My Reels
I got an invitation from Jarle (a Faksnes fisher) to join a group interested in reels, thanks but no. I believe my old stuff holds for life and have a hard time to be interested in new. There was a time when I should have the latest, especially in rods. Work with the river later messed up my feelings and at a time almost destroyed the fishing. Now I only buy stuff that I need, like leaders, lines, material and such. The time might come when I have to change my system, I was forced to a new type of leader lately. The salesman looks funny at me when I ask for a DT, perhaps he has not herd of it. Ian (a Scottish fisherman) is talking about Rocket Taper. One thing I know, I will never leave my Abel reels.
One has a special history. I saw it at the Thomas and Thomas shop in Turner Falls, by the Connecticut River. I was over at Boston for business and managed to persuade a collage to drive to Turner Falls. My main object was cork, a cane rod from TT was the finest. By chance the salesman showed me the reel. The ‘need’ was large and I bought it, an Abel No. 4 842. A few years later in Sweden I bought an Abel No 3 1196. The #4 holds half a Scientific Sink II DT 11 and the #3 half a Stonefly Floating DT 10, both reels with running and backing. I am looking for a left hand Abel NO. 3 or 4 but they are hard to find. Below a picture of them.
I know, they could look better. Taken out for fishing and put directly back afterwards, never for cleaning. It shows the strength of the design, made for a slammer like me.