Old Mitchells etc

[john frum]

I've set myself up with new tackle recently - both sea and coarse gear. The coarse gear is the first new coarse fishing tackle I've bought since the sixties... A few things occur to me after a dozen or so outings.

 

Reels.

Why are current reels so horribly over-designed? Duo-colour schemes, shiny chrome bits, gold plating... To answer my own question, I suppose it's because of the vast multitude of "different" models on the market, and of course the same reasons that lures are so flashy. I've recently bought an Abu Cardinal (green job - not sure of the model number) and a Grauvell Herox (sick-coloured). They are identical. Well, one is marked seven bearing and the other six, but in other respects, apart from the colour and finish, they're the same reel. The spools interchange perfectly. I wonder how much this applies to other manufacturers' reels? Take a look at the "Global Sources" website if you want to see where just about all of this stuff comes from.

 

Which brings me to the subject line. I remember when I got my first French-made Mitchell "Prince" in the sixties. Heaven on earth - or rather on an Apollo Taperflash. Up to then I'd saved my odd-job money up to buy an Intrepid Elite - about which I can't remember good or bad really. But Mitchells were the dog's, and I'm still tempted to buy another one off Ebay, much as I HATE Ebay. To say it's a pool of sharks and an insecure way to gamble money is an understatement. Watch out for the cloned site e-mails that ask you to "confirm your financial details". And before anyone asks, I do have up-to date security in place on my computer. But that's another topic.

 

Anyone out there use old Mitchells regularly? Are the new reels any better or not? I suppose the old inset spools weren't that great but the line still gets behind the spool on the later designs. Or it does on mine anyway. Any opinion on which of the old Models was the best product they produced?

[DavyR]

I still use my Mitchell 301 (c.1976), which I think cost about £15 from Billy Knott, "The Penzance Pirate", who was one of the first big mail order suppliers.

It's working fine, other than having a "lazy" bail arm spring. And it's a nice sober black, unlike the very smooth but rather flashy MAP CFS reel I've recently bought.

I've got an Intrepid Elite that was given to me a year or two ago - still usable, but crude compared to the Mitchell. Oh well, if it was good enough for Fred J Taylor....

Another reel I bought in the 70s is one I've not seen in anyone else's collection - a Japanese made Shakepeare Ambidex 2499. This is a tiny fixed-spool that I used to use with a telescopic rod when camping/walking/fishing. Again, still works well.

Thanks, John - this is helping to take my mind off all these exposions in London...

[john frum]

Oh no. This is one of the reasons I moved out of London 3 months go. it was just a matter of time I'm afriad.

[DavyR]

It doesn't seem to have put the session carpers off (does anything?), so I might mention that the Intrepid Elite had what I suppose you could call an early "baitrunner" function. The anti-reverse switch at the back had a middle setting that would enable the handle to backwind, but with the check engaged. Can't remember what Intrepid called that system now.

[Steve Walker]

I've recently acquired a Shimano Exage 4000FA. When I was advising a mate on buying tackle, he was looking at a couple of reels, and I said "I'd have that one, if I were you. Wouldn't mind one myself.". Anyway, as a thankyou for helping him, he bought two and gave me one of them. Awfully nice bloke

 

Apart from the tacky bling gold bits, it's a lovely reel, and more than anything else it reminds me of the old Mitchell 300S I used to have; solid, smooth, front drag, a bit on the heavy side. Now, if only they came in black...

 

Reminds me, I must get this Mitchell 204 fixed. It needs a whole new bail arm assembly. The guys at reel care said they had the parts in stock, I should send it off to them while they still do.

 

[ 07. July 2005, 01:08 PM: Message edited by: Steve Walker ]

[john frum]

Anyone remember what the "Prince" model's number was?

By the way I think that it'd be a good thing to keep off the subject of current news etc (unless it has relevance to angling) in this kind of forum. Otherwise it rapidly gets out of hand.

[DavyR]

Doesn't Chesters1 collect Intrepids? Surely he'd know if anyone does?

[chesters1]

i dont know ofhand but take a gander here ,if only all sites were this good : http://www.werpmolens.nl/

i would say despite their far shorter life span modern reels (of any manufacture bar ABU) are far better than old ones and most use technology little different to the early sixties (or indeed the illingworth )but far better machined and a dammmed sight lighter but even as most reels are a clone of each other theres good and bad still

 

[ 07. July 2005, 01:57 PM: Message edited by: chesters1 ]

[DavyR]

Whoops - I was confusing the Mitchell Prince with the Intrepid Prince Regent!

[chesters1]

blimey dont do that