Perrine reels?

Counslrman · 06-19-07, 07:53 AM

My wife's grandma moved here from Charleston, SC last year and we recently helped her get some boxes of odds and ends unpacked. They had been in her attic. I found a Perrine automatic fly reel in one of them. She said her late husband bought it she estimates in 1965-66. It has a great big spring in it and you wind it up to load the spring then hit a little lever to retrieve line. Anybody ever heard of this brand?
Thanks!
Jimmy

Trailblazer · 06-19-07, 02:08 PM

Hey, I'm more than old enough to remember those reels. There were a few brands of auto fly reels around then-South Bend, Martin to name a couple. The Perrine was thought of as an "upscale" model. If I recall it has a folding trigger. They could also be wound by stripping line off the reel and were meant to retrieve line only--not to pull in a fish. They were heavy and clunky and when you asbsent-mindedly tuck your rod under your arm to work on your fly(or bait), guess what happened when you inadvertedly squashed the trigger? All your line reeled in and if you were really lucky it didn't break the tip!! Interesting item from the annals of fishing, eh?
Trailblazer.

The Ole Man · 06-19-07, 05:23 PM

Hey TB--I remember those. I got a new one for a birthday present in the early 50's. All silver with a big knurled winding knob. At that age, I thought it was pretty cool to hit that lever and watch the line come zipping in. Banged the tip guide many a time too.

GonetoSeed · 06-19-07, 05:35 PM

I've still got a couple of the Martin version that my Dad and I bought together in the early 60's. Berkley fiberglass rod, Martin automatic and SA level line with a little eye thingie for connecting the leader. I thought I had it all. Don't think I'll go back to the "good old days" gear wise but sure brings back great memories when I look at the Martins on the desk.

Stinkbait · 06-19-07, 07:13 PM

My grandfather had a Perrine. Heavy as the dickens, which actually helped balance the heavy glass rods back then. He gave me his old rod years ago but I don't know what happened to the reel. Just checked ebay and there are 7 for sale, all under $15. But you don't want to sell a family heirloom in any event.

Trailblazer · 06-20-07, 09:47 AM

The thread on auto fly reels reminded me of a reel I had in the 70's called a "Retreev-it" I believe. It looked like an upright auto but was 'manually' operated--that is, you 'pumped' the lever with your little finger to retrieve line(the lever drove the gears). It was a cheap plastic reel with an aluminum spool but pretty light. It worked well and I used it until it "fell" off the roof of my car on the Esopus in N.Y.'s Catskills

I could never find another one.
Trailblazer.

watkins · 06-20-07, 05:57 PM

Got a South Bend "Oren-o-matic",red vertical and a #1835 green horizontal mount.Pair either one on a 5/6 wgt. wally world SA rod w/ good wf line and you have an outfit for pan fish, bass etc. Also raises a few eybrows on a trout stream.

TRW

06-19-07, 02:08 PM	#2
Trailblazer Native Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Canton, GA Posts: 111	Perrine auto fly reels Hey, I'm more than old enough to remember those reels. There were a few brands of auto fly reels around then-South Bend, Martin to name a couple. The Perrine was thought of as an "upscale" model. If I recall it has a folding trigger. They could also be wound by stripping line off the reel and were meant to retrieve line only--not to pull in a fish. They were heavy and clunky and when you asbsent-mindedly tuck your rod under your arm to work on your fly(or bait), guess what happened when you inadvertedly squashed the trigger? All your line reeled in and if you were really lucky it didn't break the tip!! Interesting item from the annals of fishing, eh? Trailblazer. __________________ Trailblazer.

06-20-07, 09:47 AM	#6
Trailblazer Native Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Canton, GA Posts: 111	Perrine reels The thread on auto fly reels reminded me of a reel I had in the 70's called a "Retreev-it" I believe. It looked like an upright auto but was 'manually' operated--that is, you 'pumped' the lever with your little finger to retrieve line(the lever drove the gears). It was a cheap plastic reel with an aluminum spool but pretty light. It worked well and I used it until it "fell" off the roof of my car on the Esopus in N.Y.'s Catskills I could never find another one. Trailblazer. __________________ Trailblazer.

06-20-07, 05:57 PM	#7
watkins Native Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Adairsville,Ga. Posts: 1,435	Automatic reels, Got a South Bend "Oren-o-matic",red vertical and a #1835 green horizontal mount.Pair either one on a 5/6 wgt. wally world SA rod w/ good wf line and you have an outfit for pan fish, bass etc. Also raises a few eybrows on a trout stream. TRW

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06-19-07, 07:53 AM	#1
Counslrman Hall of Fame Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Columbus, GA Posts: 3,756	Perrine reels? My wife's grandma moved here from Charleston, SC last year and we recently helped her get some boxes of odds and ends unpacked. They had been in her attic. I found a Perrine automatic fly reel in one of them. She said her late husband bought it she estimates in 1965-66. It has a great big spring in it and you wind it up to load the spring then hit a little lever to retrieve line. Anybody ever heard of this brand? Thanks! Jimmy

06-19-07, 05:23 PM	#3
The Ole Man Chief Financial Officer, Past Director, Hall of Fame Member Join Date: Dec 1998 Location: NW Georgia Posts: 8,030	Hey TB--I remember those. I got a new one for a birthday present in the early 50's. All silver with a big knurled winding knob. At that age, I thought it was pretty cool to hit that lever and watch the line come zipping in. Banged the tip guide many a time too.

06-19-07, 05:35 PM	#4
GonetoSeed Hall of Fame Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, Ga, USA Posts: 1,580	I've still got a couple of the Martin version that my Dad and I bought together in the early 60's. Berkley fiberglass rod, Martin automatic and SA level line with a little eye thingie for connecting the leader. I thought I had it all. Don't think I'll go back to the "good old days" gear wise but sure brings back great memories when I look at the Martins on the desk.

06-19-07, 07:13 PM	#5
Stinkbait Native Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: Atlanta, Ga, USA Posts: 654	My grandfather had a Perrine. Heavy as the dickens, which actually helped balance the heavy glass rods back then. He gave me his old rod years ago but I don't know what happened to the reel. Just checked ebay and there are 7 for sale, all under $15. But you don't want to sell a family heirloom in any event.