# Whatzit?



## bcs102349 (Mar 19, 2011)

I came by an unusual rig while helping a neighbor clean out his deceased father's tool shed. It is stamped "Pat. No. 2505920 A&S Stamping Co.".
I gather from what little I can find on the web that it is an automatic rewind fishing reel. It has a clamp for mounting. It doesn't have a handle for rereeling, but when you pull out the line and release it rewinds automatically. It doesn't seem to have a brake or catch. What is the purpose of this reel? To further define it, the line is braided copper, the spring housing is metallic green and the reel housing is maroon. It is not an open face reel such as some sites show. I would appreciate someone letting me know what this is and basically how one would use it. I am most confused as to how you would set the reel and how you would reel in a fish.


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

Walleye reel:

http://cgi.ebay.it/A-S-HandLine-Enc...443?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf5374c5b

Funny, that Patent number doesn't come up in the patent database.

http://patft.uspto.gov/


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## Maxx1 (Jan 25, 2011)

My dad had one of those. 
It was destroyed in a basement fire back in the 60's.

I copied that pic to send to him.


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## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

That sounds like a Handling reel like other have said above.nice find:chillin:


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## bcs102349 (Mar 19, 2011)

Jimp,

The unit pictured in your ebay link is the exact unit. The one I have is in a lot better condition. Given the fact that there isn't much ice fishing going on in Vernon, Alabama, it probably hasn't been used much. Google the patent number and you will find a PDF file of the actual patent. The description given in the ebay ad pretty much lets me know how it is used. It takes up slack line when you are hand line fishing.

Thanks for the replies


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

bcs102349 said:


> Jimp,
> 
> The unit pictured in your ebay link is the exact unit. The one I have is in a lot better condition. Given the fact that there isn't much ice fishing going on in Vernon, Alabama, it probably hasn't been used much. Google the patent number and you will find a PDF file of the actual patent. The description given in the ebay ad pretty much lets me know how it is used. It takes up slack line when you are hand line fishing.
> 
> Thanks for the replies


They're not used for ice fishing so much as deep river fishing for Walleye.
A 3 way swivel with a substantial drop weight and long leader to bounce lures along the bottom in the current. All kinds of contraptions are used including antique spring wound record players.


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## bcs102349 (Mar 19, 2011)

Just out of curiosity, what other devices do you use in conjuction with the reel? There is no stop or brake and no manual over-rides for reeling in. Do you use it to troll or just when the boat is stationary? How to you reel the fish in, or is it just for use as a hand line?


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## Cpt.Chaos (May 28, 2006)

Go to the LSCWA website and look on the right of the home page, there is an article dedicated to the art of handlining.

Basically, you attach a shank to the end of the handline, a heavy weight to the end of the shank(4oz. all the way to 2 lbs.). you run leaders off of the shank of varying lengths,and then attach your choice of lures... shallow crankbaits, spoons, pencil plugs and spinners are the most common used. You lower this rig to the bottom, troll across the current, making slight headway, you want to keep contact with the bottom, when a fish hits you slowly bring the line up hand over hand. During your trolling, you never put the line down or in a holder(thus the term handline I guess) When you get to the shank, you determine which leader you have a fish on. I run 3 leaders...5', 20' and 40', other combinations are used as well. It is not uncommon to catch doubles, and sometimes during the silver bass run, triples...or more. I have caught 2 silver bass on the same lure at the same time. Here in MI we use them primarily on the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers, sometimes in LSC too, as well as Lk. Erie.


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## bcs102349 (Mar 19, 2011)

Thanks for that link. It explained the process very well. I kept trying to envision an auxilliary rod. I still don't know what keeps the line from playing out while the boat is moving unless you hold the line in your hands. That could be dangerous if you let a loop get around your finger or wrist and snagged a log.


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## notmuchtime (Aug 6, 2002)

That's what you do. You hold the steel cable in your hand (do not wrap it around your fingers or hand in any way) and bounce the weight off the bottom of the river as you are trolling upriver (against the current). If you snag, you can loosen your grip and float downriver, with the current, and work to free the snag. Lot's of info on the 'net on how to do it.


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## bcs102349 (Mar 19, 2011)

Sounds like fun. Thanks to everyone for the enlightenment.


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