A blast from my past

[Newt]

I used a casting reel in the late 50s/early 60s that I really enjoyed. It was lost to theft while I was in Viet Nam and I have never seen a similar one or even been sure of the name. Dad had told me it was a Keester reel when he gave it to me but no amount of internet searching turned up anything and several attempts to get info by trying to describe the reel didn't either.

 

This morning I was looking for info about a Monarch 3 fixed spool reels a new member was asking about and came across a reel page by a man who collects a specific style of casting reel that was common in the northern US (mainly Indiana) during the 30s and early 40s. Two of the reels in his collection were made by the Kiest company and looked enough like my long lost reel that it had to be the maker.

 

 

Given that the only clutch was human thumb pressure on he spinning part of the axle (so fingers between rod & reel spokes) you can see why these reels were good for casting pretty much any weight of line but also good for quickly removing skin from knuckles. :D

[Phone]

Newt,

 

Lookie at this site.

 

http://www.antiquefishingcollectibles.com/indianareels.htm

 

Phone

[Newt]

That's the site I found Phone. I snagged a couple of his photos. I also sent him an email thanking him for his web site and the great reel photos.

 

As noted, that reel style is very minimalistic but I can't remember a reel I enjoyed more. As long as the lure had decent weight and I used 2 hands to cast, it worked great.

 

Blue, the man who had owned it, could cast one handed. He drowned while out fishing with Dad - he was prone to seizures and had one on the lake which threw him out of the boat. He was well aware of the danger but enjoyed his fishing enough to take the risk. Blue's wife gave all his fishing gear to Dad after he died.

[Phone]

Newt,

 

I too remember those reels (I think?) for there efficient function. I believe we used them with heavy braided nylon line to gather in longlines. Would that be the same reel? There were large and small reels alike, the largest being about the size of a dinner plate, smallest a saucer. (all strictly from memory). The only reason I am certain they were commercial products is that they were identical - just different sizes. Ohh, they were not "safe" for small hands!

 

Phone

[medwaygreen]

Newt,

 

If you were using that type of reel you must have been from a well to do family,because Huck Finn only had a stick and his Mum,s knicker elastic.