Reel Repair by Alan Tani

General Maintenance Tips => Fishing Antiques and Collectables => Topic started by: JasonGotaProblem on January 24, 2024, 04:07:00 PM

Title: Fishing an ancient Hendryx
Post by: JasonGotaProblem on January 24, 2024, 04:07:00 PM
I've been off work a few days with that one virus we don't talk about anymore.

Well my brain went some pretty weird places. On one of those head-trips I got the wild hare idea to load up my old Hendryx pillar-style reel, that i believe is circa 1890-1910 production.

No anti-reverse, no drag, no freespool, just a spool, a set of rudimentary gears, and a (ivory) handle.

I put down some 100# dacron backing because that's what i had on hand, and probably 100' of 10# braid.

I tied on a 10# mono leader, put on a half oz weight knocker rig style and a small hook with a piece of bread to limit the target size. I wanna catch a fish on this reel. I have no desire to torture test this reel.

Well with a half oz I could cast roughly 50' upwind. Hardly a BFS ready setup. And I couldn't keep the bread on the hook more than a few seconds in the current. I later remembered thats why we used bagels as a kid. It stayed on the hook.

Gonna hopefully try again today on my way home, with denser bread.
Title: Re: Fishing an ancient Hendryx
Post by: Midway Tommy on January 24, 2024, 04:14:56 PM
Don't bruise your knuckles!  ;D
Title: Re: Fishing an ancient Hendryx
Post by: Bill B on January 24, 2024, 06:26:29 PM
That reel looks familiar, is it one that I sent a couple year ago?  Either way good to see the old stuff getting a workout.  Bill
Title: Re: Fishing an ancient Hendryx
Post by: JasonGotaProblem on January 24, 2024, 06:53:21 PM
Quote from: Bill B on January 24, 2024, 06:26:29 PMThat reel looks familiar, is it one that I sent a couple year ago?  Either way good to see the old stuff getting a workout.  Bill
Yes sir it is! Thanks again!
I was still pretty terrible with a non-fixed-spool reel when I got it. So it sat on the shelf for a while. I figure now I am skilled enough to actually use it, even if not yet skilled enough to use it well.
Title: Re: Fishing an ancient Hendryx
Post by: Paul Roberts on January 25, 2024, 12:30:29 AM
Fun. :fish (We used Wonderbread. Stuff is almost like glue when crushed.)
Title: Re: Fishing an ancient Hendryx
Post by: oldmanjoe on January 25, 2024, 12:39:50 AM
 :)   Good old earth worms or Pillsbury crescent or biscuit dough stays on the hook...