How many fly reel manufacturers were in Califonia's history?

**Bill Kiene semi-retired** · 05-15-2019, 04:57 PM

A list of CA reel makers?

We will want to do a little history of each company.

___________________________________

Ross Reels - originally up in Etna, CA.

Teton Tioga Reels - San Andreas, CA

Abel Reels - originally in Camarillo, CA

Langley Reels - San Diego, CA

Galvan Reels - Sonora, CA

Fenwick Reels - Westminster, CA

Hatch Reels - Vista, CA

J Ryall Reels - San Carlos, CA

Peaker Reels - San Jose, CA

Trout Tahoe Reel - San Jose, CA

Orvis Odyssey - SoCal ?

Thompson Reels - San Francisco, CA

Bauers Reels - started in Salinas, CA

Aaron Reels - Grass Valley, CA

Stutz Reels - ?

Aspen Reels - San Marcos, CA

Phos Reels - ?

Arnold Reels - Los Angles, CA - Bivan Manufacturing

Any more?

Please do what you can to help me get the list of all fly reel manufacturers in California's history.

Thanks for any help....

Eventually we will research and write a little history of these companies.

**Gnat** · 05-15-2019, 05:59 PM

I have a Trout Tahoe, Model 201, made in San Jose, CA (all this info is stamped on the reel). My guess is that this reel was made in the late 1940's or early 1950's. I used it with a cane rod fishing the Truckee in the 1970's.

**David Lee** · 05-15-2019, 06:51 PM

https://www.billkiene.com/forums/sho...ssic-Fly-Reels

https://www.billkiene.com/forums/sho...ighlight=Stutz

D.~

**Rich Morrison** · 05-16-2019, 04:54 AM

Ryall was in Sonora, CA

Here’s a little technical history...
http://troutmemories.webmate.me/Site...ALL_STORY.html

**jaysflies** · 05-16-2019, 07:58 AM

Funny, I taught Jon Bauer how to fly fish at a junior college course that I use to teach. We actually did on the water casting using the olympic size pool in the evening. One night when we were doing a casting class, it was pouring rain and most people didn't bring a rain jacket. My comment " this is called reality" if you become a steel head fisherman these are some of the conditions you're going to face.
Two years later, here's Jon designing fly reels.

**jaysflies** · 05-16-2019, 08:05 AM

This is not a California reel company but do you know who started the fly reel company that had the pop off plastic spools.
Having a senior moment forgot the name. I know who started the company. We were talking about this reel last week down in Baja

**Ned Morris** · 05-16-2019, 01:47 PM

I have an Orvis Odyssey II reel from early 1990s that was built in SoCal for only a few years. Fantastic Striper Reel

**Bill Kiene semi-retired** · 05-16-2019, 10:07 PM

I keep going back up to my original post at the top and add information as we find it.

Thanks for the good help here guys.

List is getting pretty long.

I am still looking for the city that some above were made in.

**Ned Morris** · 05-17-2019, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Bill Kiene semi-retired

I keep going back up to my original post at the top and add information as we find it.

Thanks for the good help here guys.

List is getting pretty long.

I am still looking for the city that some above were made in.

Bill - From Fiberglass Fly Rodders Page

Mr. James LePage, who joined Orvis in 1990 and does not need any introduction, designed the Odyssey reel. He has been involve on every rod and reel for the last 28 years, even the latest Helios rods. A quick search on the web will find some patents register on his name.

Mr. Richard Jacobsen, an old timer west coast flyfisherman with 11 IGFA records on Halibut and Corbina making him the top IGFA record setting angler for 2000/2001, was responsible for production. They were all manufactured by his company Chipmaster Manufacturing Inc. in the cities of Azusa and Ontario in the State of California.

There are 3 versions of the reel (plus 4 different models I, II, III &IV). The versions is the evolution of the reel:
First: Rollers/Plungers/springs
Second: Pawl
Third: Pawl/Cork-Rulon (called Odyssey+)

I read that at the beginning, the first ones sold were taken back to do some adjustments, I do not know if they were changed to the second version or was something different. Also, I have seen a couple with an X engraved, someone said those marked that way are the returned reels fixed and shipped back but, need confirmation on this. Mr. Jacobsen doesn ́t remember marking anyone with an X, maybe it was at Orvis or someplace else.

A few were made in Korea but, not a lot. They are very difficult to find. Mr. Jacobsen recalls to rework 135 of them and remembers that they were no special marks and probably they were all Model II with no serial number.

According to this forum, first catalogue appear is 1995. Prices for Model III thru the years were 1995($415), 1997 ($460), 2002 ($275) and, on 2003 it disappeared. I need to find the rest of the years.

I made a little database with serial numbers & models base on all the pictures I could find on the web. Unfortunately, inside pictures were not available to add the version on the chart. Seems that serial numbers are composed with Julian date/year-number of reel. Conclusions based on this interpretation of the code:

On 1995 production starts (Mr. Jacobsen says maybe on 1994, no reel found with that number yet). 54% of pics and of course biggest production so it can be in all Orvis stores & available on catalogue. (There is one Odyssey+ found with this 95, with odd Serial number as well) 24895 & 27895 are the most common (September/October)......getting ready for holidays??

There are not any from 1996 so, either there were very few made or changes were been taken.

On 1997 there is an Odyssey+ and I just found one (4% data) and Julian date sets it on December. Probably Odyssey+ started late that year.

1998 is second biggest year (25% of the finds) and all are Model III, and just one that is not Odyssey+. Probably Model III is the most commercial reel because trout fisherman didn ́t care too much about the cork/drag system basically made for Tarpon (as advertisement state) and bonefish fisherman liked it a lot (36% of all findings are Model III).

1999 production slows down again (11%) but, different Models are found

2000 is a small year (4%)

2001 4% again and the reel found is mark with an X

Numbers are engraved on the foot, which is attached with two screws into the frame so, it is possible that production could use old feet and, Orvis and owners, replaced or exchanged feet. This disclosure does not cover all the discrepancies I found with my interpretation. They are highlighted in red. I don’t know how to copy an excel sheet here so, I made an image, please see below

I want to keep researching with people and details involve with the Odyssey, all info you can provide will be welcome. And would like to increase the data so, if you own an Odyssey reel, please provide Serial number, Model and if it is a (+) or not. It will be nice to know as well, the version on the inside for the non+ ones.

If you have more information or a better interpretation of the code, will be great to hear it.

Scanned pages of Orvis catalogs were the Odyssey appeared and owner ́s manuals will be very appreciated. The only ones I have are: Orvis catalogue 2002, owner ́s manual for the Odyssey+, and owner ́s manual for the Rollers/Plungers/springs Models III & IV.