The Plowman 507 - the best closed face reel ever produced

[MHC]

I have had my ABU 505 since 1973, stuck with it as a teenager on long glass rods. Looking at it now I cannot see the appeal for using it (or any closed face reel) at all for any of my fishing, modified or otherwise. I have trotted my float in some very open and windy places, a wide rivermouth that opens into Lake Huron being one, and not having access to the line would be a real disadvantage. There is a reason that reel manufacturers don't bother much with improving the closed-face reel, as they may think they are not worth it.

To read that the noted Mr Plowman would not want to be 'pestered' by any of us, concerns me. The title and original post (with text pasted from a commercial website) seems to be a form of advertising.

I fully agree with Walkers comments about closed- faced reels in Still Water Angling:

'Closed-face or semi-closed face reels have become very popular among match anglers, but they are quite unsuitable for handling heavy fish, owing to the friction of all the combined angles over which the line has to pass. This friction makes it necessary to reduce the pressure on a hooked fish to a few onces before any line can be recovered.
I gave closed face reels a very extensive trial, hoping that I could learn to compensate for this grave disadvantage, but concluded that it is inherent. After playing a 15lb carp for forty minutes on a closed- face reel, I eventually brought the fish to net by pulling the line through the butt ring by hand. I then unhooked the carp, cut off the hook, wound in the line, detached the reel from the rod and threw it as far as I could in the deepest part of the lake, where it now rests unmourned.'

[BeechmereLake]

Horses for courses my friend, you come and fish my river with what ever you use in the States (Presuming you come from there) and I will out fish you 4 fish to one with my 507
Used one last year for Carp fishing never had a problem at all and will use it again this year.

[Nobby]

I agree about the advertising though...pretty blatant. He just happened to be selling one at the time.....

[MHC]

'Whatever I use in the States...' somewhat of a presumption. I hail from Cookham, Berkshire, weaned on the Thames and environs, till I was almost 30. Since then lived (north of the US) in Canada. Make bamboo rods of all kinds often on British tapers, including the odd MK IV and Avon, and match them/fish them with vintage reels, but only those which are up to the job, many are not. I fish bamboo for 90% of my fishing and have done so for many years.

The ABU closed faced reels (and my Cardinal 33) do not suit my bamboo rods in appearance in my opinion, to me they look anything but traditional. Trotting a float (around the Great Lakes) for steelhead, lake run browns and coho, has become a 'high art' here over the past 25 years done using (often hand made) centrepins coupled with long lissom graphite rods and fine lines, a delicate approach which I have often thought -that I would have wished I had experience of it to fish the UK rivers of my youth. Long casts made with chub style float tackle across rivers with ease, no Wallis cast required - poetry in motion and as delicate as fly fishing.

Have a look at (ex pat) English reelmaker John Milner who hand made my float reel, who does not mind chatting with customers. http://www.johnmilnerreels.com

[Moley]

Who was it used to use a 506 for barbel fishing in the 1970's? It was a fairly famous angler and he did release a video of barbel fishing on the Severn. Clearwater Productions I think the film company was.

Kevan,

The man you are thinking about is my Old Mate, Ron Lees aka the Meat Master, who used to take great joy in beating the army of feeder anglers who infested the Severn in the 1970's, by touch ledgering the meat for Barbel.

He was also a top stick float angler, until his eyesight started to fail him.

Ron had a very dry sense of humour often heard in the Holt Fleet region at match-time.....good times.

As ever,.....

Mole Power!!!

[BeechmereLake]

Would this be the Ron Lees who wrote "Perfect your ledgering" a true Barbel master in his day

[Moley]

Would this be the Ron Lees who wrote "Perfect your ledgering" a true Barbel master in his day

In a word.....YES!

As ever,.......


Mole Power!!!

[Nobby]

I hadn't heard of John Milner, Malcolm.....I like that Talisman!

[Wallys-Cast]

I've tried a few of the 500 series of reels over the years and never did see what all the fuss was about.
Ok a faster retrieve than a pin when trotting but still a two handed operation when striking unless you find it comfortable fishing with your finger hovering over the edge of the cowling, I dont however and in fact I find them very user unfriendly.
I dont regularly fish matches so I am in no rush to get my line back for the next cast..so give me a pin anytime.

Wal.

[Chavender]

My 507's do all that's advertised (well nearly ,never fault the need too block the vent holes in the cowling) ,mine have a gear ratio of 4:1 ,they thave shallow spools ,they not only have the anti-reverse pawl removed but also the 30% reduction drag (quarter turn backwards ,emergancy drag) dissabled the handles are syncronised to spool position ,mine goes run on a light layer of greasing as its quieter than oil .my 507's didn't cost anywhere near whats charged ,all fairness to dave plowman he is undoubtedly a top engineer and great craftsmen and where as mine are put together by me using easily available parts and the only part especially made is the spools (two ally & two hard plastic ones) although i nearly had some made too my spec's from alloy ,but it never came off



mine have 506m gearing which gives a 4:1 ratio (i did look into getting some helical gears made/cut for a faster ratio ,but i lost touch with my engineering contact) ,it'd be nice to know what gearing Mr plowman uses wether its a standard set or bespoke cut gearing to give higher than 4:1 ,say like 5:1 .

mine also has special cowlings .a second cowlin with a apature in it for finger tip control and to aid striking





mine operate just nice ,they only rely on backwinding and the normal drag (pre-set level) on the handle ,i back wind for smaller species but know if a big fish comes along the drag will take over .plus i have the option of the second cowl for even more control .mine have a 4:1 gear ration so retrieve fairly quick (actually not that much quicker in use than the standard ratio as theres not that much difference) and although original mk1 507's are quite expensive to buy compared to other C/F's .they're still way cheaper than these plowman ones .

the only thing that intrigues me is the gearing is it new cut gears or recycled old 506m/501 gears ,because everything else is easily achieved at a fraction of the cost.and theres guides on here to do some of the improovements ,and a good google search should find the others things like stopping line from getting snagged etc (chavender ,abu ) should get some results ,but if pictures are missing anywhere i've probably moved them but still have them. there should be plenty of info from verious sourses out there ,its all common knowledge.