My father-in-law passed away last year and since he didn’t have any son’s and I am his favorite son-in-law he left me his fishing tackle. A couple of old reels that he had when he was younger. They still work to the best of my knowledge but they are small. I was wondering if anyone knew anything about them.
Reel 1. Is a plum color Shakespeare 2052. When he gave it to me it was with a 3 pc rod and was in case which I still have in my garage. I was going to sell it all in a garage sale but I thought better of it. One day maybe his grandkids will want them.
Reel 2. Is a black Mitchell 308 I think? Hard to read. Says made in France. I assume he picked it up while he was in the Navy. It has a U.S. patent number. (how can something made in France have a U.S. patent number?) Anyway the # 2726052. I just want to know if they are worth holding onto other than centimental value and my better half beating the crap out of me if I sell them.
Reel 3. Is a Penn Peer No. 209. I know it’s not as old because it’s on an ugly stick. I think it’s probably a boat rod which does me a lot of good because I have no boat.
The value of those reels comes from the family connection. I have a fair collection of old reels and the ones you have are nice but, don’t look like collectables to me. Also, they would not not good fishing reels for this (saltwater) environment if you decided to just use them instead of keeping them as collectables. Just my thoughts.
If you’re into old reels, next time you’re in Columbia go to the Pure Fishing headquarters on Science Court. They’ve got cases and cases of old reels on display.
It’s not so much that I am into them, they are just something I inherited. I’ll probably clean them up and put them in display cases in my man room. When his grandkids get older I will just pass them down to them. (if either of them are into fishing). I didn’t feel right getting them anyway since I’m not immediate family but he insisted that I had them. I think the Penn Peer real still works fine. I may stop by haddrells and have them check it out and see what kind of condition it’s in. I don’t think it’s a casting reel maybe a boat rod.
My grandad gave me an old Mitchell 300, still in mint condition, unused, in the original box for a graduation present 12 years ago. I have it on display in my office. I don’t think I’ll ever use it.
The Mitchell’s have been sold in the US for decades and yours is a good usable reel. Parts are still availabe for them. The Penn 209 is a very good reel still in production. Put braid on yours and it would be a good pier setup for flounder and black drum. The rod is not an indicator of how old the reel is. I have 40 year old Penn reels on new rods. Can’t help you on the 2052.
I’d rather fish than eat.
A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
