Click Pawl

Greg Armstrong

Go Green - Fish Bamboo
Forum Supporter
"Clickers" is in heavy rotation with the younger guys...they're always in a hurry.

Of all the clickers by the 'name' manufacturers that I have tried, the Hardy's were the weakest and some of them known to disengage on fast runs. I think the gear is too small on some of them.

You are obviously too close.

So here's some silent clicky looking reels from the 1930s. Poacher's reels.

This one was made for Farlow by Young.
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This one was made for Hamlin by Young.
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Here something you may not have seen, magnetic drag by Johnson.

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You’ve got some real beauties!

I have a couple of Dingley reels with that same split ring “Poacher” silent drag. I think it’s known as the Straun patent.
 

_WW_

Geriatric Skagit Swinger
Forum Supporter
Quick question regarding reel lube. I'm not much of a reel maintenance guy myself.
I've got a old Orvis click and pawl reel that I haven't used in a good 35-40 years. I'd like to put it back in service.
The current lube on the spindle is so old the best I can describe it, is it is almost tacky or sticky. The reel itself is in good shape but the spool barely spins its so gummed up.
What product do folks like to use for cleaning off old reel lube?
SF
Do as Greg recommended, 1 part vinegar to 3 parts warm water. Let it soak for a bit so the acid can work on that waxy grease, then rinse in clean water. I've also used engine degreaser with a tooth brush before the vinegar if it's really bad buildup. Once you have it all clean and dry spray it with Boshield and wipe it down. That will help protect it from the salt. Lube it up with grease and oil and go fish.
 

flybill

Life of the Party
They're not going away, they're gonna just sit in the gear room until folks with more money than sense drive the price up even further.

Pretty sure I paid less than $175 for the last perfect I bought, but it's been awhile.
I'll trade ya wine or whiskey... or both!
 

Stonedfish

Known Grizzler-hater of triploids, humpies & ND
Forum Supporter
Do as Greg recommended, 1 part vinegar to 3 parts warm water. Let it soak for a bit so the acid can work on that waxy grease, then rinse in clean water. I've also used engine degreaser with a tooth brush before the vinegar if it's really bad buildup. Once you have it all clean and dry spray it with Boshield and wipe it down. That will help protect it from the salt. Lube it up with grease and oil and go fish.

Good info. No salt use on this one, but I do have Boeshield. I’ll use it on a short 3 or 4 wt for small stream and dry flies on lakes.
SF


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skyriver

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
After using mostly click & pawl (Sorry @Salmo_g ) reels for 40 years I finally have grown tired of the noise. I love the noise when a fish runs, but I have recently been annoyed when peeling line off the reel. Maybe it's my ears changing (losing might be a better word). I still like a click, but just softer than most click & pawl reels give. I have sold nearly all the Hardy clones I had collected over the years. I'm keeping my Hardy LRH, but pretty much selling all my other clickers.

I'll probably keep this one though. Something about a fish on the swing taking line out of a big clicker is just fun.
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I really enjoy reels with an actual drag that have a nice soft click. I do have a couple Sage reels (3250 and 3210) that I really like, but would like them more if they were just a bit louder. The 3250 actually had an issue for a bit, but then sort of fixed itself. Who knows. You don't have to worry about that with clickers.

And yes @Buzzy right hand wind is the correct way if you're right handed. All these youngins have it all wrong. :ROFLMAO: I love the "but you have to switch hands" or "you'll lose the fish when you have to switch hands". You think I'll lose the fish on the switch? You should see me try to reel with my left hand. You'll be glad I have to switch hands. Reel with whatever hand is the most coordinated! I'll take my chances on the big scary switch kids. :)
 

_WW_

Geriatric Skagit Swinger
Forum Supporter
You’ve got some real beauties!

I have a couple of Dingley reels with that same split ring “Poacher” silent drag. I think it’s known as the Straun patent.
Very similar. Some of the early Struan reels actually used a coil spring instead of the bent washer.
 

Dustin Chromers

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
I know a lot of people love them, but they're a little too noisy for me. I like peace and quiet while fishing.....even when I've got a big one on the other end taking out line. The sound of a Tibor with a bonefish on is perfect. Hearing somebody loudly stripping out line to cast on a small trout stream or early in the morning on a foggy lake....just seems a little too 'loud' for my tastes. Love the looks though.

I'm in this camp. I hate hearing people striping and reeling. I love the vintage look and simplicity but the noise is obnoxious. I'm normally trying to keep on the down low when I've got a fish on or at least not advertise to the next run downstream. Some of them sound awful. Some better but still too loud for me. I guess I feel the same way about clickers as I do Harleys. They are interesting but outdated and not really that good and the major attraction is the obnoxious racket they make. Some people like you to hear their racket. I'm not in that camp.
 
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Divad

Whitefish
I'm in this camp. I hate hearing people striping and reeling. I love the vintage look and simplicity but the noise is obnoxious. I'm normally trying to keep on the down low when I've got a fish on or at least not advertise to the next run downstream. Some of them sound awful. Some better but still too loud for me. I guess I feel the same way about clickers as I do Harleys. They are interesting but outdated and not really that good and the major attraction is the obnoxious racket they make. Some people like you to hear their racket. I'm not in that camp.
The attraction for me is the ability to service, like a new car vs old. And the country of manufacture is predominantly USA, England or Japan/Korea.

I also hush the clack some with grease on the pawls and gear, makes a more pleasant purr.
 

Dustin Chromers

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
The attraction for me is the ability to service, like a new car vs old. And the country of manufacture is predominantly USA, England or Japan/Korea.

I also hush the clack some with grease on the pawls and gear, makes a more pleasant purr.

I feel that. I like simple. Quieter is nice.
 

Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
Forum Supporter
Good info. No salt use on this one, but I do have Boeshield. I’ll use it on a short 3 or 4 wt for small stream and dry flies on lakes.
SF


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I know we're in the spey clave, but I found it interesting, these are the same guts as my Crown II. Certainly the "cheesiest" sounding with the plastics in the aluminum, but it's a favorite I fish regularly. I've used it so long the sound is just comforting, enjoyable, reminding me of many a fish in great places.
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skyriver

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
I know we're in the spey clave, but I found it interesting, these are the same guts as my Crown II. Certainly the "cheesiest" sounding with the plastics in the aluminum, but it's a favorite I fish regularly. I've used it so long the sound is just comforting, enjoyable, reminding me of many a fish in great places.
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I haven't fished my medium Crown II for a while, but I've used it enough the last 30+ years to cause this.
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It's never let me down.
 

Wetswinger

Go Deep
Forum Supporter
I bought a Diawa SF 208 and found it to be a nice, high quality reel. I was so thrilled I bought two more, all from e-bay. I waited and bought reels that were in mint, near unused condition for a song. I highly recommend them...
 

Zoran

Steelhead
My Bougle Olympic

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charles sullivan

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
I'm in this camp. I hate hearing people striping and reeling. I love the vintage look and simplicity but the noise is obnoxious. I'm normally trying to keep on the down low when I've got a fish on or at least not advertise to the next run downstream. Some of them sound awful. Some better but still too loud for me. I guess I feel the same way about clickers as I do Harleys. They are interesting but outdated and not really that good and the major attraction is the obnoxious racket they make. Some people like you to hear their racket. I'm not in that camp.
Fascinating comparison. I generally dislike loud bikes. I like click reels.
I have never thought the sound of a reel to be intrusive in the way that I find loud vehicles. Given that a river sounds so much better than the corner of Railroad and Holly the vehicle is less intrusive in most ways.
 
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