# Automatic Fly Reels



## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

I picked up this goofy relic of times past this weekend at a yard sale: a Perrin (or PEMCO) automatic fly reel. The green aluminum, perpendicular seating, and retrieve lever all are reminiscent of old warm water fly fishing to me. I know they are a polarizing topic on fly forums, but I’m looking forward to putting it through its paces. It could use some lubrication but otherwise it seems to work. Anyone use a similar reel?
Side note, it has some unknown line of unknown weight on it, and as i was yard casting it on my Eagle Claw Featherlight, I was able to feel my rod load like never before! It was a breakthrough moment in my casting. I should have been overlining my rods the whole time!



















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## luredaddy (May 25, 2004)

kingofamberley said:


> I picked up this goofy relic of times past this weekend at a yard sale: a Perrin (or PEMCO) automatic fly reel. The green aluminum, perpendicular seating, and retrieve lever all are reminiscent of old warm water fly fishing to me. I know they are a polarizing topic on fly forums, but I’m looking forward to putting it through its paces. It could use some lubrication but otherwise it seems to work. Anyone use a similar reel?
> Side note, it has some unknown line of unknown weight on it, and as i was yard casting it on my Eagle Claw Featherlight, I was able to feel my rod load like never before! It was a breakthrough moment in my casting. I should have been overlining my rods the whole time!
> 
> 
> ...


They balance well with longer, heavier rods. Warning, if you loop the fly line around the tip of the rod and hit the button, you will break the tip.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

I like. Been keeping an eye out for one, they look like they'd be a blast summer stream fishing.


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## Eyecrosser (Apr 10, 2016)

Release the tension on the spring after each fishing trip. The spring will last longer, I use to use one when I was fishing big streamers in the river for eyes.


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## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

I have the bamboo rod with three tips it was my dads and it has an electric reel I never realy fished with it much Dad would have KIKKKEDD my beeehind if I messed it up now it sits in the tube and reel in its leather snap pouch


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## stormfront (Feb 18, 2016)

I still have my dad's South Bend Oren-O-Matic automatic fly reel. He coupled this with a bamboo fly rod with multiple tips also but mostly used nightcrawlers and occasionally a popper for warm water species. I'm not sure but I think he may have been using it prior to shipping out during WW2. He finally hung it up in favor of a Mitchell 300 and a St. Croix glass rod in 1973, I seldom see the automatic fly reels anymore but they always bring back memories of my youth when I see one. Good luck with your treasure.


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

I showed my grandpa the picture of the PEMCO reel and no joke, he went in the basement and came back with his old bamboo rod and auto reel, and it’s the exact same reel! I got it because I remembered his old auto reel, but I had no idea it was the same one lol.


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

Wellll I got the reel all lubed up and ready fish and took it out back to lawn cast and... the spring is super weak. I guess it’s just something that happens with these things over time. That’s too bad, as the rest of it seems like it should last forever. I don’t think the big coil of spring steel in it can be duplicated or serviced short of buying another reel and swapping parts. Bummer. It will still look cool in the collection.


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## Alaskangiles (Aug 15, 2019)

Get it out at least once so you can tell him about it. Even if you have to hand line it, it’ll be worth it. Then hang it up if you want to.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

kingofamberley said:


> Wellll I got the reel all lubed up and ready fish and took it out back to lawn cast and... the spring is super weak. I guess it’s just something that happens with these things over time. That’s too bad, as the rest of it seems like it should last forever. I don’t think the big coil of spring steel in it can be duplicated or serviced short of buying another reel and swapping parts. Bummer. It will still look cool in the collection.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


the spring is super weak.
take the spring out and make biger or smaler diameter and put that back,it should work.
when you taking that a part pull on the line and that will tell you how is the spring loding up,if it squizing make that biger,if is opening make that smoler.


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

HappySnag said:


> the spring is super weak.
> take the spring out and make biger or smaler diameter and put that back,it should work.
> when you taking that a part pull on the line and that will tell you how is the spring loding up,if it squizing make that biger,if is opening make that smoler.


Thanks for the advice but it’s not really that type of spring. I’ll open it up and post a pic of it in a little bit so you can see what I mean.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

kingofamberley said:


> Thanks for the advice but it’s not really that type of spring. I’ll open it up and post a pic of it in a little bit so you can see what I mean.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


i was thinking coil spring.
if it has leef spring you shold be able to load the spring.there should be stoper there for load,if the stoper is not working the spring can not be loaded.


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

It loads but very weakly, and you have to keep winding it to get it to retract. Not the crisp and fast retraction that fresher springs would have. I’ll open it up when I get home and take some pics.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

kingofamberley said:


> It loads but very weakly, and you have to keep winding it to get it to retract. Not the crisp and fast retraction that fresher springs would have. I’ll open it up when I get home and take some pics.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


the spring is tierd under load that many years,you can take that out and put that in original place and it will work fine.


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