The Mitchell 300X Reel

Mitchell first cornered the market in the late 1960’s, with a workhorse, bread and butter reel that could just about do anything at a pinch. They innovated their way through the 70’s with roller bale arms, the faster-retrieve 410 with its chic torpedo handles, the finger-dab Mitchell Match and the chocolate-brown 810 with its unheard of (in those days…) 6:1 retrieve and super-tough alloy spool.

Then came the ABU Cardinal, with the rear drag which was the forerunner of today’s baitrunner. Somehow, Mitchell seemed to lose the plot in the 1980’s and as the punks spat and pogoed their last, the humble 300’s and 410’s were already off to the big rod pod in the sky.

As you’ve probably gathered, I was a Mitchell man. They had their quirks but they could soak up more punishment than a sado-masochists’ convention and whatever you threw at them, they kept on going.

So what’s all this got to do with today, you could be forgiven for asking. Well Mitchell have just re-launched the 300, that’s what.

Fork out between £ 39 and £ 50-odd – depending on whether you buy your reels via faceless mail order warehouses or your local tackle shop – and you’ll find a sleek body and silky-smooth action.

Like its legendary forerunners, the gear train is compact and robust. It seems a little lighter than its forerunners and the stem is just the right length for fingertip casting control.

Line lay was faultless with the 12lbs mono I wound on for lure fishing off the beach. Line engages right in the middle of the generous bale arm roller as soon as the arm snaps shut.

A major difference born-again Mitchell users will notice straight away is that the line goes on clockwise – meaning, in layman’s terms – it comes off the right way for casting.

Two spools come with the reel, which snap on and off leaving the front drag mechanism in place. Capacity of the deeper alloy spool isn’t generous by today’s standards. Neither spool possesses a line clip. There is a clip, but it’s on the reel itself, which means spare spools need an elastic band or bobble to keep loaded line in trim.

The drag is capable of extremely fine tuning, thanks to a pile of washers. If you’d rather play your fish by backwinding, the anti-reverse snaps off with a positive metal trip switch under the reel body.

The handle is generous and easy to grip and the instant anti-reverse does exactly what it says on the tin. One thing which did impress was the total lack of play through the gear train.

Engage the anti reverse and it doesn’t back up one jot, which quivertippers will find a boon.

My big worry is the stem, which seems a bit too flexible. Sure, as a piker I expect I fish a lot heavier than most of the people who’ll buy this reel. But I wonder if it’s robust enough for today’s mid-weight species specialists, let alone a Fenland lure lout after a lighter set-up for summer pike and zander, and the occasional bass trip.

Judging by the way the stem bent pulling against a snagged lure on 12lbs mono, the answer is probably not.

What the new 300 will undoubtedly do is provide a serious mid-market challenge, between the budget reels and the hi-tech premium bracket. And if you’re looking for a reel which will cope with commercial pools or bran tub river fishing, it’ll probably suit you down to the ground.