A Winter Project

Maxed Out · January 09, 2015, 11:29:11 PM

Michaeal, thanks for the double dog history lesson. Very cool stuff

surfcaster · January 09, 2015, 11:46:35 PM

Very nice indeed, but you really should reconsider never fishing the reel.
just might turn out to be the lucky one.

Penn Chronology · January 10, 2015, 01:58:42 AM

QuoteVery nice indeed, but you really should reconsider never fishing the reel.
just might turn out to be the lucky one.

In all honesty, every time I make a plan, some dog rubs up against me. As soon as I put the plan in motion, that dog bites me

and makes me go another way. So, I really do not know what I will do with this reel when it is done. $:-\$

My regular Penn rig, that goes with me on almost every fishing trip, is a Jigmaster 500 mounted into a Neptuna Cradle. I have a love affair with that rig. Been using it for a few years. I intended to change the reel in it to Accurate side plates but then I loose the quick change spool option, so my Cradle Jigmaster rig is staying the same and this very cool 113H has taken the place of the Winter Project.

In case you are not familiar with Cradle Reels, here is a Penn 349HC I built into a Neptuna Cradle.

This one I do not fish, it is a wall hangar. For many years I have chosen cradle reels as my favorite custom rigs but they are almost impossible to find today, so I am moving to a full Accurate conversion for this winters hobby.
With the knowledge I gain here building this 113H, I intend to upgrade my cradle rigs in the future, but that is a story for another thread.

So, who knows, maybe I will fish this reel, right now my considerations are to build it special, the future of it is undecided.

Shark Hunter · January 10, 2015, 03:22:03 AM

I Saw one of those Cradles a while back on ebay and had no idea what it was. Now I Know!

Penn Chronology · January 10, 2015, 06:05:55 AM

QuoteI Saw one of those Cradles a while back on ebay and had no idea what it was. Now I Know! Grin

They have been around since the 1950's but were too expensive for the market. Their price was their downfall.

fIsHsTiiCkS · January 10, 2015, 06:06:53 AM

So they bolt to the reel like a half frame?

Tightlines667 · January 10, 2015, 06:14:09 AM

Don't think that reel seat is gonna be prone to twisting failure under side loads. Pretty cool looking too!

Penn Chronology · January 10, 2015, 06:22:39 AM

These cradle rigs are rock solid. The cradle, rod and reel become one integral unit but they are history.

If enough members are interested, I can start another thread about cradle reels but we will be moving deep into fishing history if we go that way. Cradle reels date back to the 1920's in big game fishing and go up to 16/O reels and sometimes even larger. The Neptuna cradles are probably the last ones made after a long history by many different brands. They were fairly common fifty years ago.

Shark Hunter · January 10, 2015, 06:25:43 AM

Man!
I wish I would have bought that cradle now. It was for a 10/0 and I'll probably never see one again.
It didn't have a rod handle or anything attached to it, that's what confused me. I thought it was for a boat rail or something.

Penn Chronology · January 10, 2015, 08:35:49 AM

QuoteI wish I would have bought that cradle now. It was for a 10/0 and I'll probably never see one again.
It didn't have a rod handle or anything attached to it, that's what confused me. I thought it was for a boat rail or something.

I know Daron, they look kind of weird when they do not have a reel mounted in them.

This one was for an International 80.

It is complete now but I got it with only the cradle. I believe I have only seen one other made in this size.

When I bought it, it was in a bundle of other stuff and it was new without any handle or locking ferrule. They are very difficult to come by in the large sizes. They have basically disappeared. About ten years ago a bunch of them were discovered and went up for sale online. They were coming up pretty regular but not lately. When they do come up today they sell in the $200 to $300 range.

I will keep a watch for you, if I see one come up I will let you know but no promises. They have kind of gone underground lately.

Superhook · January 10, 2015, 09:20:20 AM

Mike,

Now you're really in Vintage Hot Rod show & tell. Your Large International Neptuna is a rare beauty.

Sharkhunter,

I remember that Neptuna cradle . It did not have any holes to bolt in the reel and the rod retaining mechanism was also missing. It sold for big dollars too. I know you like the 12/0 Senators so you are bound to like this .

I have only seen one other in the 12/0 size. Complete cradle with 12/0 Senator . Below , on the left is a 12/0 from the early 50's fitted to a polished Neptuna cradle. The others are a 9/0 of same era and a 6/0. The 9/0 and smaller cradles are easier to find but they are not common.

mhc · January 10, 2015, 10:15:51 AM

How small did they go? Jigmaster 500 has been mentioned - are they more common than the larger senators? I like the idea of a 'low profile' 349 as well, it's a pity they are so rare.

Penn Chronology · January 10, 2015, 04:45:33 PM

The smallest one I have had was sized for a Penn 180

fIsHsTiiCkS · January 11, 2015, 03:06:46 AM

I REALLY want one now for the 9/0 build Im doing!! I wonder if I could stumble on one. Then see if I could have a rod built for it, would be AWESOME!

Looking forward to seeing the build of your 113hn!

Penn Chronology · January 12, 2015, 05:01:42 AM

QuoteInsert Quote
I REALLY want one now for the 9/0 build Im doing!! I wonder if I could stumble on one. Then see if I could have a rod built for it, would be AWESOME!

As far as I know, the only 9/O Neptuna I have ever seen is the one that Superhook posted a picture of. I hesitated to start talking about these cradles because they have become sort or rare and when they pop up today, the auctions get really hot, but they were made for quite a few years, so they show up from time to time.

Believe it or not, at the Penn Estate auction of 2003, a few Neptuna rigs were saved in the Penn factory and were part of the auction,. So there was a collaboration between Penn and Neptuna but I have never been able to document it. Neptuna also made cradles that were built to fit Fin-Nor and Everol big game reels.

But, back to the 113 build up. While I am waiting for parts for this Accurate 113, I also decided to put together a 1981 50th Anniversary year, 113HL reel. Parts for this old 113HL are coming from many different places. When this reel is done it will not be mint but it will be nice.

More to come on my 113 adventures when I take some more photos..