Casting NLW ninteen-naughties bait reels is my idea of fishing or non-fishing fun.
I've taken them to both TU events, and good friend and pro BASS angler who has an annual July 4th BBQ. Most of his guests are bass fishermen, and they love tinkering with them.
I have a Chubb 8'3" Henshall rod, and it's a joy with a Bluegrass 33.
The casting process is so slow and deliberate - it's easy to lob 3/8" oz out to 50 yards with simple thumb work. The backlash control is actually the imbalance designed into the reel.
People who wanted more of this on their baitcasters often glued pennies or nickels inside the spool.
If any of you guys know appgap (Marc) from Clark's board, I got him into c. 1910 Shakespeare NLW reels and he takes them bass fishing with his BIL
Shakespeare Perfect top left, Talbot Niangua far left. The reel in the center is the Redifor that Pflueger bought out for its anti-backlash patent. There are two teardrop pawls inside the spool that centrifugally drag against the spool frame. (It's very similar to the centrifugal phenolic casting brakes on modern baitcasters.) But it works too well and costs you distance.
Meek and Talbot used a wonderful anti-backlash device that most people overlook. Beneath the bearing caps are oil reservoirs - the hole in the top of the bearing.
You fill this oil reservoir every morning, and oil whirl on the spindle provides your anti-backlash. You can hear the oil whirl when you cast, and that acoustic energy is being taken off the spindle, causing the spool to decelerate with the ballistics of your cast. The oil whirl generates so much work, the oil gradually evaporates.
As with (most) every baitcaster, yes, you have to use your thumb to stop it, but it's easy.
And when you do take these old braided silk lines fishing, you need your line winder to dry them so they don't mildew.
The really effective anti-backlash device was South Bend ABL. As line tension decreases, the spring-closed bail presses a wool pad against the inside of the spool.
You adjust the bail tension and the end cap tension separately, and when you get both adjusted properly, anybody can cast this reel without backlash. With this reel, you only need your thumb at the beginning of the cast - you don't have to use your thumb to stop the spool, and it still casts pretty good distance.
As far as the postwar LW reels, my favorite is Pflueger Skilcast - it has good a good casting drag.
Also have a gang of bait rods, cane, early Heddon Pal, American Fork & Hoe (later True Temper) square steel, Silaflex. Fenglas.
yes, spinning tackle, too, but people are asking why baitcasters
And about that light weight thing, this diminutive Shakespeare NLW freespool Tournament will cast 1/8 oz with total control - of course I have it loaded with 4-lb silk braid