Anyone familiar with these?

[Krazo]

My wife's grandfather has picked these up at garage sales/estate sales and passed them along to us.  I remember my grandfather using one but cant say i ever have.  Is there any value to these reels?  Id like to spool one up for my son.  He wants to fly fish.  

[Krazo]

Here's another one.  I have 3 total.  

 

[moguy1973]

My grandpa used to used the Shakespeare ones on his fly rods to fish for crappie.

Doesn't look like they are worth much.  Looks like they go for $20-30 on eBay in various conditions.  To date them you can use the two letter code on the reel seat and this decoder:

 

Shakespeare used a 2 letter dating code from 1929 to 1977, they are usually on the reel foot or near the name or the model number.
1=K,V
2=j,u
3=h,t
4=g,s
5=f,r
6=e,q
7=d,p
8=c,n
9=b,m
0=a,l
If your model number is a 1821 FA the F is 5 and A is 0, so it would be a 1821, 1950 model. Check your reel and you will know if it was a war time issue when all metals were used for the war effort.

 

Looks like yours is a GD model which makes it a 1947 model.

 

[Krazo]

Thanks for the insight.  interesting to know the shakespeare is that old.   Im not even sure how to use these. seems like they are spring loaded or something. should prob watch some youtube video to help learn. 

Ive got a couple rods laying around that I could strap these on to so i can go play.   

[moguy1973]

You spin the face of it while holding the bottom and that will ratchet the spring up to allow the trigger to activate the automatic retrieval.  Beware though, it will take up line really fast.

[Krazo]

2 of the 3 will spool up.  the copper colored one, its an eagle claw, wont spin.  prob needs a good cleaning.  

[ness]

Those are some cool antiques from the days when automatic reels were popular. But... if junior is interested in fly fishing, maybe pop for a beginners combo from Cabelas or something like that. That gets you rod, reel, line and leader and will set him on the path to fly fishing. The automatic reels are gonna require a line, then a rod, etc. Antique tackle is cool  but not as practical as new stuff. Separate the two. 

[tjm]

Ones I used wound the spring as line was pulled from the reel while fishing; important to pull of a few feet of line and release the spring tension, then pull off more line to cast and fish with. If the tension is not released with some line out, the rewind will suck the fly all the way to the reel resulting in either a broken rod tip or leader with possible injury. I liked them for wading fast water for bass because of the ease of handling stripped in line, the draw backs are they won't hold much line and they are heavy. The spring alone weighs about what a heavy fly rod does or more. And I had to cut an 8wt line in half to use the auto reel.

Perrine , Martin, Shakespeare and Pflueger   are automatic reels that I have seen or used in a past life. Check the online auction they may run from $5 to a hundred or so in value.  I think there is still Pflueger version made.

 

[moguy1973]

7 hours ago, tjm said:

Ones I used wound the spring as line was pulled from the reel while fishing; important to pull of a few feet of line and release the spring tension, then pull off more line to cast and fish with. If the tension is not released with some line out, the rewind will suck the fly all the way to the reel resulting in either a broken rod tip or leader with possible injury.

I don't know how many times I remember my grandpa accidentally hitting the lever and ZING! up went his line, breaking his bobber off, flinging his minnow away, and just about knocking the split shot off the line with the rod tip guide. 

[BilletHead]

         One thing I remember is as the fish takes the line it winds the spring tighter. I started with a reel like this. I have had many bass make a run and SNAP from the tight spring . If you thought quick enough you could release the tension with the knob. Fun memories bought from the sporting goods at Wal mart,

   BilletHead