# Explain this real



## dstiner86 (Jun 5, 2012)

Alright I got some questions for fly guys..today while out at some yard sales I found me this "South Bend oren-o-magic balanced reel" its a no 91130th model d... first of all what do i got here exactly. More importantly how would I go about using it? If I ever wanted to.. I will admit it I know nothing about fly fishing always wanted to try it.. figured either this could be my foot in the door or most likely just a decoration. . Seems to work idk line pulls out smooth I guess push the little button thing and line comes back in..who knows.. .. anyways if someone could please just explain this to me reel to me, I would much appreciate it. 

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## dstiner86 (Jun 5, 2012)

Ugh totally just noticed autocorrect put real not reel.. my bad guys.. 

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## IGbullshark (Aug 10, 2012)

the lever winds the line back in. i have about 7 that in inherited from my grandfather although they are just for decoration.


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## dstiner86 (Jun 5, 2012)

Yea I realised quick the function of the lever...but idk I guess I dont see something like this that you dont physically reel been worth while for fishing? I mean even in its heyday im guessing the spring tension isn't enough to even pull a gill in...but here's probably where my ignorance of fly fishing shows thru...would you hand pull the line in and just use the lever to reel up slack?. 

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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

dstiner86 said:


> Yea I realised quick the function of the lever...but idk I guess I dont see something like this that you dont physically reel been worth while for fishing? I mean even in its heyday im guessing the spring tension isn't enough to even pull a gill in...but here's probably where my ignorance of fly fishing shows thru...would you hand pull the line in and just use the lever to reel up slack?.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Yes. It's mainly just for taking up excess line.

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## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

I have a reel like that. When I caught my first gill on it, I made the mistake of using the lever to try to reel in the fish. It was a small, 5 inch bluegill. Fish put up quite the fight and it was fun. Maybe even more fun than using a ultra light.


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## IGbullshark (Aug 10, 2012)

dstiner86 said:


> Yea I realised quick the function of the lever...but idk I guess I dont see something like this that you dont physically reel been worth while for fishing? I mean even in its heyday im guessing the spring tension isn't enough to even pull a gill in...but here's probably where my ignorance of fly fishing shows thru...would you hand pull the line in and just use the lever to reel up slack?.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


i would just hand line the fish in, there really isn't enough pull to bring a fish in. theres a reason those types of reels aren't made anymore...they kinda suck haha! when using the lever to bring in slack, try to keep tension on the line, otherwise the line gets tangles quick.


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

"Automatic" fly reels have not been manufactured for a long time now but at one time they were the new thing in fly fishing. You have already determined that the lever on the front of the reel is used to take up the line. Look at the side of the reel with the two knurled knobs on it. You will notice that there is a large one on the outside perimeter of the reel and a small one at the center. The outside one is used to wind the spring and create pressure to bring the line in, the small inside one will release that pressure if a fish should pull the line out to the limit of the spring. The spring automatically builds tension as you pull line out. But the spring acts as a limiter on how much line can be pulled out, thus the function of the small release knob. Now if you release that tension and now want to get the line back in, just turn the big knob to put it back into the spring. There is no drag on this type of reel as the spring tension will gradually increase the drag but this can be a problem so you may have to release tension as the fish runs. But there again is another problem in that you now have no drag on the line so now you have to place hand tension on the line to control the fish. Proper use of this reel seems simple enough but in reality it becomes somewhat complicated in it's need for all this coordination of functions and controls. It now becomes very clear that there is nothing automatic about the reel and this I feel is what led to it's demise as a new innovation.


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## BradS (Apr 7, 2004)

Automatic fly reel are still being made and sold. One example...

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Pflu...gclid=CNScisHUir4CFYtAMgodjWEAVQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

When I started fly fishing back in the 60's, I started with an automatic reel, and it is still serviceable. I will have to dig it out and post a couple of pictures.

Brad


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

They still make automatic reels.  The problem is that you can't fight a fish on them, making them only really suitably for small fish. Too bad because they have serious vintage mojo.


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## dstiner86 (Jun 5, 2012)

Thanks for the info guys. .been goofing with it figuring it out..neat little thing but seems like it will be more a shelf decor then my first ever foray into the fly fishing world. 

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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

I've thought about getting one to put on my Featherlight for the creeks, since they are cheap and cool, but then I always think, "what happens when a big carp takes it?". That would be the end of that reel lol.


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## joebertin (Mar 26, 2010)

Yeah, they're great! I've had one for 40 years, still works. Mine is too heavy for fly fishing, and of course there is no drag.

So...

Years ago, I filled it with planer board line, and tied my plug knocker on. Works great.

Easy to pull off, and retrieves the line quickly. Excellent for that application.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

I have the very same model sitting in one of my show cases of old fishing artifacts. Back in the day, I had yet another automatic reel, it was a Shakespeare "OK" model that I used in the local ponds around the area where I was raised. I recall it had a very tight spring and I remember launching many a bluegill right out of the pond with after a hook-up by pulling the trigger!


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