There are lots of great places to learn about old reels. Here are some of my favorites:
(Click on any underlined name to open that web site)
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Perhaps the best place to start for any new or experienced reel collector is the Old Reel Collectors Association web site. Take a tour of the Reel Talk page, and see what other reel collectors are talking about, learn the best cleaning tips and see what our members list in the show-n-tell section! I'm a proud member of ORCA, and will gladly answer any questions you may have relating to the organization.
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Interested in learning about computer reels? How to identify your reel maker? Know the names of parts on your reel? Then another site by Phil White should interest you: Old Reels.com is loaded with great information, and a site I highly recommend.
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For some of the most interesting reel photos on the web, with descriptions and a great FAQ page, check out noted reel historian and author Steven K. Vernon's web site, Antique Fishing Reels Steve has an Articles link that is a must read for any serious reel collector!
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If Lures interest you, you can find the best lure message board in the country on Joe's Old Lures Page - Folks talk about everything from lures, reels, hooks, paperwork, you name it!! Joe also has a vast collection of Florida made baits, and provides information as well as photos of his collection! A great site!
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Another fantastic Fishing Tackle web site with loads of documentation and photo's to match is http://www.oldfishinglure.com/. Matt has done a great job with this site, and the accolades he's received are well deserved! Views of factory life while working for Heddon and Shakespeare are just a few of the highlights of this extremely well designed site!
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Interested in viewing the full patent for some of the reels listed on this or another site? if so, grab the patent number and head over to the United States patent office website, and enter your patent. Your computer may need a .tiff reader installed to view the patents, but fear not, the USPTO site has you covered, with a plug in available.
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If Yawman & Erbe reels are of interest to you, check out the site Ken Stackhouse has put together that's just loaded with great pictures and all the detail you could ask for (he even has photos of how to disassemble these reels) at http://yawmananderbereels.com/
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If you ever find yourself in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York, you really should visit the shop of my good friend Henry Caldwell at his Black Bass Antiques store in Bolton Landing. Henry always has a terrific selection of early fishing tackle and Adirondack items on hand.
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If Fishing History is of any interest to you, you need to check out Dr. Todd Larsen's Fishing History Blog page. Updated on a regular basis, this is a page you really should bookmark. Loaded with great articles and photos, a must read!
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ORCA member Norman J. Pinardi has put together a fantastic web site dedicated to Master Reel Maker Otto Zwarg. Norm's fine collection is a must see, with a page coming soon that will show some of his rare presentation reels.
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A fishing tackle collection isn't complete without the "smalls" that go along with fishing. Knifes, vises and gadgets have been around as long as fishing tackle has been made. Dean Smith, a well known and very well respected collector has always had an eye for great fishing items such as these, and has released a web site devoted to these "smalls". Check out Tackle Treasures for terrific photos and information on everything from fishing medals to the art of Ralph Boyer. A must visit for any tackle collector!
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ORCA editor Richard Lodge has built a web site devoted to his great collection of Skeleton Fly reels, as well as some very cool and very early Clamp reels. If you've ever wondered who made your unmarked fly reel, this is the place to get some great information, as well as order the book on Skeleton reels, written by Richard. Check out his web site Skeleton Fly Reels.
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Collector Jason Dennis has put together an impressive collection of 19th Century Reels, with terrific photos of a wide range of early reels. An easy to navigate site with reels that are seldom seen, as well as a number of early patent drawings. A must see for any reel collector!
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