# Old School "Hi-tech"



## Pete A. (Dec 10, 2010)

There was a time in fly fishing when the selection & availability of durable salt water fly reels was limited. No forums to ask "Gee Whizz what the best reel for..............". No China reels. Here in Houston NO fly shops, none I could remember in Texas at all. We had the old Herters catalog, Cabelas was starting up and other mail order outfits.

I mean* real* mail order; you mailed your check and weeks often months later a cardboard box would appear at your door. When it did it felt a little like Christmas.

Thus us who were young in the 60-70's and also were salt water fly fishing had a choice; hard to find and very expensive Fin Nor's & Pates or our reliable ubiquitous Pflueger Medalist, even the automatic reels were used. Thus we used lots and lots of Medalists. We wore those reels plum out. We learned how to make 'me better too.

Good reel but with some glaring weaknesses. First the spool was lightly built and no counter weight. Second the drag disc is plastic and thus the drag was touchy and inconsistent. So a Jack Crevalle could cause real reel issues. Hey but we chased and caught them anyway. Guys in Florida we chasing tarpon and bonefish with the same

So industrious craftsmen came up with some after market parts & bits for these reel. These were expensive but still far below the entry fee of a Fin Nor #2 0r "Pate" (as we called 'em).

One of the better craftsmen for these was Herman Voss from Florida. I've always wanted his parts but by the time my employment/wealth allowed affordability there were other reels to dazzle me in lieu of up-grading my trusty old medalist.

I've always had the lingering want for his spool & drag which were considered by many (me too) to be the pinnacle of the after market parts. One of the few I've see was one of Dave Hayward's at Swans Point about 2 yrs ago.

Prior to that was it over almost 40 yrs ago on a fellows Medalist 1498 on the south jetty at Pt. Aransas, only the third other salt water fly fisherman I saw/met/knew in Texas in summer of '74. (I had a 1495 & a white Shakespeare Wonder Rod (wobbler)). By '77 I knew of only 8 others.

However I "fell' into one on Ebay last week. I was willing to bid far far far more than the measly $46 I paid for it. The Medalist holding it is one of the worst series from Japan. Guess fewer people know or even care about these finely created parts or I would have had to paid far more.

The spool is machined & anodized Aluminum with AlBrz (Aluminum Bronze)bushing. The drag disc is also AlBrz. Together the drag is smooth and predictable. I'm going to get one of my other better vintage Medalist out-fitted with the parts off of this one with the One Pfoot reel seat, cover to compliment the spool and SS Frame screws.

I can't tell you it will out perform the current slew of $200 us & china reels and it will be heavier. However it's drag is smooth and has a bullet proof true running balanced spool. I'll put against anything an 8wt can handle.

Cheers,

Pete A.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Feb 16, 2009)

Cool.

So it's basically a Pflueger frame with an aftermarket spool & drag disc specifically machined to fit the frame?


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## Pete A. (Dec 10, 2010)

Exactly that are drop in replacements for regular spool and drag disc.

They made these in various sizes for the larger medalist. mine is marked "95.5" on the back for 1495 1/2. perfect size for 8wt. Your 1495 is great as a 6-7wt. 1494 & 1494 1/2 are 5-6wt. The big 1498 for 10-12wt, use to see lots of use on salmon rivers.

I adding the following bits that actually add no strength/performance but for "bling" factor:


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## MarkA70 (May 3, 2011)

Cool! Does Dave still have it? If so will drop in today and take a look.


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## Pete A. (Dec 10, 2010)

I was there a couple of weeks ago and don't remember seeing it. bet if you called in he'd have it there to look at and probably have a great story about it to.

I did just buy a cool Orvis "Salt Water" which is rebranded a Pflueger Supreme 758 in Orvis their dark gloss green. This one has never been used but no box & papers. Bit complex compared with today's reels but very smooth and IMHO very high "cool" factor. Understand Orvis & Pflueger were trying to offer affordable alternatives to Pate's and Fin-Nors.

Got a thing for 60-70's Salt Water fly fishing gear. Will post pic's later.

Pete A.


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## bugchunker (Dec 23, 2013)

*old Rods and Reels*

Your writeup of buying rods and reels from the 60-70's brought back memmories of my first fly rod. It is the "Shankespeare Wonder Rod" pitured below, with an automatic reel. I got it in 1967 when I was thirteen because my dad got tried of me using his rod. It served me well fishing the ponds and lakes of north Texas. New is not always better.


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