Old school reel

[Rustic-Fisher]

Center pins are up on the shelf for this fall season , 

My 20 yr old Diawa Whisker AND  this  tank of a reel my father-in-law found in his basement are up first .
A vivid memory of mine from 30 years ago was watching an older gentleman absolutely smash rainbows on the Ganny with a Mitchell 300 and kwikfish .
Anyone ever use one ?

 

 

 

 

Edited October 20, 2020 by Rustic-Fisher

[misfish]

Many years ago, it was all we used Ry. Pop and grandfather, it,s all they used.  They are indestructible.  Been using my whiska all fall on my casting and hot shot rod . Been having alot of fun up here this fall. 👍

[Fisherman]

Still have dads 300 on the shelf, and yes they are indestructible with normal use

[gordy28]

Growing up the Mitchell 300 was the reel!  My Pop and Dad both used them and my brother and I saved up our pennies to buy our own.

We still have two of them gathering dust in my folks basement from back in the day

Good memories - thanks for sharing

Andrew

 

[mitch seguin]

All good equipment.  Mind you my last mitchell is long gone, but the my wisker reel and kwikfish still manage to bank fish regularly.

[dave524]

Still got a Michell 308 I bought in '64 along with a Heddon Pal ultralight for a spec trip to Louis Lake north of Kawagama with Dad. As for the whisker I was a Zebco Cardinal 3 guy in the pre centrepin days  ( Pre 85 ) but have used a Daiwa SS Tournament shorecasting for salmonoides , better distance reel than the 3.

Edited October 21, 2020 by dave524

[lew]

I'm another one that used the Mitchell 300's back in the day.

Sorta like an old Chevy, nothing fancy but pretty darned reliable.

[grimsbylander]

I still have my mother’s Mitchell 300 from over 60 years ago. The best ones were the originals made in France. 

[SmokestackLightnin]

Caught a lot of walleye trolling with a Mitchell 300

[Headhunter]

The beauty of the Mitchell 300 is that it was easily repairable and parts were available for a really long time.

I recall back in my youth in London, there was an elderly gentleman who repaired Mitchell's from his garage. I went with my Dad to get repairs done on a couple of Mitchell's including my 309 (I'm a lefty) and he had all the parts and fixed it right in front of you. I learned a lot just watching him.

Bail springs were the usual culprit.

My collection of Mitchell's includes early 300's, made in France as well as some mid 80's reels and lots of spare spools!

HH

 

[Fisherman]

37 minutes ago, Headhunter said:

The beauty of the Mitchell 300 is that it was easily repairable and parts were available for a really long time.

I recall back in my youth in London, there was an elderly gentleman who repaired Mitchell's from his garage. I went with my Dad to get repairs done on a couple of Mitchell's including my 309 (I'm a lefty) and he had all the parts and fixed it right in front of you. I learned a lot just watching him.

Bail springs were the usual culprit.

My collection of Mitchell's includes early 300's, made in France as well as some mid 80's reels and lots of spare spools!

HH

 

Yes, those blasted bail springs, RRRrrrrrrr.

[grimsbylander]

1 hour ago, Headhunter said:

The beauty of the Mitchell 300 is that it was easily repairable and parts were available for a really long time.

I recall back in my youth in London, there was an elderly gentleman who repaired Mitchell's from his garage. I went with my Dad to get repairs done on a couple of Mitchell's including my 309 (I'm a lefty) and he had all the parts and fixed it right in front of you. I learned a lot just watching him.

Bail springs were the usual culprit.

My collection of Mitchell's includes early 300's, made in France as well as some mid 80's reels and lots of spare spools!

HH

 

Cool. I still have the plastic case with the screw on top for the spare spool. Honestly, those reels are nostalgic but by today standards, the drag feels janky. 😆

[Garnet]

I troll a million miles on Scugog for walleye with the 300. Then really stepped up with Shakespeare 2410 with 12 point anti reverse , on up the Cardinal 3,4,6.

I couldn't sell my Cardinals fast enough to get Whisker 1300.

And then craziness set in and started tourney fishing.  

[David Chong]

Yep, had a Mitchell 300, 308, 908 then Cardinal 3, 4 & 6 then Daiwa SS Tournament 700 & 1300! Most of these were built like tanks and last forever!

[Snidley]

I can still feel the wobble, lol. New spinning reels make those old spinners feel like a 1958 Chev Impala vs a new 5 series BMW. There really is no good comparison including durability. The last I saw Daiwa was still getting $100 USD retail for a Whisker. What a travesty.

[lew]

13 minutes ago, Snidley said:

 1958 Chev Impala 

Wish I had one now, infact a convertible, it was always one of my favorites.

....Sorry for the hijack 😁

[lew]

2 minutes ago, lew said:

 

 

Edited October 21, 2020 by lew

[porkpie]

I absolutely detested using a Mitchell 300.  I must be in the minority in thinking they where one of the worst reels ever designed. Old abu’s where ok, I still have a couple.  I never stopped using 700’s and 1300’s.  A 700 sits on my favourite jigging rod, I have at least 2 1300’s that still see regular use.  Can’t beat em! 

[Snidley]

Lew I like 55 to 57 Chev Bel Airs... with an Art Morrison chassis, a   stump pulling  crate motor, Trimic 6 speed , painted in 2 tone livery by someone good. I would drive it for a week and then trade it for a Bimmer, Audi, or Mercedes.I might even go for a Lexus. But that's just me. 

[Yellow Fever]

I was at my mothers house the other day and spied a Crown Royal bag on a shelf and had a revelation, pulled it down and there was my old Mitchell 410 (high speed version of the 300) the grease was solid so i took it apart,cleaned and reassembled it is sitting on the shelf now, stil, using my Cardinals.

[John]

Funny how things go around. I float fished for years all over the UK with a Mitchell 300 and a 12' glass rod. Got so that I would hardly ever have the bail closed until I hooked up. Light drag on anf it was happy days. Wasn't until I was older that I got my first centrepin. Hated it a first, however ended up with quite a few. Still like fixed spool reels.

[OhioFisherman]

On 10/21/2020 at 4:31 PM, porkpie said:

I absolutely detested using a Mitchell 300.  I must be in gnthe minority in thinking they where one of the worst reels ever designed. Old abu’s where ok, I still have a couple.  I never stopped using 700’s and 1300’s.  A 700 sits on my favourite jigging rod, I have at least 2 1300’s that still see regular use.  Can’t beat em! 

They weren't the worst design, you just missed those.