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Old mitchell reels


Tigger

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22 hours ago, Tigger said:

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

It's a Wensum, lovely balance and runs very smoothly. After first use removed the handles as they get in the way. Now it's much better. Easy to cast, nice retrieve but the ratchet can be caught with your finger while playing heavier fish. I've been thinking of permanently disabling it.

It's replaced a Duraflo strikeright. 

If all else fails, follow the intructions.
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I thought the wensum had a ratchet button on the back plate, one that you turn to engage? I think there are several different wensum reels so maybe i'm picturing the wrong one?

Everyone is different but, personally I wouldn't remove the handles or disable the ratchet.  

I would most certainly struggle to retreive barbel and any other heavier hard fighting fish without handles, and having no ratchet would cause me way to much hasstle.

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6 hours ago, Tigger said:

I thought the wensum had a ratchet button on the back plate, one that you turn to engage? I think there are several different wensum reels so maybe i'm picturing the wrong one?

Everyone is different but, personally I wouldn't remove the handles or disable the ratchet.  

I would most certainly struggle to retreive barbel and any other heavier hard fighting fish without handles, and having no ratchet would cause me way to much hasstle.

Sounds like you're picturing the right reel. The ratchet button is on the back plate but maybe I have long fingers, I occasionally catch it, causing it to engage. If you look on amazon I gave it a long review and included a picture with a decent fish.  I found the handles impossible. I play fish letting out line by thumb pressure and retrieve by sticking a finger in or pressure. Fishless or smaller fish I just bat it.

I can't resize pictures small enough to post here, 0.98mb as I no longer use any form of computer and all this is off my phone.

Stillwater The Wensum Centrepin Reel https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074PR68Z8/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_i_Mlq-DbFY4NHSB

That's the link and my review is under the name of Untrinque Paratus III and a picture of my regiments cap badge. 

 

If all else fails, follow the intructions.
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I never bat my reels, i'm quite sure it does them no good at all.  I don't really use the handles to wind in either, I have a whizzing round technique or often place a finger between the spokes or in one of the cut out holes.  Using that method to retreive a hard pulling barbel etc doesn't work for me, for that I use the handles.

At the end of the day you do as suites best.

Edited by Tigger
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Abu have followed suit with Mitchell & also moved operations to China, but still do a bit in Sweden by all accounts??

It's very much a throw it away & buy another one world these days!!!

I remember the days when for example, electric kettles would be taken in for a new element, new glass liners for Thermos flasks & electric blankets could be annually serviced. - 

When the Telly broke down & the engineer had spent a couple of hours trying to fix it in the house & then it still had to go back to the workshop  - Wow, that was bigger than  Brexit!! (Hardly anyone had a second Telly back in the day)

At one time, did one need a Licence for each receiver anyway ??

Was the TV detector van a Lie?? - "There is no TV Licence registered to this address, and they're watching Columbo". :ph34r: Two guys in dodgy uniforms trying to look like coppers!!!

https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-22440,00.html

 

Edited by Martin56
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Fishin' - "Best Fun Ya' can 'ave wi' Ya' Clothes On"!!

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I broke a rod last year on holiday early season and as I think nothing of doing my own repairs and if I'd been at home would have fixed it overnight. I called into the local tackle shop to get the bits I needed only to be told I was wasting my time no one stocks bits now. My local guy does.

I was shown new rods, superior to mine and told that they are "disposable". Reasonable quality feeder rods from a tenner upwards. Wanting to feeder fish I decided on a new Drennan rod not the cheaper disposable ones and the guy threw in a new NGT baitrunner and 100m of 6lb Chinese line. All for under £70. The line was given to a chap on the bankside later as I buy bulk spools of quality stuff and keep it in my caravan when we go away.

Returning home I talked to my local guy and stocked up on whipping thread, dope, varnish and a bulk box of tip rings. He'll have to order intermediate rings in bulk so I said not to bother. The cost......you don't want to know, cheaper to buy a new rod!

We're definitely in a disposable society.

Last time out I picked up a 10ft telescopic landing net handle, the reason it was propping up the bin, the tip was missing. I simply glued a piece from the head of a broken bank stick in its place. Now its sitting on my garage shelf waiting for son to collect it.

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I've been looking at the reviews of both the Wensum, and the Severn reels from Stillwater, and they seem to be good value for money reels. If I decide to get a new centrepin, I would certainly have a good look at both these reels. I couldn't justify paying £100 plus for the limited time I now spend actually fishing. 

Ian, you said that you struggle with line looping off the Match Aerial, well, that's one of the reasons I have the line coming off the top, that and an extra butt ring closer to the reel helps reduce it. I can't handle line guards, although, a while ago, I did experiment with a wire attachment that fed the line straight back onto the reel if it looped off, not a complete failure, but a bit fiddley. 

Like cameraman, I've always tried to either repair or make tackle if possible, especially when I see some of the prices they ask for pretty simple things. One such example is a bait tray, I had a bought one that got broke, and I looked around for a replacement. I saw some, with IMO silly prices, so looked around for alternatives. My wife dragged me to IKEA and I saw some plastic trays for £1 each, I bought a couple, drilled a 10mm hole in the centre of one, and three holes in the other. I have loads of spare banksticks, and 3/8 BSF bolts, so now I have either a freestanding mono legged bait waiter, or a three legged one if something more stable is needed. All for £2 and 10 minutes work. 

As I said in an earlier post, I've never been called a tackle tart.:D

John.

Angling is more than just catching fish, if it wasn't it would just be called 'catching'......... John

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13 hours ago, Martin56 said:

Abu have followed suit with Mitchell & also moved operations to China, but still do a bit in Sweden by all accounts??

It's very much a throw it away & buy another one world these days!!!

I remember the days when for example, electric kettles would be taken in for a new element, new glass liners for Thermos flasks & electric blankets could be annually serviced.

 

I got some abu multipliers about 15yrs ago which were made in Sweden and I think it was shortly after that that abu started having their kit made in China.

After saying that I did have some abu suveran reels that were made in Taiwan and they really were a top reel and made to the very highest of standards!

The chink's can make something as good or bad as is needed.

Hardy had all their marksman rods made in china, but to their standard which was a very high one.  I have quite a few of the hardy marksman specialist and marksman supero rods and can vouch for their quality, they are excellent.

As you say though Martin, it is a throw away world and you have to look hard for quality items that will last.  When you do find them they don't usually come cheap!

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John, 

I don't struggle with it, it does happen for occasionally but nothing that bothers me.  Line coming off the tops not for me bud :wacko:.

If you are looking for a centrepin reel which isn't priced to high then I would highly recommend the okuma aventa, not the silver version, one like this one...

 

IMG-E0113.jpg

 

Okay, ignore the fish lol.

You can pick them up as new on evilbay for around 50 to 70 nicker and imo they are a superb reel.  I've been using one a lot for years now as anyone can see in my posts, infact it's my go to reel.

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I'm not actively looking for a new 'pin Ian, but have thought about it recently. I have two left, my 50year old Aerial, and one I picked up from a guy who deals in second hand tackle, he said it was 'not much cop' so let me have it for a fiver. I cleaned the bearings, and re-oiled it, and it runs well now. I think it was a 'one off' and reminds me of the one I started making years ago, I had all he materials machined and ready, then the firm was broken into and it was stolen, probably as aluminium scrap. I don't get anything from ebay, my wife and daughter do, but I like to handle such as a reel before I buy, I'm old fashioned like that.:wheelchair:

John.

 

Angling is more than just catching fish, if it wasn't it would just be called 'catching'......... John

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