Allcocks Aerialite centrepin reel?

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Tonytoned
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Re: Allcocks Aerolite centrepin reel?

Post by Tonytoned »

Nobby wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:06 pm
Tonytoned wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:17 pm
Harry H wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 6:49 pm Most pre 50s fishing was rod held in the left hand and reel wound with the right also the reels were mounted nearer the butt hence the shorter handles on old rods.
Thank you Harry for the enlightenment, that is very interesting. I have noticed in some old fishing photographs from old angling books, that they have some of their centrepin reels on the left-hand and the lower end of the rod handle.

:Hat:

Yes indeed, centrepin and 'swimming' reels were originally mounted low on the handle and braked with the little finger of the right hand...the same hand that was used to rewind line in again...a bit clumsy in truth, but that's how it was. Consequently many reels were only ever made in right hand wind...even the JW Youngs Trudex with its additional line guard mountings was only 'partly' ambidextrous as there was no way of changing the check pawl to operate differently when the reel was turned.

(I can do this now, but it's not for everyone, grinding away tiny amounts of metal from a hard carbon steel pawl)

This style of fishing with the reel low was usually called the Nottingham Style and the great FWK Wallis fished this way and that's the reason so many rods have a rather short handle if you want to fish in the modern style with the reel mounted higher up...his famous rods by Hardy and Allcock, the Wallis Allround and Avon and the Wizard are cases in point.


Image

Here's His Nibs seemingly holding the reel body with his left hand too...maybe to give his little finger a rest from braking? Click on the image to enlarge.
Thank you for the information Nobby. It did dawn on me later that this would be the reason. I also notice that in Mr Crabtree goes Fishing that the reels are mainly righthand wind. I guess I could a have used with out the line guard. Will see if it is still available at the next antique fair at Minstead. I have read your write up on the check prawl with interest and it seems to make sense this righthand wind. Will be in touch at some point about the floats.

Many thanks Nobby

:Hat:

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Nobby
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Re: Allcocks Aerolite centrepin reel?

Post by Nobby »

Mr.Crabtree's creator, Bernard Venables fished right hand wind and there's plenty on cine-film footage of him doing so on YouTube. Despite all his experiences it still looks clumsy and cumbersome.

Floats are safe in a tube;-)

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