A few Ocean City Cradle Reels

[Vintage Offshore Tackle]

Yes Sheridan, that's the one.

[Bill B]

Welcome John, what an outstanding collection of cradles.....I am fortunate to own 1 Neptuna with a Penn 349 mounted on it, but is drilled for the Penn 49 also.  This one came with a Johnny Walker rod, a fiber glass rod in what I call Key Lime Pie.  With generous donations from the members here I did a full rebuild, top to bottom.

Here is a link to the rebuild and a picture......Bill
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=19532.0

[Penn Chronology]

I have seen yours Mike don't burn them send them to me !! Nothing wrong with you cradles !! I would love to buy the gold Nep-Tuna you have or had that would a fit an 80 International !!  You still got it ?   John

You mean this one........

Yup, I still have it. That is is hard for me to part with.


A long time ago, when NOS Neptuna cradles were all over EBay, I bought a bunch of them. Probably about a dozen NOS cradles from someone that got them direct from the manufacturer when they went out of business. I got them really fair and sold most of them. The International 80 was in the mix. I kept it because it was so big. It was NOS and I had no idea what reel it was fitted for. I tried different reels until I got an Int. 80 and it fit perfect, so I installed the reel in the cradle. Then a friend of mine sold me a 80 pound class rod for it with a locking reel seat. I cut up the rod and fit it to the cradle. Reaming the end for the locking reel seat was the trick. The rod end of the cradle had to brought up 1 1/4 inch to fit the locking reel seat ferrule that I cut out of the old rod. Bunch of time invested and it came out very nice. Had to borrow an 1 1/4 reamer from a friend to do the job.
                     I believe I have seen one other. They are very difficult to come by. That is why I kept it. I have seen some International 20's (sent one to Ray in OZ) and I believe I have seen a Int. 30 also. Maybe you have one. I forget.

[The Great Maudu]

John here's the cradle I got from you a couple years ago. I made the metal ferrule and fitted the split bamboo tip to it. I've had it out s few times fishing for sharks but haven't caught one yet. Your collection is probably a one of a kind as you know and is my favorite collection of any type fishing gear I've seen.

[oc1]

What an amazing collection.  Those are interesting guides on the 14/0.
-steve

[54bullseye]

Welcome John, what an outstanding collection of cradles.....I am fortunate to own 1 Neptuna with a Penn 349 mounted on it, but is drilled for the Penn 49 also.  This one came with a Johnny Walker rod, a fiber glass rod in what I call Key Lime Pie.  With generous donations from the members here I did a full rebuild, top to bottom.

Here is a link to the rebuild and a picture......Bill
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=19532.0

TARFU  I was watching your rebuild you did a great job !!  Looks like a brand new rid. I also know you got the deal of the century when you found it !! Have you fished it ??    John

[54bullseye]

I have seen yours Mike don't burn them send them to me !! Nothing wrong with you cradles !! I would love to buy the gold Nep-Tuna you have or had that would a fit an 80 International !!  You still got it ?   John

You mean this one........

Yup, I still have it. That is is hard for me to part with.



Mike did that wood butt come with the cradle or did you install it ? All the big Nep-Tuna cradles I have seen have a dark colored fancy wood of some kind I am not sure what it is ? The earlier cradles had butts more similar to OC cradles maybe Ash or Hickory. Sure is a nice rig!! I think I might have a place it would fit !   John

[54bullseye]

John here's the cradle I got from you a couple years ago. I made the metal ferrule and fitted the split bamboo tip to it. I've had it out s few times fishing for sharks but haven't caught one yet. Your collection is probably a one of a kind as you know and is my favorite collection of any type fishing gear I've seen.

Mike you did a great job installing the rod I sure would like to see it bent ! You know I love the cradles but I find them uncomfortable to hold and fish with. The butts are usually short and there heavy and they seem to want to roll in your hands not balanced well I guess that might be why they never really caught on real well. The bigger cradles were most likely used in fighting chairs which probably made them easier to handle. Still I will bet a Giant Bluefin Tuna was a handful on even the biggest cradles !!! It don't make sense I am not crazy about how they fish but there my favorites to collect ?  John

[54bullseye]

What an amazing collection.  Those are interesting guides on the 14/0.
-steve

Steve those were standard guides on most Tycoon rods however they also had really neat roller guides which are really sought after !  John

[droppedit]

I had the pleasure of having lunch with John Saturday. The pictures of these are just a teaser.
By far the best collection I've seen.

Dave

[Bryan Young]

Very impressive John and others.

[Bill B]

TARFU  I was watching your rebuild you did a great job !!  Looks like a brand new rid. I also know you got the deal of the century when you found it !! Have you fished it ??    John

John, I have not had a real chance to fish with it, holidays set in then high water here on the Sac delta, but my youngest son called "dibs" on any real fishing with it......

With all the cradles being shown, wonder what it would take to get a "Cradle Reel Thread" section started     Bill

[The Great Maudu]

I say HELL YEA to that!

[thorhammer]

wow. just wow. I saw a smaller Neptuna at a flea mkt a few years back for a few bucks but dismissed it as gimmicky. DOH......

[54bullseye]

Well if you guys start a cradle thread I have quite a few more pictures !!!   John