Light Spinning Reel category

[festus]

Thanks Sheridan, I don't know much about the Heddons but they were fairly popular atound here when I was younger.  Never owned any except for a push button spincast.  That size you posted would be ok.  They're going pretty cheap on ebay.

[Midway Tommy]

In 1953 Heddon introduced it's first open face spinning reel, the "Spin Pal". It was made in the USA. Other USA models were 220, 230, 240 & 260. Most of those were either dark maroon or black crinkle. One economy version of the 230 was nylon/black. Most do not have the model number on the reel, just Spin Pal, if it hasn't worn off. The first Spin Pal had an interesting bail system. To cast, grab the line with your index finger and turn the handle in reverse to open the bail. As soon as you start the retrieve the bail closes, but you have to have a little tension/resistance on the line or the bail won't fully close as it should.

All of the green Daisy Heddons were made in Japan. Daisy bought Heddon in 1959. A lot of them say "Assembled in USA-Daisy/Heddon Parts Made in Japan" on the foot. Most of the parts and Japanese made reels were made by Olympic.

The 205 is a medium size reel. "R" stands for right handed. They also made a 205-L for lefties. The 236 was considered a light size reel and lower end with the external bail trip. These are both earlier Japanese versions. Some later versions were convertible LH/RH by just switching the handle to the opposite side. There were lots of various green models which include 204, 205, 210, 212, 215, 220, 222, 225 & 226 (brown), 233, 234, 235, 236, 238, 242, 245, 246, 250, 251, 252, 260, 266, 270, 277, 281, 282, 283 & 284.  They also made 280 & 290 (med) & 295 (heavy salt) Spin-matics that had a strange finger pickup. Those reels are exactly the same as the Roddy Gyros. By the early '70s Heddon was no longer making spinning reels. 

[festus]

Didn't take long to find a couple of Heddons.  Sheridan (Swami805) sent me this 236.  He also was generous enough to also send a larger one which only needs a bail roller nut which I can probably find something at the hardware store that will substitute.

Yep, the 236 has an external bail trip which actually comes in handy.  The bail can be closed manually which is something that most reels with the cupped rotors won't do.  These are no-nonsense reels with a minimum of parts. This is the easiest spinner I've ever worked on.  I remember these very well growing up in the 1960s.  Very cool looking with the green/grey color scheme.

Thanks again, Sheridan. Also thanks Midway Tommy for the review of Heddon spinners.

[mo65]

   Cool reel Chester, the Heddons are fun to fiddle with, and I love the colors. They have that great early 60s flair.

[festus]

Only one problem, Mike.  We've done too much praising on the Heddon spinners and conventionals the last few days.  Watch for ebay prices and demand to rise.   

The innards of these reels remind me of the old South Bends of the 1960s. 

[mo65]

Only one problem, Mike.  We've done too much praising on the Heddon spinners and conventionals the last few days.  Watch for ebay prices and demand to rise.  

The innards of these reels remind me of the old South Bends of the 1960s.  

  Getting everyone else on board has advantages too...next thing ya know someone will start hustlin' Heddon parts...and that helps a lot rebuilding these old reels. A few months ago, they all jumped on the Shakespeare band wagon. Prices went hog wild for a few weeks, then it all settled back to previous prices, with the bonus of a lot of parts and basket cases listed. And yes, that one does look South Bend. I've never googled for Heddon schematics...are all Heddon spinners of that design? I only have the 205. I have more experience with the conventionals, and they can represent a variety, I've seen Penn and ABU in them.

[Rivverrat]

That pic above of this reel all stripped down seems all wrong when comparing reels from today.  A reel cant possibly work right with that few parts. Right !

Todays spin reel designers seem to be of the mind set that more parts is much more better. The Penn Torque seems to be one of the few present designs that hasnt followed this line... Jeff

[festus]

Yep, the only parts I didn't remove were the big bail spring and the screw holding it.  I think I had one reel that had fewer parts.  A Zebco 707 I paid $2.99, was my first spinning reel.  Also had the external bail trip.  Actually it wasn't much of a reel.  It was very light, probably a couple ounces lighter than a Mitchell 308 but it had the slowest retrieve ratio and worst drag on a spinner I ever saw.

The reel repair guy who does the 2nd Chance Tackle YouTube videos has done several of the lower end Japanese models of the 1960s and 70s.  The Heddons and most other spinners were practically the same design.

[Swami805]

Nice job Chester, My dad used to take us trout fishing in streams in northern Ca. That reel saw a lot of action, good to know it will be fishing again,Sheridan

[happyhooker]

Those old Heddon spinning reels tend to attract some attention, maybe in large part because of the color scheme.  I don't find much information on them online, although I did get a schematic for my 222 from a generous fellow angler.  The numbering scheme doesn't seem to make too much sense--usually smaller numbers mean lighter reels, but I'm not sure that's always true with Heddons.  Trying to figure out any parts interchangeability is a nightmare, unless you can find a sympathetic owner who happens to have one each of the two you're trying to figure out interchanges on.

Frank