The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Hello Everyone!

I did a little job for a friend who deals in antiques and things. So as payment he gave me this very clean Abu Cardinal 40 which is all loaded up and ready for fishing on Saturday. Sadly I don't know much about the cardinals, (especially this model) being a previous Mitchell man. Saying that, they have really grown on me and with an earlier purchase of an Abu 501, I can see what I missed in my earlier years.

I’m a committed pin man, hardly ever using a fixed spool, but recently I too have been looking at the Cardinals and it’s the 44 that seems to be attracting my attention...
Well done on your acquisition, it looks great, hope you enjoy using it

Gents, for many years I collected and used Mitchell reels, I put together a substantial collection of nearly 400 reels with the odd very desirable reel.

While it was quite an enjoyment to put the collection together I got sick of trying to make almost every purchase work properly, anyone who ever shimmed a Mitchell and tried to make one run smooth will know what I mean, enter the Cardinal 33.

I had already moved on a big part of my collection and a move of home gave me less room than I needed, a friend of mine said "you need to fish with Cardinal 33 one day, I have one you can try" So I agreed to look at it, reel arrived at my home and as soon as I picked it up and wound it, just like a fish, I was hooked on them, so smooth to use and engineered perfection for the year of manufacture, OK no good for my great size 12 hands but what a fishing reel.

That was it for me, the Mitchell reel was done with, but, allthough I still get the odd few Mitchell reels and keep tabs on their history I feel no need to have them in my life anymore. The Cardinal has now taken over, to me, a far superior fishing reel in more ways than one, the history is also very cool and the fact that former owners have written books on the company and today you can visit the old museum should you wish to to walk through part of that history all comes as a great part to add to your hobby.

What I will say is if you get the reel that you want, and my personal favorite is the Cardinal 55 which I still use, then you will really want to check out others, OK some have issues built into them which are all fixable but once you get on that worm and drive gear feel you wont want any other.

I see RBTraditional mentions the Cardinal 44, while at Redditch last week I was so lucky to get back an old friend, was a 1st version Svangsta 44 with "special foot" I sold it a couple of years ago after getting the option to buy it back should the guy ever sell it, this happened as he bought it to my table, anyone who got to feel that reel will know just how good it was, all I will say is was like winding a modern day Daiwa match reel, a bit like winding fresh air, when you get them like this there is no better reel to collect.

Fascinating reading so far Gentlemen, thank you all for your feedback back.

Back in 1976 myself and my friends were all using Intrepid Black Prince reels which came as part of a 'fishing kit' ordered from a catalogue.
We had discovered tench fishing after unwittingly hooking one at Dorchester Lake and the obsession started.
The 'monster' (to us at least) fish we were now catching meant that we had to get serious and so a reel upgrade was in order.
We saved up our paper round money and cycled to the Old Gaol in Abingdon and each bought an Abu Cardinal 40 for £7.00!
I can still remember the excitement of buying it and the complete joy of having a 'professional' reel and one with adjustable drag!.
I still have mine and although, like Rob, I'm a dedicated pin user now, I still use it on the odd occasion and would never part with it.
Russ

For me it's the 66. Build like a JCB but with a clutch like a Swiss watch - just lovely.

Luga00 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:04 am Back in 1976 myself and my friends were all using Intrepid Black Prince reels which came as part of a 'fishing kit' ordered from a catalogue.
We had discovered tench fishing after unwittingly hooking one at Dorchester Lake and the obsession started.
The 'monster' (to us at least) fish we were now catching meant that we had to get serious and so a reel upgrade was in order.
We saved up our paper round money and cycled to the Old Gaol in Abingdon and each bought an Abu Cardinal 40 for £7.00!
I can still remember the excitement of buying it and the complete joy of having a 'professional' reel and one with adjustable drag!.
I still have mine and although, like Rob, I'm a dedicated pin user now, I still use it on the odd occasion and would never part with it.
Russ

Thats really interesting Russ, I started off with a similar situation, a Winfield special from Woolworths, then a Black Prince after, which I purchased a Mitchell Match from my mum's club book paid for by a paper round I did in Lordshill, Hampshire in 1974.
It nice taking a trip down memory lane!

Dave Burr wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:06 am For me it's the 66. Build like a JCB but with a clutch like a Swiss watch - just lovely.

I must agree. They are built really well.

I do have a pair of very good condition 55’s from my piking obsession days on the big pits and reservoirs, which I used with conoflex glass rods. They are indeed superb reels and although I know I’d probably never use them again I wouldn’t part with them, I just like having them and the memories they bring. I don’t think they’d look “right” on a cane, but funnily enough I think those old blue and green models look fine...