The Golden Age of Spin Casting Fishing Reels--and Green, Red, Silver, and Brass.: Gishing How To

Among the best sources that I have found for information about many of these old fishing reels is vintage outdoor magazine ads. Unlike Shakespeare reels, Johnson reels carried no serial numbers so there is no ready look-up that I am aware of. It is often hard to tell when particular reels were produced. There seems to have been a lot of overlap in the production of various different models. I had always thought that the Johnson SABRA model reels came into production during the mid-sixties and continued until the mid or late seventies, reaching their greatest popularity during the early seventies. I ran across a copy of this ad which appeared in 1961 in an outdoor magazine. It features the SABRA with its famous dual-drag system. My understanding is now revised to expand the marketing window of the Johnson SABRA reel.

This ad shows the SABRA right along side and contemporary with the Johnson Century 100 and the Johnson Citation 110. The Johnson Gull pretty much a mystery to me. It is another early reel that I don't know that much about, but which I plan to obtain and review. I have nver seen one that I recall. Only pictures. It looks much like the Centennial which have no working knowledge of that is of much use. i do think we had one among our tacle when I was a kid. I just don't recall much about it--wxcept that the reel itself was heavier than the others--if my recollection is accurate. During this time, the Johnson Centinniel was also beoing produced, or had only been discontinued a short time before.

Another vintage magazine ad from 1950, very early in the history of the spin-cast reel, for me casts a new light on their history as well. But also for me such ads raise as many questions as they answer. Of interest as well is the advertisement of tubular steel fly-fishin rods from the era.

In the copy of the advertisement above we see the latest offerings of the time. An early ZEBCO spin-cast reel is seen alongside of an early Johnson spin-cast reel. The Wright-McGill Fre-Line reel preceded both Johnson and ZEBCO reels. The Fre-Line is strikingly similar to the earliest model Johnsons such as the one pictured here. I generally don't count any of these reels when I think of vintage spin-cast reels. Although sideways mounted, the quality of worksmanship and green anodized aluminum bell most nearly represents what I first recognize as modern-day spin-cast reels.

In some ways, I suppose the ZEBCO is similar to modern reels, but it had no line-release button either. The Fre-Line was promoted as suitable for fly-fishing, spinning, or casting. It was one of several original designs that used the closed bell with the small hole within the middle--that in my mind inspired both Johnson and ZEBCO models--both which re credited with being the first patented spin-cast reels. None of these reels had any kind of line-release button that became so identifiable with later spin-cast reels. Maybe my definition is arbitrary, but it was the line-release button that merely had to be pressed and then released when the cast had gained enough forward momentum that spelled the defining simplicity that I recognize as characteristic to the modern spin-cast reel. clearly, the Johnson Century 100 was the first reel to make this a popular feature.

It is fun to see such ads as the one below that feature a gang of different products from the same era, lending context to what was going on at the time. The style of the ads from this era as well as the art-work typifies a look that is often attributed to Norman Rockwell. Part of this look was merely the best production work that could then be done with the printing processes then available. Drawn or painted art was prefered over photographs because the color gradations were able to be more easily reproduced using four-coor process work that was common to slick magazine production of the era.

The ad below was used in an outoor magazine in 1956. It features a pink Princess version of the Johnson Century 100 aimed at women and girls. The green version is depicted too. The Johnson Citation, a beefier model reel that hold more line was mentioned as well. All bases were being covered in these ads. The spin-cast reel as we came to know it was barely even invented at his early date. These reel models fueled an explosion in recreational fishing.

It may be interesting to note too that the pink Princess model spin-cast reels along with the inexpensive ZEBCO models--all attempts to corner broader segments of the market potential--may have been the reason spin-cast reels never gained the respect to make them a viable choice for the next generation of professional fishermen--who were incubating at this time. Professional torun ament style sport fishing is a relatively new sport also born of this era. Up and coming professional bass fishermen as well as well as other experienced fishermen were very likely put-off by any less thn macho identity with a pink reel that little princesses could use. It would be a mistake to underestimate the importance of a macho self-image was to this generation.

They did NOT want to be identified with a fishing reel that little girls could use--no matter how good the reel design was. It is only my own theory--having lived through this marketing cycle, and observed this phenomenon firsthand, that such marketing efforts may have actually led to discredit the spin-cast reel in the estimation of experienced fishermen. The message of ultimate simplicity and usefulness for any or everyone who wanted to fish that was conveyed, however, was probably more valuable economically, as it resulted in a vast number of fishing reels being sold.

It is also my contention that after the market had been trashed, that even ZEBCO had to distance itself from the novice fishing legacy it helped create by christening a new identity under which to market reels to the more experien ced an d profesional sportsfishermen. Quantum is this brand.

It did not take long for other manufacturers and vendors to adopt the new style of spin-cast reels from both established and respected fishing tackle names as well as numerous other upstart companies. As mentioned in other posts, the new design of spin-cast reels dove-tailed with Japan's rise to manufacturing prominence. Such old names as South Bend, Shakespeare, Wright-McGill, Penn all jumped on board with their models of spin-cast reels. Diawa was one of the Japanese reel makers that was well-made and that survives. Abu Garcia, a Swedish company was one of the old-timers that followed with many successful spin-cast reel designs very similar to the Johnson models.

The copy of a vintage ad below is early enough that the Johnson Century 100 model is still being referred to as the Denison-Johnson spin-cast reels. This was the name of the Johnson reel company that preceded the Johnson Century. The co-inventor of these reels, Denison, died before he ever saw the Johnson Century reel in production. The company's name was changed shortly thereafter.

Let me here take opportunity to correct a wide-spread piece of misinformation that has been spread all over the Internet. Samuel C. Johnson, a third generation principle of the Johnson Wax Company is being credited with inventing the spin-cast reel. I suppose this is a simple enough mistake to make if no research has been done. Samuel C. Johnson was indeed a big outdoorsman and environmentalist who later saw the purchase of the Johnson Reel Company a couple of decades after Dennison-Johnson invented their version of the spin-cast reel and successfully began the Johnson Reel Company. But the name similar name is mere coincidence. It was a different Johnson who co-invented the reel and started the company.

I don't have a Johnson Princess reel, so I borrowed this picture of a nice one that is advertised on eBay. They are asking a pretty penny for it--and they may get it as it seems to be in perfect condition and has the books with it. I am including the link to this ebay listing since I borrowed the picture. I have no other knowledge or association to this seller or the listing. I can't imagine that they will mind, since it is further advertisng for them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-Rare-1950s-New-Johnson-Princess-Reel-Model-100BP-with-Paper-Work-/230961721502?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c664309e

My first exposure to fishing reels was in the mid fifties. Johnson Century and Johnson Citation with their distinctive green bells were the models of reels that Dad had. I was given a Johnson Century at a very early age. I pretty much had the run of Dad's tackle box when we went fishing. I recall that the Johnson Citation model reel(s) was the model that Dad preferred. The bell was bigger and the spool held more line.

My collection of vintage spin-cast reels was never intended to be a collection for any pupose other than fishing with them and providing them to my kids, grand-kids, and friends. This picture show some of them, but not all. I acquired most of these from garage sales and from ebay. In my opinion, modern spin-cast reels are mostly inferior and certainly more expensive than the old reels pictured here.

The Johnson Model 80, sometimes called the sidewinder, pictured above preceded the two Johnson Century Model 100's pictured next to it. Although I never actually used the model 80 back in the day, I offer this picture to establish that the star drag was certainly part of the original Johnson design. While the Johnson sidewinders were fairly popular--it was the subsequent Johnson Century models that revolutionized freshwater sport fishing and set the standard by which all other spin-cast reels would be judged. The characteristic green bell became the Johnson signature color. Note the similarities of the Abu Garcia model 60 compared to the Johnson designs--right down to the patent green bell.

I lifted this photograph off of an ebay listing. If I don't win the bid, I will remove it. As I soon as I can get one of these models, I will provide much more indepth details.

Here is an early Abumatic 140 next to a Cook Premier badged Johnson Century reel.

Someone please tell me, as I have been unable to find any sources thus far to either confirm or deny my belief that Johnson and Garcia had some kind of business relationship or patent-sharing arrangement. With the exception of the drag, the design of the early Abumatics were VERY similar to the early Johnson reels. Johnson's design was patented during the early fifties. Although the drag was different on the Johnson Century and Johnson Citation, as opposed to the Abu Garcia reels , the star drag that became the earmark of the Abumatic series spin-cast reels, actually appeared on the earlier Johnson sidewinder type spin-cast reels that preceded the forward-bell models.

In 1960, my father moved our family from Arkansas to Anchorage Alaska with the Federal Aviation Agency (later changed to Administration). Here we were, a family of avid fishermen, and our baggage had not yet arrived. No fishing equipment. We went shopping for fishing rods and reels right away. None of the few stores in Anchorage carried Johnson reels. I am not sure why or how Dad knew that the new Garcia Abumatic fishing reels were essentially the same reels as the Johnson models, but he did. Maybe it was common knowledge. Dad was well-read and took a couple of the outdoor magazines of the time--Outdoor Life and Field and Stream, as I recall. So possibly he had read about them. Anyway, Dad always seemed well-informed on such issues.

It was at this time that I recieved got my first Abu Garcia, a red Abumatic 170. I was in the first grad and the reel had to live up to the standard of the beautiful green Johnson spin-cast reels I was accustomed to. They were different. These abumatics had a larger bell and were red. The adjustments on the handle-side of he reels were missing and the drag was the so-called star drag located where the crank met the body of the reel. By the time I had met the shiney red abumatic 170, the line release button had also been redesigned into the much larger ergonomically designed thumb-rest affair that became the earmark of Abumatics for a several subsequent generations of reels.

It did not take long for me to grow to love these model 170 Abumatics as well. Frankly, I don't recall what happened to these reels. They are very likely still in service in the hands of one of my brothers or cousins or their families. These reels, as will the Johnsons, will last a lifetime or two or three.