Allcocks Aerialite centrepin reel?

[Tonytoned]

Hello everyone

I was at antiques fair today and saw but didn't purchase an Allcocks Aerialite centrepin reel, I noticed that it was a left handed reel with no way of swapping the line guide. On my return home and looking online I noticed that they all appear to be left handed reels, was this the norm for this model and time?
Thank you for your time and any information.

[PershoreHarrier]

I have just looked in my 1968 Allcocks Catalogue and the Aerialite reel is shown exactly as the one in your post - i.e. for right hand winding and therefore holding the rod in the left hand.

I have and use an earlier Allcocks Aerialite - with no line guard and black in colour - using mine in windy conditions does require closer attention as the wind can take loops of line off the drum - especially lighter lines such as the 2.6lb bs I tend to use with the reel but as with many inexpensive items allowances sometimes have to be made. I assume the line guard would have helped eradicate this issue but why it was not transferable to left hand use I cannot say.

More importantly did you buy the reel?

[TrentFisher]

In my earlier days of collecting items to be used.I purchased one of these and had not noticed the fixed line guard.

I held my breath whilst I cut it back at the point where it is fixed on the back plate and gently filed the edges.

We both survived and both have caught our fair share of fish.

I guess a dremmel could be used .

As they say ......with experience

-Nige.

[Tonytoned]

I have just looked in my 1968 Allcocks Catalogue and the Aerialite reel is shown exactly as the one in your post - i.e. for right hand winding and therefore holding the rod in the left hand.

I have and use an earlier Allcocks Aerialite - with no line guard and black in colour - using mine in windy conditions does require closer attention as the wind can take loops of line off the drum - especially lighter lines such as the 2.6lb bs I tend to use with the reel but as with many inexpensive items allowances sometimes have to be made. I assume the line guard would have helped eradicate this issue but why it was not transferable to left hand use I cannot say.

More importantly did you buy the reel?

Thank you PershoreHarrier for taking the time to look. I suppose thinking about it I could have removed the line guard and used it without. I did not buy it for that very reason, because it was left handed, but in hindsight I could have over looked this.

[Tonytoned]

In my earlier days of collecting items to be used.I purchased one of these and had not noticed the fixed line guard.

I held my breath whilst I cut it back at the point where it is fixed on the back plate and gently filed the edges.

We both survived and both have caught our fair share of fish.

I guess a dremmel could be used .

As they say ......with experience

-Nige.

This is interesting TrentFisher. In a way I wish I'd bought it and used it without the line guard or possibly modify it. But hay ho!!

[Harry H]

Most pre 50s fishing was rod held in the left hand and reel wound with the right also the reels were mounted nearer the butt hence the shorter handles on old rods.

[Tonytoned]

Most pre 50s fishing was rod held in the left hand and reel wound with the right also the reels were mounted nearer the butt hence the shorter handles on old rods.

Thank you Harry for the enlightenment, that is very interesting. I have noticed in some old fishing photographs from old angling books, that they have some of their centrepin reels on the left-hand and the lower end of the rod handle.

[PershoreHarrier]

I have just looked in my 1968 Allcocks Catalogue and the Aerialite reel is shown exactly as the one in your post - i.e. for right hand winding and therefore holding the rod in the left hand.

I have and use an earlier Allcocks Aerialite - with no line guard and black in colour - using mine in windy conditions does require closer attention as the wind can take loops of line off the drum - especially lighter lines such as the 2.6lb bs I tend to use with the reel but as with many inexpensive items allowances sometimes have to be made. I assume the line guard would have helped eradicate this issue but why it was not transferable to left hand use I cannot say.

More importantly did you buy the reel?

Thank you PershoreHarrier for taking the time to look. I suppose thinking about it I could have removed the line guard and used it without. I did not buy it for that very reason, because it was left handed, but in hindsight I could have over looked this.

If you have a look in my Fishing Journal & Galleries on here under the heading 'An Outing to the Farm Pools' dated 12th. June 2017 you will see my Aerialite reel with the Allcocks Viking and some of the fish caught that day. The reels are not that rare and generally go for very little money so perhaps the next one you see will become yours.

[Tonytoned]

I have just looked in my 1968 Allcocks Catalogue and the Aerialite reel is shown exactly as the one in your post - i.e. for right hand winding and therefore holding the rod in the left hand.

I have and use an earlier Allcocks Aerialite - with no line guard and black in colour - using mine in windy conditions does require closer attention as the wind can take loops of line off the drum - especially lighter lines such as the 2.6lb bs I tend to use with the reel but as with many inexpensive items allowances sometimes have to be made. I assume the line guard would have helped eradicate this issue but why it was not transferable to left hand use I cannot say.

More importantly did you buy the reel?

Thank you PershoreHarrier for taking the time to look. I suppose thinking about it I could have removed the line guard and used it without. I did not buy it for that very reason, because it was left handed, but in hindsight I could have over looked this.

If you have a look in my Fishing Journal & Galleries on here under the heading 'An Outing to the Farm Pools' dated 12th. June 2017 you will see my Aerialite reel with the Allcocks Viking and some of the fish caught that day. The reels are not that rare and generally go for very little money so perhaps the next one you see will become yours.

A beautiful read and very interesting Keith, I use prawn quite a bit now, great bait caught most species on it. You had an excellent 16th, although the reel I was looking at was earlier they do look great on the rod. I wish I had bought it now, perhaps if the same chap is there next month. I will get it. Thank you for all your help with this information.

[Nobby]

Most pre 50s fishing was rod held in the left hand and reel wound with the right also the reels were mounted nearer the butt hence the shorter handles on old rods.

Thank you Harry for the enlightenment, that is very interesting. I have noticed in some old fishing photographs from old angling books, that they have some of their centrepin reels on the left-hand and the lower end of the rod handle.

Yes indeed, centrepin and 'swimming' reels were originally mounted low on the handle and braked with the little finger of the right hand...the same hand that was used to rewind line in again...a bit clumsy in truth, but that's how it was. Consequently many reels were only ever made in right hand wind...even the JW Youngs Trudex with its additional line guard mountings was only 'partly' ambidextrous as there was no way of changing the check pawl to operate differently when the reel was turned.

(I can do this now, but it's not for everyone, grinding away tiny amounts of metal from a hard carbon steel pawl)

This style of fishing with the reel low was usually called the Nottingham Style and the great FWK Wallis fished this way and that's the reason so many rods have a rather short handle if you want to fish in the modern style with the reel mounted higher up...his famous rods by Hardy and Allcock, the Wallis Allround and Avon and the Wizard are cases in point.




Here's His Nibs seemingly holding the reel body with his left hand too...maybe to give his little finger a rest from braking? Click on the image to enlarge.