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3. Automatic reel stuff...

Any help or advice here would be great, this is an odd one...

My father in law has a Shakespeare WonderRod with the requisite automatic reel, something he's owned since the early '50s or so- and he's asked me to take him fishing BUT he's insistent on hauling out the vintage equipment just for old times' sake. He took the rod and reel to a Sporting Goods store to see if they had a line for it and they just scratched their heads and didn't have a clue as to an appropriate line etc.
Norm has no clue as to line weights, tapers and all...'I just pulled line out of it and cast it, then pulled the trigger to reel it in' along with memories of the Pere Marquette back then.
I've got a hunch on just getting backing and a beginner-type WF 7 or 8wt line, mono leader and tippet, and let him have at it. I'm guessing at the line weight since the rod feels heavy and slow in the hand.

Any thoughts here? Maybe a DT?

As an aside, yesterday I spent a couple hours on a small stream last visited a couple years back and found my favorite stretch totally changed. The sweepers have been cut out and removed and I'm guessing the now-unimpeded flow has exposed a lot more cobble along with some nice riffle and run water. What used to be stretches of slower, holed, silty water in places is now clean and a lot more 'trout stream' in appearance. The fish were there before but the wading was mushy and tricky; now its cobbled and fast. Well worth return trips!

tight lines, all,

Roguerat

'Less is more...'

Ludwig Mies Vande Rohe

I had a few automatic fly reels when I was a kind. There is really no room for any backing. At least there was no room on my reels. I think I just tied the line to the spool arbor. You didn't mention how long the rod is? I'm assuming it is very parabolic, soft as a noodle? I'd buy the least expensive line I could find considering he seems to have no clue about fishy stuff. I think you are good with a WF#7.

Matt-

you're spot-on about the backing, MAYBE 50' at most. I plan on reeling the line on first then the backing to capacity, then strip it all off and reel it up properly.

And yes the rod is full-flex right down to the grip, not floppy but it is really different than my graphite rods; even my bamboo resto-rod has more spine to it.

thanks for the insight, and looks like I'll be fishing with an 84 yr old who has HIS dad's hip waders as a memento of things past...nothing wrong with that, I'm looking forward to finding easy water and hopefully cooperative trout for his day on the water.

I've heard- read, really- some weird stuff about auto reels and how the line pulls harder the more you've got out, something to do with spring tension and so on. I'll let Norm play with things, his reel and his day.

Roguerat

"less is more...'

Ludwig Mies Vande Rohe

Rogue,



Good plan.



My Dad passed in 1999 and I still wear a Cabela's Guide shirt I bought for him around 1997. The shoulders and sleeves are pretty much faded white but the rest of the shirt is still turquoise. It was well made and it still does well when I machine wash it.



Yes, as you strip line out you are actually winding the spring so when you want to retrieve line the spring is already wound tight. I have not seen an automatic fly reel being fished for over fifty years. I bet though some guys who fish in some big southern lakes for panfish and crappies may still be using them.

I hope your father-in-law has a good day. I bet just using that vintage tackle will give him pleasure.