An item of tackle which has stood the test of time

[rayner]

My recollections of my formative angling years were seeing Mitchells being very commonplace. Many of the anglers I aspired to emulate used them. Amongst the specimen anglers, it was mostly Mitchell 300s and Abu Cardinals. The match and general coarse anglers tended to use Mitchell Match or Abu 50*s. Up until around the mid-eighties, I'd have given a kidney for a Mitchell. They were undoubtedly popular and arguably as good as reels got at the time.

However, by the time I could have actually afforded a Mitchell, most of the serious speci lads had moved on to Shimano Baitrunners and the match/coarse fraternity went towards Shimano and Daiwa. I no no longer had any aspirations to own a Mitchell, time had moved on. Not surprisingly, plenty stayed loyal to the Mitchells and Abus that they'd been using for a decade or two. Some are obviously still very loyal to them.

I recall having a Daiwa 1657DM in an attempt to get the finger dab bail arm that I coveted so much from the Mitchell Match. Unfortunately, I considered it to be a pretty poor reel that put me off Daiwa reels for many years. It never stopped me buying Daiwa rods though. Despite any imperfections it may have, I've not encountered a better finger dab mechanism than the one on the Mitchell Match. I can understand why some remain very faithful to them and those that want them for nostalgic reasons. I've even been tempted to fulfill my childhood yearnings. However, I've yet to succumb, and doubt I ever will now.

In the same era, I recall centrepins being a very tough sell. Only the odd ancient, as it seemed to teenage me, was ever seen using a centrepin. I also recall a local tackle shop having a decent stack of red boxed Allcock Aerials that he struggled to shift for buttons. Even when the shop ended up shut down, there were still several sat on an abandoned shelf. Funny how things go in that respect. He couldn't shift them for circa £30 as the shop struggled to survive and I certainly wouldn't have bought one. Now they'd be snapped up for decent money. I'd even consider one myself, for the right money.

A very interesting post Sam.
Probably one that Mitchell reel uses of the past all remember how the reel was and how the reel lost favour with its uses. It certainly was how things went with me regarding Mitchell reels, turning my attention to mostly Abu reels then on to Shimanos.
I fished with friends in the late 80s early 90s who used to say why do you need an automatic bail arm, I felt sure they would have one themselves if they thought the cost was worth it for a fishing reel, they were from a similar tight-fisted school has myself, even more so by all accounts.
I was in a similar frame of mind with Diawa reels back then, now I wish I could justify to myself to spend the cash to purchase a 16TDM it's less than 90quid but I steered myself away from it in favour of a refurbished 440A. I've never been one to believe the tripe I read or was told about how I didn't need one.

My reel history and why I came back to the Mitchell Match.

Way back when I was 16 I started to get some money from a decent Saturday/holiday job and could finally afford a decent reel to replace my Mitchell 320 (100% reliable but slow). The day before a match a neighbour lent me a Mitchell 300 and I duly won the match, my first senior win but the next day I went out and bought an ABU 505 which became my goto trotting reel for several years. Two years later I was working full time and had more money so bought a Mitchell 300 which became my legering/big fish reel for many years. By early 76 I'd bought a Mitchell Match and gradually developed my waggler skills. Over the following years I bought more Matches (the first two I owned were 440 Matches not the later 440A Matches and they were chucked, totally worn out 30 years ago), including a 840 Match which lasted 3 weeks before being returned, and through a vast amount of practice got the hang of these reels. I could strip them down quickly and often got them serviced properly which is why some of my reels that are 40 years old are truly wonderfully smooth running because they've been fettled with care. Yet there is no getting away from the fact that they do wear out but I've got enough now to not worry about that any more.

In the early 2000s I inherited some Shimano Stradic 1000 reels - I was already trying Shimanos for legering and welcomed their reliability and smoothness. They had shortcomings in the long reach to the spool, later rectified, but the line comes off the spool the opposite way to the Matches and that's not the way my brain/fingers are wired. I also never liked fishing with the Shimanos with the anti-reverse off as they spin out of control - Matches don't!

Then a couple of years ago I was trotting a very fast ford on the Avon with a Stradic 2500 and struggling to do what I wanted in terms of presentation when I got the line around the reel and cracked off, losing the float etc. so had to re-tackle which I did but with a Match; it felt so much better in terms of what I was trying to achieve in terms of presentation so since then I've largely gone back to the Mitchells. I seem to acquire Matches without trying; one friend has already given me a mint one, and yesterday offered me another free one that needs fettling. I also have bought several very cheaply plus a 840 that is wonderful on stillwater.

So to sum up: The Matches can be noisy through wear, can tangle and never feel as smooth as the almost maintenance-free Shimanos, and must be carefully maintained but are a joy to use for waggler, Avon float and stick float. For legering it's the Shimanos every time - 300s/410s, you can keep them.

I for one understand what you mean about the noise that an unserviced Mitchell makes. If they are left to fester they soon lose the ability to work in a reasonable fashion.
I recently dug out a 440A from my cellar that couldn't be called anything like a stable area to store a fishing reel.
Continual cleaning and renewing of grease the inside is almost perfect, the paintwork, on the other hand, is quite poor. I'd still prefer using it against a carbon bodied reel that is now available.
I've had my 440 on a Shimano powerloop match rod and it feels much better-balanced combination than my pellet waggler rod with a Diawa Ninja.

 

[S-Kippy]

I have racked my brains to think of any item of tackle that would qualify. I used to be very attached to certain things, especially rods, but I seem to have grown out of that. Maybe it was a disposable income thing ?

I can think of 3 rods that went in the great shed clearout last summer that I had owned and used for like ever. Some of you may remember these

1. B&W 11ft Avon in glass. Very early example. Goodness knows how many Kennet and Avon barbel I had on this rod.
2. Daiwa GF 53 at 13ft. "Waggler" rod. One of only 2 float rods I had at the time. Used it everywhere for everything until quite recently. Brilliant rod and the only one I have ever literally worn out as opposed to broken.
3. Shaky " Team Feeder". Replaced the B&W and also caught me shedloads of Kennet barbel and more than a few carp. Incredibly versatile and one of those rods that Shakespeare occasionally produced that was brilliant.

I used a Mitchell 300 on the B&W ....mostly a Swedish built 501 ( which I still have and use) on the Daiwa and all sorts of nasty things on the Shaky.

 

[David Rogers 3]

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.

Sorry to disagree, but it doesn't. 300 = left hand wind; 301 = right hand wind.

"The letter "A" Suffix after model numbers on some Mitchell spinning reels marks the transitional period away from Garcia’s involvement with Mitchell along with other transitions to the looks and mechanics of these same reels."
Glossary - The Mitchell Reel Museum

 

[barbelboi]

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

Me too - just in time for the bean growing season.....................

 

[mikench]

Do you want to swap Jerry, my 3 c*** rods for your lovely looking rod.

 

[barbelboi]

Beans aren't fussy Mike,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[chevin4]

I have one the the early Normark 13ft float Rods purchased in 1983 which seemed as light as a feather compared to the Hardy Floatquest it replaced.

It seems very heavy compared to a modern float rod such as an Acolyte however I am reluctant to get rid of it as it has caught chub over 5 pounds roach and rudd over 2lbs big river bream and perch over 3lb.

 

[no-one in particular]

I had a what I thought was a Mitchel reel but just looked and it's a KP Morrits intrepid elite. It is in good nick though and makes that satisfying clicking noise, not too loud, I like that noise for some reason.
I also have a effego seat box come tackle bag, solid old thing, too heavy for me but must have been well made to survive all those years. I only use it to store spare fishing tackle now.

 

[David Rogers 3]

I had a what I thought was a Mitchel reel but just looked and it's a KP Morrits intrepid elite.

The Elite was the top of the range Intrepid (although that wasn't saying a great deal) and photos of Fred J Taylor fishing often showed them on his rods. I know he was an agent for Efgeeco and plugged their gear a lot - I wonder if he had a similar arrangement with Intrepid?

 

[no-one in particular]

The Elite was the top of the range Intrepid (although that wasn't saying a great deal) and photos of Fred J Taylor fishing often showed them on his rods. I know he was an agent for Efgeeco and plugged their gear a lot - I wonder if he had a similar arrangement with Intrepid?

It's a bit of a chunky thing, its just in my cupboard with a few other bits, I will probably put in an auction as a job lot one day, of course I do not know when that will be as they are all closed, It cost me £12, I would use it for nostalgia's sake as it reminds of the reels I had as a kid, maybe that's why I like the noise but otherwise it is not a lot of use to me, just one of those impulse buys.

 

[chevin4]

The Elite was the top of the range Intrepid (although that wasn't saying a great deal) and photos of Fred J Taylor fishing often showed them on his rods. I know he was an agent for Efgeeco and plugged their gear a lot - I wonder if he had a similar arrangement with Intrepid?

I think **** Walker used the Elite I have his book No Need to Lie and it is seen in one or two of the pictures. I think I read somewhere that he rated the reel

 

[David Rogers 3]

I think **** Walker used the Elite I have his book No Need to Lie and it is seen in one or two of the pictures. I think I read somewhere that he rated the reel

The Reg Cooke drawing in the Roach section on p.56 definitely shows an Elite, but only the angler's hands are shown (who is touch-ledgering) and it doesn't seem to relate to anything in the text. All the other drawings appear to show Walker's usual Mitchell reel. From memory, the only other fixed-spool he mentions using is a Hardy Altex, but that's not to say he never used an Elite - especially if FJT was keen on them!

 

[Pwb57]

Had to think hard on this question!

Three items come to mind, oldest is an ABU 501. Bought when they first came on the market and I caugt plenty of roach trotting the river Gipping with that. Put away for many years when I started sea fishing. Then got used for grayling when I moved to Scotland and fished the river Earn, plenty of seatrout there as well! Finally it's getting occasional use on the river Lot in France. Needed its first service here as the grease had gone hard.

Next I have a Gerber multi-tool pliers thingy. Bought in Florida and has served me very well.

Last is a rod, Browning Carboxy pike telescopic 11'. Remarkable rod, not a fast action but is tippy enough to have bite detection when needed. Had thornback ray to 14lb in the Scottish sea lochs, many pike, a few barbel this last winter when the river was high. Remarkable casting rod for its unremarkable action and short butt. A balanced rod in the hand and it is great for travelling. Wish I could find the zander version of this rod!

Hi. I’ve got both the pike and zander rods for sale they are both as new particularly the zander as it’s not been used. If you’re still looking for one what would you pay? Thanks

 

[Steve Arnold]

Hi. I’ve got both the pike and zander rods for sale they are both as new particularly the zander as it’s not been used. If you’re still looking for one what would you pay? Thanks

If I was in the UK I would be making an offer, particularly for the zander rod!

With all this Brexit "stuf" (not the first four letter word in my mind!) I wonder what problems it would encounter if posted! Even an Angling Direct order I placed is taking forever to get here!

Perhaps you can PM me your contact details and I will be in touch if I am back in the UK. With Covid about even that planning is on hold!

Thanks for the suggestion anyway

 

[Pwb57]

If I was in the UK I would be making an offer, particularly for the zander rod!

With all this Brexit "stuf" (not the first four letter word in my mind!) I wonder what problems it would encounter if posted! Even an Angling Direct order I placed is taking forever to get here!

Perhaps you can PM me your contact details and I will be in touch if I am back in the UK. With Covid about even that planning is on hold!

Thanks for the suggestion anyway

Hi. I wouldn’t want to post abroad owing to previous problems but by all means contact me when you are in Uk, I don’t know how to pm on this website, I’m new to fishing magic.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I have quit a collection of "vintage" rods and tackle including a pair of Aerial centre pin reels from the 50's. The wide drum version I've used s lot for margin float fishing for carp.

I also have a pair of the early Mitchell 300's. the French made ones with the crow foot shape lever and they are as good today as they were when brand new.

Included are Rapidex and Trudex reels as well as a Grice and Young's Avon Royal Supreme but in use I've always found it a little heavy. The last time I used it was when I took the Bridge Pool on the Royalty for a day.

Most of my split cane rods are from the 60's so I guess you can say they have stood the test of time as they re still used today.

One of the old editors from here, Graham Marsden gave me an original Heron bite indicator from the 1950's being one of Richard Walker's first designs, although there is some controversy as to whether or not Maurice Ingram made the first ones.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I think **** Walker used the Elite I have his book No Need to Lie and it is seen in one or two of the pictures. I think I read somewhere that he rated the reel

The reel used to catch Clarissa was a Mitchell half bail reel that today resides in the Chris Sandford collection where it is reunited with the actual rod as well, and I believe the actual net too.

When Chris bought the reel it was in very poor condition but the provenance was studied and it is agreed that is it the right Walker reel.

It was sent to Jonathon Savory (the man who restored the original Walker rod and probably the best rod restorer in the country) and was refurbished to an excellent standard.

Similar reels have shown up in auction for around £10k but in truth they are only worth whatever someone is prepared to pay for them at the time .

PS:
It would have to be a half bale because he caught the fish in 1952 and Hardy had the patent for the full bale arm until 1954 . . . .

 

[chevin4]

I still use a couple of Alan Brown built rods. Namely an original 13ft Normark Float Rod which I purchased in 1983. and a 10ft 6in 1lb 8oz tc glass rod built on a Hilton Sportex blank way back in 1979. I am today taking the float rod to my rod builder to be refurbished with a new set of rings and change of whipping colour. The Normark seems very heavy and through actioned compared to modern float rods but find it perfect for my style of fishing and at one time accounted for four of my PBs.

 

[flightliner]

Sorry to go back a page but which Mitchell had the torpedo shaped handle instead of the flat twisted one, was it the 440?

 

[terry m]

My recollection is that it was the 410