Old days

[wazatherfisherman]

16 minutes ago, noelm said:

Never seen one like that before

Hi Noem In over 25 years of collecting have only seen a few Alvey's like this one- they are out there, but rarely seen for sale unless they're badly damaged. The Pflueger probably wasn't on the Australian market as personally I've never sighted one previously

[Green Hornet]

Love seeing pics of old alveys.

My first ever reel was a 4 inch bakelite model which sadly went missing from my garage only a couple of years back along with a 6 inch cedar spool reel in mint condition. 

[wazatherfisherman]

3 minutes ago, Green Hornet said:

Love seeing pics of old alveys.

My first ever reel was a 4 inch bakelite model which sadly went missing from my garage only a couple of years back along with a 6 inch cedar spool reel in mint condition. 

Hi Green Hornet I only collect the plain series drag-less Alvey's and through collecting met retired Alvey spool turner Barry Langley, who showed us his workshop and Alvey collection, He didn't want photo's taken as he's been broken into several times, but still has a 'wall' of Alvey's, many in different timbers. I have about 70 odd in different timbers (many made by Barry). They are currently not accessible as under the house in boxes (behind heaps of full boxes) but at some point in the next month will be getting them out for some photo's

I tried to always get 2 of each reel- one to display and one to use. The "use" ones are pretty much all cedar

[Green Hornet]

Hey Waza, I've seen photos of some guys collections that just leave you drooling. Like you I like the A5 dragless models and out of the 6 Alveys I still own, the only one that has a drag is my hotted up 650C5, that is my beach and breakwall jew reel.

All but 1 relatively new blackfish reel are the 80's yellow fibreglass reels.

I keep scouting around the op shops and tip, hoping one day I'll come across a cedar reel, or better still silky oak.

 

[wazatherfisherman]

5 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Hey Waza, I've seen photos of some guys collections that just leave you drooling. Like you I like the A5 dragless models and out of the 6 Alveys I still own, the only one that has a drag is my hotted up 650C5, that is my beach and breakwall jew reel.

All but 1 relatively new blackfish reel are the 80's yellow fibreglass reels.

I keep scouting around the op shops and tip, hoping one day I'll come across a cedar reel, or better still silky oak.

 

Hi Green Hornet still got my Bakelite and yellow glass Alvey's, but after meeting spool turner, got a lot made up in various timbers, mostly cedar. Most common used is a 600A5 "custom" with extra deep spool- a lot lighter than 650A5.

Living up here (Murwillumbah) Cedar Alvey's are often sighted at garage sales, swap meets etc. Housemate John has in the last year picked up a 700A5 in cedar for $10 at a garage sale and a 700A5 glass for $30 at a swap meet, both in mint condition. I got a 550A3 cedar with Rosewood stain and original box for $70 which I thought was a bargain (from pawn shop) John however, said I paid too much! Silky's are much rarer in the 600-650 size. Tip shops up this way are also good source for old reels, as in the "old days" nobody used any other reels on the beach up this way

[Green Hornet]

1 hour ago, wazatherfisherman said:

Hi Green Hornet still got my Bakelite and yellow glass Alvey's, but after meeting spool turner, got a lot made up in various timbers, mostly cedar. Most common used is a 600A5 "custom" with extra deep spool- a lot lighter than 650A5.

Living up here (Murwillumbah) Cedar Alvey's are often sighted at garage sales, swap meets etc. Housemate John has in the last year picked up a 700A5 in cedar for $10 at a garage sale and a 700A5 glass for $30 at a swap meet, both in mint condition. I got a 550A3 cedar with Rosewood stain and original box for $70 which I thought was a bargain (from pawn shop) John however, said I paid too much! Silky's are much rarer in the 600-650 size. Tip shops up this way are also good source for old reels, as in the "old days" nobody used any other reels on the beach up this way

Your 600A5 custom sounds nice. My 650C5 weighs in at just over 1kg if I remember correctly, but I also have a current model 650A5 which is almost half that weight.

You don't see a lot of guys fishing Alveys down here on the south coast, hence why its no doubt harder to find a good second hand one. Sounds like you scored well on your described treasures.

Half the fun is in the hunt, so I'll keep looking for that timber job.

[Blackfish]

So I took the 40 Plus year old Wonder Wobbler on a trip thinking it was going down fighting as I wouldn't catch any fish on it in the shed.

Couple of minutes later a nice little Brassy Trevally, released.

Back fishing a few minutes later, a much larger Queenfish wanted it and proceeded to go around some mangroves busting it off unfortunately.

I was disappointed to only catch one fish on it, but it still worked well all those years later.

 

[noelm]

Kind of proves fish don't change much, we have mega gadgets and spaceage materials and electronics, but the humble old fish just eats when he's hungry, and doesn't know the difference.

[wazatherfisherman]

Great stuff Blackfish! Have been going through 1960's- 70's fishing mags and looking at all old manufacturers advertising. Wonder Wobbler advertised to catch anything! By the way, that old mother-of-pearl lure you posted, was it by any chance a "Hot Shot or Hot Zot" as found a picture of one but wording faded too much!

Regards Waza

[Blackfish]

Thanks Wazz. 

Unfortunately I have little in the way of old Magazines left. But i'll have a better look and see if there is any markings on that lure.

Now if I get to do a field trip next year (seems a while away but time does fly when you get a tad older) I certainly will take a few old lures and put them through their paces or their demise. 😀

[Green Hornet]

An earlier post of mine about a couple of stolen Alvey keepsakes stirred me to relay the story to a mate of mine.

Imagine how I felt when a couple of days later he drops by, shows me this old reel and tells me its mine.

I've done a little research and found it to be a 365 A3 with a camphor laurel spool and according to the alvey website, its circa 1945 when there was a shortage of other timbers just after the war.

A bit of corrosion on the back plate but the spool's in pretty good condition and should restore up beautifully.

[frankS]

I have 1\2 dozen large rounds of Camphor Laurel and a lathe !! Maybe I should run up a few spools, HaHa .

Frank

[Green Hornet]

17 minutes ago, frankS said:

I have 1\2 dozen large rounds of Camphor Laurel and a lathe !! Maybe I should run up a few spools, HaHa .

Frank

I have a couple of slabs of cedar I'm tempted to get turned up to go on newer 6 inch Alveys I have, but just wouldn't be the same. My late uncle gave me that reel as a Christmas present / hand me down 51 years ago.

I must have cut up and taken to the tip tonnes of camphor laurel over the years. Maybe I should save a bit next time.

[Blackfish]

Ive got a heap of Camphor Laurel slabs here cut down from trees that were in the backyard.

[Green Hornet]

49 minutes ago, Blackfish said:

Ive got a heap of Camphor Laurel slabs here cut down from trees that were in the backyard.

I was a builder and had to remove them for renovations and new work. Somehow no matter how much of them you dig out they have a tendency to return. Must be able to sprout from a root. That's why they're classified as a noxious weed down here.

[noelm]

Yep, rubbish tree, good timber for making stuff, but the tree itself is a pest.

[Yowie]

On 8/3/2019 at 6:01 PM, Blackfish said:

So I took the 40 Plus year old Wonder Wobbler on a trip thinking it was going down fighting as I wouldn't catch any fish on it in the shed.

Couple of minutes later a nice little Brassy Trevally, released.

Back fishing a few minutes later, a much larger Queenfish wanted it and proceeded to go around some mangroves busting it off unfortunately.

I was disappointed to only catch one fish on it, but it still worked well all those years later.

 

 

That is a bummer about losing the lure.

As I posted, I still have one Wonder Wobbler that has never seen the water. Yours for $1,000,000.

Well, if that is too much, then I will settle for a collection of every vintage of Penfolds Grange.  😂

[wazatherfisherman]

6 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

An earlier post of mine about a couple of stolen Alvey keepsakes stirred me to relay the story to a mate of mine.

Imagine how I felt when a couple of days later he drops by, shows me this old reel and tells me its mine.

I've done a little research and found it to be a 365 A3 with a camphor laurel spool and according to the alvey website, its circa 1945 when there was a shortage of other timbers just after the war.

A bit of corrosion on the back plate but the spool's in pretty good condition and should restore up beautifully.

Hi Green Hornet What a nice bloke your mate is! A bit of "patina" to the back plate is good anyway, spool looks pretty nice- great score!

[Blackfish]

1 hour ago, Green Hornet said:

I was a builder and had to remove them for renovations and new work. Somehow no matter how much of them you dig out they have a tendency to return. Must be able to sprout from a root. That's why they're classified as a noxious weed down here.

Took me years to get rid of them. Soon as they sprout I'd dig down, find the root, drill some holes and hit it with Round up.

 

[Green Hornet]

13 hours ago, Blackfish said:

Took me years to get rid of them. Soon as they sprout I'd dig down, find the root, drill some holes and hit it with Round up.

 

There's one I noticed just sprouted on a job I did where I removed the tree 13 years ago. They're persistent buggers, I'll give them that.

[Green Hornet]

14 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

Hi Green Hornet What a nice bloke your mate is! A bit of "patina" to the back plate is good anyway, spool looks pretty nice- great score!

Thanks Waza. Aside from a micro crack on the back edge the spool doesn't have a mark on it. Its a toss up weather to restore or leave as is, to tell the story.

[TAZ]

My Dads old Mitchel. I used to think it was amazing when I was a kid. I replaced the drag washer in it and it actually has a really good drag.  

 

[TAZ]

Hi old Japanese fishing knife. 

[Blackfish]

You bought bak some great memories there Taz.

I had a Mitchell 301 (RH Model) I think the 300 was the LH one and on memory that 324 was the next one up, then you had the 499,the biggest.

As for the fishing knife, geez I recon I had one of those as well.

Good stuff.

[wazatherfisherman]

7 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Thanks Waza. Aside from a micro crack on the back edge the spool doesn't have a mark on it. Its a toss up weather to restore or leave as is, to tell the story.

Only my opinion- if they're "shiny" then shine 'em up, if not, just deal with any corrosion issues or a bit of oil on dry timber to prevent cracking. Like you said, tell the story, the real old ones don't look as good sometimes if "fully restored"