

I knew I had a few old Rods somewhere and being bored I've found them.



The top one is a Shakespeare short spinning rod and the bottom one is a 10' DAM fighter match rod bought in the early 90's for my son.

The middle one is my rod from when I was 9 in 1963. It's 2 part bamboo and 1 part fibreglass. It was made and sold from a shop in Tunbridge Wells.

If anyone wants them particularly the bamboo rod for restoration ( if worth the effort)you can have them. Let me know if you want any more details .

 

[markcw]

I knew I had a few old Rods somewhere and being bored I've found them.

View attachment 8900

The top one is a Shakespeare short spinning rod and the bottom one is a 10' DAM fighter match rod bought in the early 90's for my son.

The middle one is my rod from when I was 9 in 1963. It's 2 part bamboo and 1 part fibreglass. It was made and sold from a shop in Tunbridge Wells.

If anyone wants them particularly the bamboo rod for restoration ( if worth the effort)you can have them. Let me know if you want any more details .

Mike I can give you details of a retired rod maker who will have eyes and fittings for your bamboo rod.
If no one wants them give them to local charity shop, and tell them to put a tenner on each of them.

 

[markcw]

So is the 440a the one to have for a nostalgia trip?

Does the prefix Garcia make any difference to the model.?

The a prefix means the handle is on the right hand side of reel. They dont seem as common as the reels with no "a" prefix.
I would go for the 440 and depending on condition pay aroun £30 ,unless its mint then pay slightly higher.Cardinal 55's some years ago were going for £100+ ,now the price has come right down.

 

[John Keane]

Mike I can give you details of a retired rod maker who will have eyes and fittings for your bamboo rod.
If no one wants them give them to local charity shop, and tell them to put a tenner on each of them.

Can’t see many charity shops re-opening even this year having, as they do, to handle potentially contaminated goods from who knows where?

 

[steve2]

That cane fibre glass rod was my first shop bought rod after home made tank ariel rods.