Old mitchell reels

[gozzer]

I must be one of the few that never owned a Mitchell reel, or even an Intrepid. I inherited my gear from my Dad when he died, and used his meagre collection of centrepins exclusively from aged 10 to my late teens when I bought a large Shakespeare fixed spool in a job lot of gear from a newspaper ad, ideal for piking, a little carping, and light sea fishing. I bought another Shakespeare reel to help with legering at a distance a bit later. I then got a couple of ABU fixed spools and a 501. I now have  mixture of fixed spools, ranging from Diawa to some of unknown parentage.  

My ABUs are still going strong, despite being bought in the 70s, and my Allcocks Match Aerial is still trotting a float, and catching fish after over half a century of use.

As you've probably guessed, I've never been classed as a 'tackle tart'

John.

[Tigger]

3 hours ago, Cameraman said:

I love Mitchell's. I started with a bakolite centrepin, progressed to a wooden centrepin. I had an Intrepid Black Prince for Christmas once which I'd been ogling all year. But.... I always wanted a Mitchell 300 and a Allcocks Airiel. 

I bought a 300 second hand and stripped it, cleaned it and serviced it. Pennies.

Almost immediately Mitchell's started arriving with me for service and repair or scrap when folk new I could do them. Always did them for cost.

One day my Grandad gave me his prized Mitchell 840 match. Mint condition. I treasured it and used it.

Absolutely gutted when it and all my tackle was stolen from my garage in 94, several Mitchell 300s went too.

I didn't fish for a couple of years I was so upset. Also upset because it belonged to my Grandad and he's gone.

Funny this thread appearing, as there are two Mitchell's boxed on Ebay I'm bidding for at the moment.

Yup, I love Mitchell's, if I get them, I'll clean, service and use them. I've only just moved off a 50 odd year old centrepin because my wife bought me a newer one. Never did the Allcocks Airiel Match though.

 

You could still get a allcocks match aerial if you still want one. 

I was once lucky enough to get a mint reel which really did look unused in a tatty old (but original box) for nowt.  My mrs found it amongst a pile of unsold/unwanted items, mostly junk left as people packed up and left the car boot sale.  My mrs was more excited about an old otterman she had dragged out the pile of junk....she'd been looking to buy a good one for ages and was chuffed to get one for free.

The main drawback/newsance with the match aerial (imo) is the line stick you can often get, often worse after catchin' a decent fish. One other thing that people don't like is how prone your line is   or can be to going round the back of the reels foot.  I know the line lay pillars don't help with the line stick, but i'm quite sure the problem is mainly caused because the reel is a narrow drum.  Appart from that one or maybe two faults, just the look and feel of an allcocks match aerial makes it one of my favourite centrepin reels. I had three at one time but sold one that had been well used before I got it and had lots of use whilst in my posession.  I still have two, the one my mrs found and one which i'd bought unused and in a mint box a couple of days before my mrs found one !!

This is the reel my mrs found, still looks like new, the other one remains unused....

 

Edited December 15, 2019 by Tigger

[Martin56]

Cameraman, be sure to contact the seller re the Mitchell's you're bidding for!!

The later ones are made in China & no where near the quality of the old French versions!!

I've a few older French ones I don't use anymore + some spare spools (they all interchange with 300 & 410 Match)

A drive over from Sheffield & you can have them all for Now't if you don't win!! (The reels & spools that is)

PM me if Interested? (have a look on page one for around what I think I have?)

Martin.

Edited December 15, 2019 by Martin56

[wotnobivvy]

I'm just an old fogey but I have 2 300s's that I still use with no problem and landed carp up to 18lbs. Just spooled Maxima line. I did buy one of the new Mitchells and fine it ok too

[Martin56]

17 minutes ago, wotnobivvy said:

I'm just an old fogey but I have 2 300s's that I still use with no problem and landed carp up to 18lbs. Just spooled Maxima line. I did buy one of the new Mitchells and fine it ok too

Glad you like the new Mitchell 300 mate - just saying "Buyer beware" there are 2 versions which look the same!!

One of mine is a Chinese one & I was refunded by the seller - Not as described!! (He allowed me to keep it bless him)

I bought some baby Baitrunners soon after, so prob' never gave it a proper trial??

Edited December 15, 2019 by Martin56

[Cameraman]

19 hours ago, Tigger said:

 

You could still get a allcocks match aerial if you still want one. 

I was once lucky enough to get a mint reel which really did look unused in a tatty old (but original box) for nowt.  My mrs found it amongst a pile of unsold/unwanted items, mostly junk left as people packed up and left the car boot sale.  My mrs was more excited about an old otterman she had dragged out the pile of junk....she'd been looking to buy a good one for ages and was chuffed to get one for free.

The main drawback/newsance with the match aerial (imo) is the line stick you can often get, often worse after catchin' a decent fish. One other thing that people don't like is how prone your line is   or can be to going round the back of the reels foot.  I know the line lay pillars don't help with the line stick, but i'm quite sure the problem is mainly caused because the reel is a narrow drum.  Appart from that one or maybe two faults, just the look and feel of an allcocks match aerial makes it one of my favourite centrepin reels. I had three at one time but sold one that had been well used before I got it and had lots of use whilst in my posession.  I still have two, the one my mrs found and one which i'd bought unused and in a mint box a couple of days before my mrs found one !!

This is the reel my mrs found, still looks like new, the other one remains unused....

 

Every so often I seriously look for one but they tend to go for silly money and I just can't justify the price to myself. My wife bought me a new pin last year and that has the same problems you describe with the airiel. I use it in preference to my bait runners all the time.

[Cameraman]

9 hours ago, Martin56 said:

Cameraman, be sure to contact the seller re the Mitchell's you're bidding for!!

The later ones are made in China & no where near the quality of the old French versions!!

I've a few older French ones I don't use anymore + some spare spools (they all interchange with 300 & 410 Match)

A drive over from Sheffield & you can have them all for Now't if you don't win!! (The reels & spools that is)

PM me if Interested? (have a look on page one for around what I think I have?)

Martin.

I didn't realise the Chinese had made some, I'll look into it, thanks.

Generous offer thank you, I'll be in touch as either my son or myself are in your neck of the woods every week as we have to take his dog to the specialist vet hospital.

[Cameraman]

9 hours ago, Martin56 said:

Glad you like the new Mitchell 300 mate - just saying "Buyer beware" there are 2 versions which look the same!!

One of mine is a Chinese one & I was refunded by the seller - Not as described!! (He allowed me to keep it bless him)

I bought some baby Baitrunners soon after, so prob' never gave it a proper trial??

I bought one when they first came out from my local tackle shop. Nice as they are, mine suffers from the spool sticking and occasionally locks up. It's sitting as a spare now on the shelf in its box. Without looking, I think it's a 330. I ought to strip it down and then use it more.

The problem is these days, there are better out there for less than a quarter of the price.

[Tigger]

1 hour ago, Cameraman said:

Every so often I seriously look for one but they tend to go for silly money and I just can't justify the price to myself. My wife bought me a new pin last year and that has the same problems you describe with the airiel. I use it in preference to my bait runners all the time.

Ok, just out of curiosity, what make/model is the centrepin your mrs got you?

Edited December 16, 2019 by Tigger

[wotnobivvy]

Got my 300 from Go Outdoors with my discount card a few years back and had no problems with it