Thursday, July 2, 2009

Thursday Review: ORCA's Reel News (July 2009)

Thursday Review: ORCA's Reel News (July 2009)

The mailman brought a welcome treat the other day in the form of The Reel News for July 2009. As the ORCA Nationals in Dania Beach, Florida were still fresh in my mind, it was wonderful to revisit the extensive coverage of the show in the pages of this issue.


What a neat issue, especially for those who weren't able to attend! A number of articles filled readers in on what they missed; "A Great ORCA Show in Florida," for example, covered covered the highlights of our great visit to the IGFA, while "Big Fish, Casting Champs, and Cool Displays" detailed the winners of the fishing tournament, casting competition, and Stu Lawson Ugly Reel Toss. "Billinghurst, Pflueger Focus of ORCA Seminars" covered well the two great presentations by Jim Schottenham and Craig "the Pflueger Professor" Barber. Finally, a nice photo essay by Dave Keyeck entitled "ORCA Anglers Reel 'Em" finished up the coverage.

There were regular features as well. Jim Schottenham's always anticipated "Auction Report" outlined many great reels I always seem to miss on eBay. Stu Lawson opined on "Writing A Price Guide" where he released news of his forthcoming updated edition of Lawson's Price Guide to Old Fishing Reels.

Bob Miller wrote on some Pflueger oddities in his "A Few Unusual Pflueger Reels," which covered some truly strange and rare Enterprise reels. Col. Milton Lorenz offered up "The Reel Fix" for the popular Zebco 171.

My own offerings for this issue were "Toy Reels: The Fishing Tackle of F.A.O. Schwarz," which covered the virtually forgotten phase in the famed toymaker's history when they sold high quality fishing tackle. I was fortunate enough to get information on a rare prototype fly reel, which I wrote up as "Harry Wilson's Prototype PowR-Ply Reel." What a neat story and great reel this is.

The ORCA Board also announced that 2010 Nationals would be held near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I can't wait to go!

All in all another great issue. The Reel News is edited by Richard Lodge.

-- Dr. Todd

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