[50incher]

Got this somewhere as a kid, can't remember, but do recall using it as an ice fishing reel, lol....in great shape and looks very well built, but I have no idea for what, lol....I thought maybe an old ultra light fly fishing reel ?....

2 knobs on one side....1 is a clicker/free spool and other just seems to be like a "drag", making the tension stiffer....only markings is a "40" on bottom of reel seat....??

Appreciate any info from anyone ….just curious really, it's a cool little reel....thanks.... ….cheers....

 

[Lund Explorer]

Perhaps you could look into antique reels by a company called Hendryx? Somewhere around 1870's to 1890's. Best results I could find.

 

[tincanary]

Definitely an old Hendryx. The 40 stamped on the frame designates the model, in that case the 40 yard model. It holds 40 yards of line, but what kind or what size I couldn't tell you. Probably braided silk I'd assume since it was commonly used in the later 1800s when that reel was made.

 

[-db-]

Cool old reel but more an early baitcaster than a fly reel. Minus a Hendryx name or other identifying marker(s), it's difficult to say who made it as there were numerous manufacturers of these type of reels back in the day. As tincanary points out, 40 denotes the size of the reel, in this case a 40-yard size. Yours appears to be in good shape, quite clean. I would refurbish/restore it, find some period-correct line and cane rod (eBay) and fish it.

This type of old raised pillar/skeleton reel is more suitable for fly fishing, you see the difference compared to yours:

 

[tincanary]

I think that sort of reel is more or less for still fishing with a bobber and not casting. It would be sweet on a 10' or 12' cane. It's probably going to be direct drive with a 1:1 ratio, therefore the retrieve would be slow. It's probably really simple internally, even the knuckle busters 50 years newer with a level wind are very simple themselves.

 

[-db-]

Yes, a good old bluegill setup. I think the offset crank might imply it's a multiplier, though.

 

[tincanary]

Yes, a good old bluegill setup. I think the offset crank might imply it's a multiplier, though.

Good eye, I didn't make note of that. I'm curious to see what it looks like inside.

 

[6667supersport]

Not to steal original posters, post, but I have and old baitcaster reel that is on a steel rod approx. 3' long or so. A friend said he saw 40-50 rods out in the garbage one evening and grabbed them for me. Most all were junk, kept this rod/reel and a Zebco 404 that looks like new. Will bring it home from work and post pics of it here soon.

 

[50incher]

Good stuff....I did lawn work for a widow and her mother from @ 8 to 18 yrs old, always took them fresh Walleye too....one day she gives me all her husbands fishing gear, not that much but....2 steel rods, one tubular one square, an old Kennedy steel tackle box with @ 20 old lures etc. and a like new (live basket) ? cotton mesh with a wood clamp for hanging over the boat I guess.....but no reels....

Never been a collector but always hold on to what ever I do come across....got a 1961 Shakespeare wonder rod 5'5" that was for Musky and actually a jigging rod, did look that up on their site, pretty cool, put an old Pflueger Rocket on it, but don't have the heart to use it, lol....

Turns out the guys grandpa lived in Hayward WI….said he had a bunce of old lures, but I couldn't get any of those !....just getting covered with dust in the garage....

 

[50incher]

Would love to land a Musky on it but just to afraid of breaking it !....cheers....

 

[tincanary]

That Wonder Rod is a beauty! Now you just need a period correct Abu 5000 to go with it It'll winch in the musky no problem. Fiberglass can take a beating unlike graphite.

 

[50incher]

That Wonder Rod is a beauty! Now you just need a period correct Abu 5000 to go with it It'll winch in the musky no problem. Fiberglass can take a beating unlike graphite.

A period Garcia would be awesome !....I love history and always wonder about anything I get that's old, like that rod, lol....did it land fish, how many, etc. etc....

I put 36lb greenspot dacron line on the reel as that's what I started with back in 1986, lol !....the Rocket, I have no clue where that came from or what we used it for ! ....might of been a reel my dad used for Sturgeon back in the day, just have no memory for it....

I love the old stuff more than the new ! ?? lol....cheers....

 

[tincanary]

The cool thing about an older bushing Ambassadeur is I can turn them into a casting machine as well. I run blue jeweler's rouge on the idler gear post, the insides of the spool bushings, the worm gear, and spool shaft ends. Then I hit those same areas with metal polishing paste and get them to a mirror finish, then lube with TSI 301. I'm doing something similar with your reels right now, polishing the brake drum, worm gear, idler gear post, and the end of the spool shaft where the spool pinion gear makes contact. They're going to feel completely different, so you may want to start off with the spool tension a little on the tighter side until you get used to it.

 

[50incher]

Will do !....cheers....