Howdy Fred,

Things get too mundane on the 'other' board with the same stuff different day.

Salmo G,

I used to really dig the Hardy scream and actually own more Hardy's than anything else. My JLH is now up on cinder blocks, oil leaking all over the driveway, because it's so fragile. An old Perfect (1920's) is completely worthless since it over-runs incessantly because the pawls don't have any gear left to properly engage the spring. And finally a Bougle who's gear is already rounding along with the stupid wooden handle that swells up and locks when wet.

But I'm not too sure about fitting into 'their' demographic. The only modern mass produced American reel I own is an Abel #4 with the 'click out' gimmick. It is used as back up only and really collects dust.

The reel's that get wet are my personal maker's proofs. The rest of the time it is one of my Bogdan's. When one of these reels goes off from a fish tearing line, Mozart comes to mind rather than Linkin Park. Once you get used to this kind of precision and 'look', it is REALLY hard to go back to the English reels.

William