Respect your elders - Vintage Garcia-Mitchell 440 and Shakespeare 2210

In this episode, Willie takes a couple of recently rescued, repaired, and vintage open face spinning reels (found in a garage in Virginia Beach, Va. where they've sat for over 20+ years) out to a local neighborhood pond to see if they still have what it takes to bring them in. Will they catch fish? Can they hold together? Are the fish biting? Stay tuned...same fishing channel, same fishing station!!!

[@DavidWiggs]

Good new opening.

[@dantejaiudijr-gk9st]

I have nice collection of Mitchell reels and I have my original reel from my younger days. Without a doubt, Mitchell reels were built to last. Great video!🧐🌲👍

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

Hey there!! Yes indeed, I’ve owned “a lot” of Mitchell reels. They were dependable yet easy to fix if needed, and everyone sold them so you could always find one😂. Thanks for watching!! Willie

[@reaperhunter7297]

Doowacky is definitely the right term for it lol

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

😂 As long as it was understood, it has to be right. 😂😂

[@soundsofexpressions3720]

You are absolutely hilarious, awesome video man, just picked my self up a Shakespeare 2210 and rod for 5 bucks can't wait to use it.

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

Hey there!! Thank you so much!! When I hear myself during the editing process, say something “funny”🙄… I almost want to edit it out lol, but my son (who is my editor) always says, “Nah, that’s funny Dad, I’d leave it in”… so I listen to him. My mouth has a mind of its own. I never know what I’m gonna say, there’s no script here at Wanna Go Fishin’… 🤪 This video had a few mechanical difficulties but luckily, I was able to overcome with just a Leatherman. Shakespeare equipment from that time frame was simple but effective but they all kinda where then. If you can get past the constant clicking and having to use the crank to set the bail, they’re fun to use. I just enjoy fixing them back up and putting them back out there to fish again. I wish you good luck with yours and I hope your purchase proves to be worthwhile, please let me know how it goes!! I’d truly love to hear about how it worked for you. Thanks for watching and commenting it means a lot!! Fling away!! Willie

[@soundsofexpressions3720]

@@TheGraytOutdoorsI'll definitely get back to you on how it goes, hoping to land some nice fish on the little red this coming weekend

[@soundsofexpressions3720]

@@TheGraytOutdoors Well I took it out and I also had a problem with the bail, however my problem is the exact opposite of the one you had, mine wouldn't stay open when I went to cast it, other than that it felt good, the line that came on it seems a bit too heavy that's an easy fix, I just hope I can fix the bail.

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

@@soundsofexpressions3720 That’s a common problem with those style reels. Usually they’ll stay clicked into place just long enough to begin the cast and right when you swing forward the bail unlocks and you end up breaking line or the lure/sinker comes back at you 100mph lol. Gotta have good reflexes. It’s usually due to a “weak spring” holding the lever into the grove of the bail. Under the screw that I had to tighten when I made my repair by the lake. Matt’s reel repair Eagle Rock Wisconsin. That’s who I use when I need parts. There’s quite a few reels out there, different company’s but same basic principle and design. Most all of them suffer from that same issue.

[@recoverybassintv4562]

Good stuff, I like those older reels

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

Thanks!! Makes fishing a little more of a challenge but well worth it in the end. Thanks for watching!!

[@recoverybassintv4562]

@@TheGraytOutdoors anytime I have a channel too if you feel like checking it out

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

Awesome!! I certainly will!!

[@MrKwiggs66]

I have two comments and one critique. First comment, you need to use more atverbs in your commentary ;) second is more of a suggestion, might try a loaf of bread for bait (Mr. Love could probably help you find some) and the critique...I couldn’t see the screw that you adjusted. Humph. Love the channel!

[@user-ve6qs5ry2i]

Hello Willie, Please show you working on that Bail.

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

Well Ed, that reel is now in Minnesota but I did fix the bail on the side of the bank with nothing more than a Leatherman multi-tool.. after that, it worked great!! Dan Selvig, another fellow KZbinr and good friend, owns it.

[@David-yn4cs]

I had that Mitchell when I was a kid, it was brand new and the latest 'hi-tech' cool reel! The idea of the auto bail arm is that you don't need to grab the line with your finger. Instead you press the bail arm in (with the same finger that would otherwise hold the line) and hold it in, then release the bail arm during the cast by simply taking your finger off it, thus releasing the line. It works very well so I'm not sure why the design didn't catch on. I guess holding the line with your finger isn't a big deal, not a problem requiring a solution.

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

Haha, the answer to a question no one asked, lol. 😄 It’s a very cool reel, my guess is too many moving parts. Who really knows. For example, I love the Johnson Century 100. Extremely cool reel and I can’t understand how it didn’t manage to keep on going but it didn’t for whatever the reason. So I buy everyone I can find 😂. Thanks for watching and commenting, it means a lot!!

[@David-yn4cs]

@@TheGraytOutdoors Yeah that Johnson looks great and I would love to try one though the closed spool reels never really caught on in the UK, and it looks a bit weird to us when you seem to be holding the rod upside down lol :-) Going back to the Mitchell the overall design was intended for speed in match fishing, I don't know if you have the same thing in the US. Entrants are assigned to pegs marked out along the river or lake, there is a starting bell and a closing bell. During that time the objective is to catch the highest total weight of fish, so speed is of the utmost importance. The 440A had the auto bail arm for faster casting, also facilitating one handed casting so you could be doing something else with your left hand, and the 6:1 ratio was exceptional at the time, and made for faster line retrieval, therefore maximising the time your bait is in the water, hence the "Match" designation. Apologies, I didn't mean to write an essay but I really do love that reel :-). I suspect you are correct regarding moving parts and I have enjoyed your videos. Keep up the good work!

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

@@David-yn4cs Wow, you are truly a wealth of knowledge on that reel. I “truly” appreciate all the information you’ve bestowed on me about it. Sounds like a video dedicated to its past needs to be done. When I bought that reel from the gentleman that owned it, he said, he had bought it for his wife to use because of it’s “user friendly” functionality. It was only used a few times and then placed back in its box. Used a couple more times at some point then again, placed in a drawer to never be seen again until I found it. Being a curious sort, when it comes to “reels” I couldn’t resist it. I wasn’t aware of it’s history. We don’t have “those types” of competitions here that I’m aware of but I’m not “aware” of many things 😂. Please go to my Instagram, where you can message me. I honestly would very much enjoy hearing more about the reel. You know and love it so much that I would hope you have one of your own. Again, please @wannagofishin on Instagram. What part of the UK do you reside? Thanks again!! Willie

[@raymondthompson1476]

The Mitchell Auto 30 tried the flip bail again. Not popular, but I have one and I love it.

[@outdooropaholger9998]

If you want a proper explanation of the use of the Mitchell 330/440/540/840 One-touch-o-matic/Lightning Cast, see the videos of Mark Wintle, an English match fisherman. He still uses the 440s, as do I. He explains pretty all of the features of that thing and what he'd want on a modern version of it. And you can use it in the winter with gloves on. P.S. the system is very delicate, people who are not common with the Function will easyly destroy it. If Your bail arm has not been cut yet by the line, you are very lucky, as most of them have. The later "A" versions have an improved bail with line "roller". P.P.S If you want a really strange reel, look for a "Crack Contact 400"

[@DavidWiggs]

I like the on-site repair. And I have wondered if anyone ever came up while you were talking to yourself- you’d never know cuz they would just sneak away fearing for their life. Signed. ReBob. Ps: what pond is that ?

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

Kiln creek! 🤫

[@jimamccracken5783]

I have my Dads Mitchell 441 Highspeed that bail latch is great. And I am getting ready to put line on my 441 what size do youthink would work best? Hey Jackson I am in West Viginia also god luck on fishing. 😄

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

The 441 just like the 440 is awesome reel, very unique. It’s pretty big so what matters is, what are you gonna try to catch with it. Myself, I wouldn’t use anything less then 10lb line on it but again, what matters is what are you trying to catch. It’s an incredibly fun reel to fish with!! Thanks for watching and commenting!! Willie

[@bigal1419]

Thanks for vid, which reel did you like better?

[@TheGraytOutdoors]

Hey there, I really did like using the 440, just because it was so unique. All of those reels have a learning curve simply because of how we’ve become so use to the new technology in fishing reels today. Having to physically turn the crank to unlatch the bail is just craziness!! Haha… So, the 440 with its quick release bail was really fun… I have actually been thinking about using that reel again, just it by itself… might be fun.🤔 Thanks for asking!!

[@bigal1419]

@@TheGraytOutdoors awesome, I have a 330 and will give it a spin soon!