Higgins 500

[Russell Brown]

This is a J C HIGGINS Model 500 made in the 1960's USA.I find it's design and colour scheme very appealing.The gears are regular 'in out side to side' layout,it has an excellent rear drag but surprisingly no antireverse option.A spool clicker mechanism is also absent.The spool is skirted and and the bale-arm closes with a nice soft clunk.Merry Christmas

[Wanderer]

It certainly has a look of the "swinging sixties" about it.
You keep bringing these ( previously unknown to most) reels to our attention and this is the latest.
Thanks for posting.

[Catfish.017]

Skirted spool, rear drag, that's way ahead of its time!

[Cat]

...another great colour scheme!

[Wallys-Cast]

Another very interesting reel and full of modern ideas.

I had a closed face Shakespeare spin wonder reel that operated in a similar way. Moving the handle backwards opened the internal line claw allowing line to peel off the spool when casting. Turning the handle forward again started rewinding the line onto the spool.

Clever thinking on the reel designers part but probably not needed as most anglers were used to opening and closing a bail by this time.

[Liphook]

Russell you have an amazing collection of unusual reels! Fascinating pieces of tackle history and development. Thank you for letting us see them, please can we see more?

[Lea Dweller]

Another interesting example of an unusual and attractive reel!