The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Hello Everyone

Firstly: I hope all those who did had a great and successful June 16th.

Does anyone know anything about this small, basic and simple reel? Picked it up for a pound at a boot sale today. I have read a little about the history of Olympic reels, but alas not about using it. I just wondered how one casts this reel, I'm assuming the mechanism is so smooth and loose that it would cast like a normal multiplier! All help would be greatly appreciated.

I thank you for your time

Nice little bait casting reel Tony. I have seen anglers using them on the Dorset Stour when ledgering for barbel! . . thankfully I hope not a style of fishing that will catch on, but a nice little reel for those winter pike fishing days. Good find.

Stour Otter

Stour Otter wrote: ↑Tue Jun 19, 2018 5:41 am Nice little bait casting reel Tony. I have seen anglers using them on the Dorset Stour when ledgering for barbel! . . thankfully I hope not a style of fishing that will catch on, but a nice little reel for those winter pike fishing days. Good find.

Stour Otter

Thank you for the insight Stout Otter. It is all cleaned up, loaded with line and running very smoothly. Just got to find a nice spinning / pike rod to go with it.

Very free running reel, with a bit of weight on the end of the line it should cast well.

This one i picked up at a local auction in a joblot of tackle, unusued, boxed with paperwork

Dates to pre 71 , priced at 12/6.

Fitted ratchet.

I have had a look at the pictures on this thread but cannot see a lever or button to enable free spool for casting.. Simple question, does it have one?

Reedling wrote: ↑Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:06 am I have had a look at the pictures on this thread but cannot see a lever or button to enable free spool for casting.. Simple question, does it have one?

No free spool facility on my reel, but it,s so free running with the ratchet off it should cast well with a bit of weight in the lure.

Ljm183 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:21 am

Reedling wrote: ↑Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:06 am I have had a look at the pictures on this thread but cannot see a lever or button to enable free spool for casting.. Simple question, does it have one?

No free spool facility on my reel, but it,s so free running with the ratchet off it should cast well with a bit of weight in the lure.

Thanks. As you say a bit of weight will definitely help, keep your knuckles away from the handles when casting though

Ljm183 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:39 am Very free running reel, with a bit of weight on the end of the line it should cast well.

This one i picked up at a local auction in a joblot of tackle, unusued, boxed with paperwork

Dates to pre 71 , priced at 12/6.

Fitted ratchet.

Thank you Ljm 183. That is a great bit information, will keep my eye out for more. They're so easy to work on and I only lightly oiled it plus a bit of polish.

Thank you gentlemen.

I have one and I agree that they are lovely little reels - great embossed patterning to grace any display cabinet. I would be very careful casting with it is there is no spool tensioner for anti-backlash. I think Olympic made these mainly for the USA market where they would likely have been used for freshwater trolling or bottom fishing from small boats, possibly as a "boys" reel. Been planning to try mine for some margin work for a while now.