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Post 04 Oct 2021, 20:04 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 09/06/21
Posts: 43
Location: Wa
Hi Yall, Im a newby. I love old fiberglass spinning and fly rods. Im acquiring vintage fly rods and reels and recently decided to focus some of my attention in a new direction. Vintage automatic fly reels (70's back), are their any worth owning? I had an automatic back in the 70's when I was a kid and had my first fly rod. It wasnt bad but i never had a teacher or a mentor. So that saying... please share some of your vintage automatic fly reel information if you have any. Thanks a bunch. Canton


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 07:17 • #2 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
With the exception of the innovative semi-automatic fly reels, P&K Re-Tree-Vit, you're going to find them to mostly be a lot of the same thing.

If you like style, Ocean City 90 has a distinctive art deco look, and also has a hand-winding plate.

They were important enough through the 60s, that even Phillipson built a rod with an index-finger trigger link through the handle.

If you go way back, Yale and Meisselbach VG-condition reels have distinct baroque styling, and are valuable just because they're rare.

In use, automatic reels are functional for people who hand-line their fish.
For blazing runs, single-action and multiplier are much more functional.


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 08:03 • #3 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/12/18
Posts: 457
Crustyrusty wrote:
Hi Yall, Im a newby. I love old fiberglass spinning and fly rods. Im acquiring vintage fly rods and reels and recently decided to focus some of my attention in a new direction. Vintage automatic fly reels (70's back), are their any worth owning? I had an automatic back in the 70's when I was a kid and had my first fly rod. It wasnt bad but i never had a teacher or a mentor. So that saying... please share some of your vintage automatic fly reel information if you have any. Thanks a bunch. Canton


Anything is worth owning if it makes you happy! These automatics are just one more way to remember the old days while you're fly fishing.

I think the Mitchell 710, Perrine 51 and Shakespeare Tru-Art are the most "usable" of the several automatics I've accumulated. A reel that has a clutch allowing line to continue to come off the reel after the spring is fully wound is convenient.

The most basic helpful hint for automatic reel use is to be sure to disengage the spring-winding mechanism until you have your entire leader outside your rod's tip-top. This will prevent you from accidentally retrieving too far with the reel's spring power, possibly damaging your rod when the fly hits the top guide.


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 09:01 • #4 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/27/08
Posts: 936
Location: Columbia, Mo. USA
Crustyrusty----I have been collecting auto-matic fly reels for a long time---50+----I enjoyed seeing how they worked. Generally speaking: 1) they are heavy, but IMHO worked well with the rods of the time, 2) will hold about 1/2 a fly line with very little backing, 3) are good for pond, lake, and boat fishing were you don't want a lot of line laying on the ground or under foot, and 4) what "desmobob" said in his last paragraph. As Bulldog said, most are similar. Shakespeare, Gladding South Bend, Eagle Claw Wright & McGill, garcia-matic, Oren-O-Matic by South Bend, and Perrine are closely related models in appearance----vertical and horizontal---some had clickers.
A few did differ: Abu Garcia 710 had interchangeable spools---as Bulldog said Ocean City was both crank and auto---Fly Champ also had a light weight crank and finger retrieve like Pachner & Koller Re-Treev-it---Martin had a open frame model (looked like single action fly reels), Tru-Temper tried to go light weight with a plastic model with a see through window or side .
IMHO all were good tool if "KEPT CLEAN".
If you are interested in parts or whole reels PM me.
Gary


Last edited by midmofly on 05 Oct 2021, 09:38, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 05 Oct 2021, 09:15 • #5 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Gary, I didn't think about Garcia - they made cool and modern-looking autos.
Heddon also had a few pretty styles.
You should give us some show-and-tell on this thread.


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 11:14 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
IDK about best. The common ones are more of a Ford-Chevy-Dodge thing, and that doesn't rule out Studebaker or Rambler. There are some Cadillacs, too. Great query and you will find a lot using the search function. Probably too much with just "automatic fly reel," but try that (upper right of the frame), and narrow subsequent searches. Here's one that leads to others: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=54310&hilit=Martin+automatic#p248067


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 12:13 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2087
Location: US-PA
I bought a few a year or so ago for the cool factor and because the first fly rod & reel I ever touched in my life had an auto on it.

They remind of the days before I fly fished because you would still see few out there on the local stocked streams when I envied anyone using a "long rod." I had hoped to use some of them on a couple of my Wonderods to drift worms or salmon eggs on a fly rod like I used to see guys doing back when I was a kid, but haven't yet got around to it.

I purchased mainly Shakespeare Tru Arts (1827, 1835, 1824), most in mint or near mint condition in boxes and I also snagged a pristine unused Perrine 87P "Edgemount" in the box with papers that looks like it came out of a time machine.

The best part is when you find what I was buying in any condition, they are dirt cheap.


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 15:46 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/23/18
Posts: 614
Location: Eastern Wa
Got more than a couple dozen and I prefer the Garcia for larger line sizes and the Martin 47 for the lighter lines. Both seem to retrieve more line on average than other makes and models i have once wound up. I only use them on rods that need a bit of weight to balance them and i flat out have more fun fishing them when they get used.


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 22:41 • #9 
Sport
Joined: 09/06/21
Posts: 43
Location: Wa
Thanks for all the great information. I really appreciate it. Thank you!


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 23:31 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2516
Location: Nature Coast Florida
This post made me go dig through some reel cases. Also, not saying these are the best or even as good as the South Bend, Shakespeare and Martins most of us have tried in the past. They're just different.


Above is a French made Mitchell Automatic



This is a solid feeling True Temper
Aristo-matic 1700



A L. L. Bean Auto that has seen better days. Can someone say who made this for Beans?


A Fly-Champ made by Champion Sports Equipment Co in Chicago.
A SemiAuto that should make you appreciate other type reels.


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Post 06 Oct 2021, 06:11 • #11 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
now we're getting somewhere - those are great Barry, thanks for posting


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Post 06 Oct 2021, 07:17 • #12 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/27/08
Posts: 936
Location: Columbia, Mo. USA
GRASSNGLASS-----that LL Bean auto is a H-I from Utica, NY.
Gary


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Post 06 Oct 2021, 15:07 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2516
Location: Nature Coast Florida
Found a couple more.

Two different style Perrine reels.


A PEMCO which is also a Perrine.


An old Martin 944.

All working fine except the Perrine with the red trigger.


Last edited by GRASSNGLASS on 06 Oct 2021, 15:17, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 06 Oct 2021, 15:15 • #14 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/12/18
Posts: 457
Here are my users;
The Garcia Mitchell 710, Shakespeare Tru-Art, and Perrine 81. Also shown is my oldest automatic, a like-new Utica Reel from Horrocks-Ibbotson made between 1934-1939.



The Mitchell mounts on the rod with a conventional reel foot; the others have their reel feet on the flat side instead of the edge of the reel.


Last edited by desmobob on 06 Oct 2021, 15:18, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 06 Oct 2021, 15:18 • #15 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2516
Location: Nature Coast Florida
That Utica is sweet.


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Post 06 Oct 2021, 15:25 • #16 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/12/18
Posts: 457
Thanks. It really is like new and I have the box. Unfortunately, the paper wrapping and instructions weren't in the box. The double-diamond "Best by Test" logo stamp dates the reel as an old one.

I think the Tru-Art is my favorite to use. It feels very smooth and well-made. Its drawback is weight. I'm pretty certain it's the heaviest automatic I have. The Mitchells and Perrines are reasonably light.


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Post 06 Oct 2021, 22:14 • #17 
Sport
Joined: 09/06/21
Posts: 43
Location: Wa
Very nice vintage auto pics! I really admire old well made everything. I saw an old auto at a vintage store I went to last weekend. Im pretty sure it was a Mitchell (black and chrome). It was actually in really nice condition for 25.00. I thought about grabbing it but decided to hold off until I had a little vintage auto info. I think Im going to snag it Saturday. Ill post a pic when I do.


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Post 10 Oct 2021, 11:50 • #18 
Sport
Joined: 03/11/14
Posts: 89
Location: US-East Texas
I actually have one of the Phillipsons that Bulldog referred to. I think they called it the Fly-Matic. It's never been fished and I've only heard of two others still in existence. One recently for sale, at least I believe it was, and the other was in a picture some guy had of his tomato plant. There it was, handle with trigger, sticking up out of the ground staking up a tomato plant.., lol.

Anyway, somewhere I have a NIB South Bend auto reel, and if I can find it I may put the two together for the wall of fame.


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Post 10 Oct 2021, 14:09 • #19 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
please take photos and post them for this discussion - what a great show and tell for this thread.


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Post 10 Oct 2021, 16:43 • #20 
Sport
Joined: 03/11/14
Posts: 89
Location: US-East Texas
OK.., but it will be tomorrow at best...


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Post 11 Oct 2021, 22:22 • #21 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
Love my automatics.
For bass etc the big Garcia's are great, quality, will hold a WF8F.

I've never found those Perrine autos very functional.

And, I must admit, I don't like repairing them. When they fail, I have a habit of just grabbing the next one I have in my box of reels. Can always find more dirt cheap somewhere.

Bit of a learning curve using them, gotta train that little finger.

Fun pictures of some unique reels, TY.


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Post 12 Oct 2021, 08:52 • #22 
Guide
Joined: 08/11/21
Posts: 208
Location: Tucson, AZ
Repairing automatic fly reels...made me laugh to recall my dread when someone would enter the shop dragging the spring behind, asking if I could fix it.

Getting them working again can be done...I actually did repair a few, winding the spring somehow while trying not to slice my fingers in the process....but nothing like getting an vintage single action reel back in action.

Nice to hear some of us take the automatic reels seriously enough to restore and fish them. We all have some laying around, picked up at yard sales, etc.


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Post 14 Oct 2021, 11:09 • #23 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado
I got a free Shakespeare Tru-Art with one of my ebay Fenwicks.. purely out of curiousity, cleaned up and got it working again. It's great for smaller bass etc. The first time I used it was on a cane rod on a tailwater, hooked an 18" which ran way up the pool, while I frantically stripped line with one hand and controlled line and rod with the other.. the 6x tippet would have popped, as the drag increases as the line runs out and the spring winds up. If I'd remembered to release the spring tension first that would have helped..

A different fish, late in the evening. Picture was blurry so applied an oil-painting filter and called it art, Tru-Art, yuk yuk..



Here on a Phillipson,



with fish,





The Phillipson came with a Perrine Free-Stripping automatic. This allows line to be stripped even when the spring is wound tight, and has a friction brake (aka drag). Some of the Martin automatics also have this feature I believe.
The Tru-Art holds an entire WF6 line with 5 yards of backing, the Perrine looks smaller. I need to clean it up and see..

Inside the reel there are INSTRUCTIONS with CAPS and red letters for the important bits..





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Post 30 Oct 2021, 17:48 • #24 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/21/21
Posts: 447
Location: Florida
I second the utility of fishing automatics in ponds and lakes. Love them for LMB. I use a Pflueger and cannot be happier with it. But as others have said if you are fishing moving water and getting into your drag these are not the tool to use.


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Post 08 Nov 2021, 13:41 • #25 
Sport
Joined: 12/01/18
Posts: 40
Location: US- Great Smoky Mts of east Tn
Hi, I still fish my Martin #3 horizontal that was gifted to me in 1960 with a 9' Divine Rod. Spring is still strong and it works OK. Mostly used when fishing for White bass and Hickory shad where they want a FAST retrieve, got to watch that rod tip though.


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