This is a true story about a special Mitchell reel .....

I fished with my mentor for many years back in the 70's - 90's until he passed away, and once commented that I'd like to try one of those light "round bodied large spool" Mitchells. Next time I saw Old Bill (as I knew him) he gave me his, a well worn model 314, it's like a 304 (I think) but with a folding handle and nicer bail. So I found a source for parts and replaced the springs and spruced it up.

Took a day off from work and while fishing at dawn I caught a PA citation Bass within 5 minutes. When I arrived home, I called Old Bill and asked him to come over so my wife could take a photo of us, the fish and his reel. He grumbled a bit but an hour later was at my front door.

As we walked thru the kitchen, he glanced down at the US mail on our table and asked "Bowman, is that your last name?" I said "Yeah, that me" to which the man who taught me to bass-fish and had been my mentor for 20+ years said "Hah, go figure, that's my name too"!

I prize that reel (& photo), and have told all my kids about it.

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