Introduction of Rods and Reels: I suppose I was all of five years old and Uncle Doug and Aunt Ruby Johnson came for a visit, and maybe a little younger, it was 1938 or 1939. I had...

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

I suppose I was all of five years old and Uncle Doug and Aunt Ruby Johnson came for a visit, and maybe a little younger, it was 1938 or 1939.

I had never seen either a rod or reel of any type up until that time. The side effects of the depression and dust bowl were still present.

Selby Johnson, the oldest of the Johnson children had come along with his parents and the men were going fishing in Red River.
I wasn’t allowed to go. Dad believed that I should stay home and out of any trouble until I was older.
Selby did show me several different rods and reels. One was a curious design, like a Ferris wheel and the others were bait casting that were more common design and usage. He let me try to cast the bait caster.

Of course, I got a big bird’s nest the very first attempt. While I wasn’t allowed to go on that first day fishing, I was hooked. I never forgot either reel or was determined to go fishing when I was a little older.

The bait casters, Pfluger and Shakespeare Direct Drive were the most common in our community. However, with the Second World War all non-essential items were shelved. You could not buy any of these reels until tend of the war. The only source was much older men who might have tackle they no longer used.
The Shakespeare reels were back on the market soon after the war ended. The ferries wheel design I couldn’t find for a long time. In fact, I had given up on every finding one, until I heard about a tackle shop in Oregon who might have one. So, I called and visited with the owner of Plug Ugly Tackle and found he might be a source for one. I mailed him a Kodak camera and film and told him to shoot the entire roll of film on his collection of reels.

There, I was able to see that he did have the Ferris wheel design reel that I had been trying to find for years! I bought it and quit looking for other types.

Sometime later, I gave my entire collection to my son, Brad who was also a dedicated fisherman and had a small collection of reels.

I must remind you that I grew up without running water in our home, or central air and heat, or air conditioning until after the war was over.

I am thankful to Lyndon Johnson and President Roosevelt for Rural Electricity. This allowed us to buy a refrigerator, deep freeze, and have electric lighting for the very first time. We didn’t realize just how great having electricity was until we had our house wired, Just Sayin…RJS

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Robert J Samples wrote:

I suppose I was all of five years old and Uncle Doug and Aunt Ruby Johnson came for a visit, and maybe a little younger, it was 1938 or 1939.

I had never seen either a rod or reel of any type up until that time. The side effects of the depression and dust bowl were still present.

Selby Johnson, the oldest of the Johnson children had come along with his parents and the men were going fishing in Red River.
I wasn’t allowed to go. Dad believed that I should stay home and out of any trouble until I was older.
Selby did show me several different rods and reels. One was a curious design, like a Ferris wheel and the others were bait casting that were more common design and usage. He let me try to cast the bait caster.

Of course, I got a big bird’s nest the very first attempt. While I wasn’t allowed to go on that first day fishing, I was hooked. I never forgot either reel or was determined to go fishing when I was a little older.

The bait casters, Pfluger and Shakespeare Direct Drive were the most common in our community. However, with the Second World War all non-essential items were shelved. You could not buy any of these reels until tend of the war. The only source was much older men who might have tackle they no longer used.
The Shakespeare reels were back on the market soon after the war ended. The ferries wheel design I couldn’t find for a long time. In fact, I had given up on every finding one, until I heard about a tackle shop in Oregon who might have one. So, I called and visited with the owner of Plug Ugly Tackle and found he might be a source for one. I mailed him a Kodak camera and film and told him to shoot the entire roll of film on his collection of reels.

There, I was able to see that he did have the Ferris wheel design reel that I had been trying to find for years! I bought it and quit looking for other types.

Sometime later, I gave my entire collection to my son, Brad who was also a dedicated fisherman and had a small collection of reels.

I must remind you that I grew up without running water in our home, or central air and heat, or air conditioning until after the war was over.

I am thankful to Lyndon Johnson and President Roosevelt for Rural Electricity. This allowed us to buy a refrigerator, deep freeze, and have electric lighting for the very first time. We didn’t realize just how great having electricity was until we had our house wired, Just Sayin…RJS

I suppose I was all of five years old and Uncle Do... (show quote)

Another great story Robert. Thanks.

MuskyJohn Loc: Benton Harbor, MI

You have the best stories!
My grandpa was older than you, of course.
But and this isn't technically a rural area, his father, my Great Grandfather hooked up an electric switch under the kitchen counter to turn on the water pump. They were literally the first people around to have running water inside the house.
I have my grandpa's fishing rods that he made back in the 20s and 30s.
And his prized Pflueger Supreme reel along with his steel rod.
He still used that rod/ reel combo in 1991 on a trip we took him on to Northern Ontario.
He caught just as many big pike as the rest of us.
Thanks RJS.

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

MuskyJohn wrote:

You have the best stories! br My grandpa was older... (show quote)

John. Did you ever get your Chain Pickerel?

Mauwehu Loc: Norwalk Ct

Robert J Samples wrote:

I suppose I was all of five years old and Uncle Doug and Aunt Ruby Johnson came for a visit, and maybe a little younger, it was 1938 or 1939.

I had never seen either a rod or reel of any type up until that time. The side effects of the depression and dust bowl were still present.

Selby Johnson, the oldest of the Johnson children had come along with his parents and the men were going fishing in Red River.
I wasn’t allowed to go. Dad believed that I should stay home and out of any trouble until I was older.
Selby did show me several different rods and reels. One was a curious design, like a Ferris wheel and the others were bait casting that were more common design and usage. He let me try to cast the bait caster.

Of course, I got a big bird’s nest the very first attempt. While I wasn’t allowed to go on that first day fishing, I was hooked. I never forgot either reel or was determined to go fishing when I was a little older.

The bait casters, Pfluger and Shakespeare Direct Drive were the most common in our community. However, with the Second World War all non-essential items were shelved. You could not buy any of these reels until tend of the war. The only source was much older men who might have tackle they no longer used.
The Shakespeare reels were back on the market soon after the war ended. The ferries wheel design I couldn’t find for a long time. In fact, I had given up on every finding one, until I heard about a tackle shop in Oregon who might have one. So, I called and visited with the owner of Plug Ugly Tackle and found he might be a source for one. I mailed him a Kodak camera and film and told him to shoot the entire roll of film on his collection of reels.

There, I was able to see that he did have the Ferris wheel design reel that I had been trying to find for years! I bought it and quit looking for other types.

Sometime later, I gave my entire collection to my son, Brad who was also a dedicated fisherman and had a small collection of reels.

I must remind you that I grew up without running water in our home, or central air and heat, or air conditioning until after the war was over.

I am thankful to Lyndon Johnson and President Roosevelt for Rural Electricity. This allowed us to buy a refrigerator, deep freeze, and have electric lighting for the very first time. We didn’t realize just how great having electricity was until we had our house wired, Just Sayin…RJS

I suppose I was all of five years old and Uncle Do... (show quote)

As a kid I wanted a Johnson underslung trigger reel.

1Oldboat42 Loc: Kearney, Nebraska

Mauwehu wrote:

As a kid I wanted a Johnson underslung trigger reel.

I have one of those but it is a left hander so it just sits in the rod rack. I see it as the work of a true design engineer with the rod and reel being one unit like it is. It's called a Crappie reel on the other side, and yes it was made by Johnson.

Passingbye Loc: Reidsville NC

My Grandpa on momma's side gave me his old fishing rods and reels..all bait cast reels, terrible about tangling and knots in the line and metal rods. They looked like car radio antenna with metal eyesl that looked like beer tabs. My first modern rod and reel as a kid was the Zebco 202 and 5 ft fiberglass rods, until I got older and I could buy my own, I stayed with the higher priced end Zebco, Dawa and Shakespeare reels like the 777 and 888 reels, but I've caught more fish on these 202's than any I've it used and landed some large fish even fishing farm ponds as a kid. I think starting out on those cheaper gear learning how to fight a fish on light line without losing it has made me a better fisherman now that I'm sort of a master at it.