Pflueger Reels ... Vintage style

[October Woods]

Ran into Bill Franke, who makes the One Foot for Pflueger Reels among other products, at the Langs Dealer Show last Saturday and it was great talking to him and he looks just great too. He had some rod tubes he's making there and we spoke about some new things he'll be bringing out and one of them is metal plates for the Pflueger Reel just like the older ones. I told him we had a converstaion back a bout 18 or so months ago on Clarks Board about a 75th Anniversary Pflueger with sculptured pillars, agate line guard and available in either LHW or RHW. He seemed to be interested in the idea and I told I would post a query and if it generated enough initial interest we would survey the various boards much like Cortland did on FAOL with their silk line survey which led to the release of their new Sylk Line. I envision a 1492 and/or 1494 size reel made from machined parts, with or without a spool. I see it with the metal plate, either an agate or metal circular line guard, LH or RH and if I did my calculations right it will be swapable including the line guard. Upgrades would include different offerings that Bill makes but the PFoot would be standard for ease of use. For right now it is in the gathering of information stage and Bill and I will speak about it once we have some data and I'll report back here. If you have any interest in this type of reel you should speak up and state what you'd like or not like it to have, thanks......
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Oct Woods
Visit my website:
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[Penn. Kev]

Anodized finish.
And if the price isn't too steep, I'd definately consider one for my next reel.

Kev

[Richard Komar]

Hello,

As a collector of vintage Pflueger fly reels, it would be great to have a 75th anniversary edition Medalist. Hardy just released their anniversary edition of the Bougle, so why not a Pflueger.

I would like to see:

1) anodized frame and spool finish, preferably black or very dark grey
2) Nickle silver trim on perforated spool with hollow spindle
3) Nickel silver sculpted pillars (removable)
4) Nickle silver spindle cap with "Pflueger Medalist 75 Years Made in USA" engraved on it
5) A nickel silver rim agate stripping guide, reversible
6) P-foot reel foot, nickel silver
5) Three sizes, 1492, 1494 and 1495, all LHW/RHW capable. These three sizes would cover line sizes from 1wt-8wt
7) Nickel silver drag button; same drag system
Plastic composite handle to match color of the stripping agate
9) Nickel silver screws
10) Soft velour reel bag, black, with the words "Pflueger Medalist 75 Years" stitched on it in silver.
11) Black soft case, material to be determined, words "Pflueger Medalist 75 Years" in silver on cover
12) Black and silver shipping box to match original Medalist box design

This would be a beautiful reel and a fitting tribute to the original Pflueger company and all the anglers who have ever fished a Medalist.

Thank you for letting me add my inputs. If I can help in any way, contact me.

Warm regards,
Richard Komar
Plano TX

[DaleW]

I have a #1494 Medalist that was purchased new back about 1950, and is occasionally fished yet to this day, and still performs like it did new!

Now, I see the reel is still sold (in the Cabelas cataloge), albeit made in the "land of rice & everything nice", for the sum of $23.99 ~

The question I would have, since Shakespeare bought out Pflueger and is having the Medialist still being offered today, would you not maybe be running aground with them on patent rights and such? ... Just asking.

But I like your idea.


Dale

[October Woods]

Dale,
We discussed that and Bill has been making Pflueger parts for a good many years and we've considered several options in the short conversation we had and logistically they would never be Pfluegers since they would not be a sanctioned item but that's not to say I won't try to contact Shakespeare and see what they think as well. For right now we're testing the waters to see if the public would accept something of this as a viable reel, it certainly would be more robust and with full metal components, i.e. drag assembly etc. and as close to a true vintage Pflueger as one could get at far less the price. We want to dignify the 75 years of Pflueger not sully it.

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Oct Woods
Visit my website:
[url=http://mysite.verizon.net/vze2h7gi/fishnbanjossliceoflifeincyberspacecopy/index.html:ff5b7]Fishnbanjos Place[/url:ff5b7]

[josko]

I'd buy one in a heartbeat. Prob'ly more than one.

[Holland]

I'd probably buy several in a heartbeat!

I have about a half dozen 1494's and 1495's in service and three of them sport Bill's metal ratchet, one a pfoot, and one a counter balance. Nice items and Bill's a great guy too.

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Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he buys a silly looking hat...

[Bass Bugger]

O.W.

Sounds great! Count me in!

[RG/AR]

Yep, I'd take a couple.

[cheffy]

I would be interested also. How about a Golden West also.