Mitchell Reel Forum

Steve,

Welcome to the Mitchell Reel Museum!
The serial number on your reel would date a Mitchell 300 reel to circa 1953. We can probably tell you more about it if you can post some decent photos of it.
Kind Regards,
Bill

Sandman,
Quick question: I noticed that there is no thumb/finger flip button like the Mitchell 300 1/2 bail reels have and am curious as to whether this one is missing or did the 302 model not come with one?
Kind Regards,
Bill

Gramhamwin, We can give you a better evaluation with more and better photos. I suggest you first remove the spool spindle which is still on the reel (in the photo) by pressing the button in the center of the spindle axle. If it does not move, try putting a few drops of penetrating oil on it and see ...

fishabout, Kim,
Nice reels. I had to take a few minutes and study the photo's to try and understand everything.
:text-coolphotos:

Thanks for sharing these.
Kind Regards,
Bill

Ted,
Thanks for the link. :text-goodpost:

All I can say is WOW!

Noticed the bids increased by 2 while I was looking at it.

I bet that reel sells for over $1000.

Any other guesses?? :text-lol:

Kind Regards,
Bill

Don H., I agree with Ted that the high speed labeled hub handles were not for the Mitchell 300 models. At the time 6th version reels were in production (1958 - 1967) Garcia Mitchell offered three handles. (Note: During the time of this reel, Garcia Mitchell referred to reels for right handed people ...

Grahamwin,
Your reel dates to circa 1954 and that would make it a 4th version.
Kind Regards,
Bill

Glen,
Perhaps this table might help. 1974 Garcia Fishing Annual

: 1974 Mitchell Reels Specs-edited.jpg (318.35 KiB) Viewed 2003 times

Kind Regards,
Bill

Mates, Here is an illustration I posted a while ago that shows the various parts of a Mitchell 300 and gives the names of each part. (Scroll down to bottom illustration for gears) :banana-wrench: https://mitchellreelmuseum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=76&p=592&sid=845962b7c676ceda2bf822...

Grahamwin, Welcome to the Mitchell Reel Museum. :text-welcomeconfetti: I feel the answer to your question is a matter of personal preference. As you may know we here at the MRM believe that there were eight, possibly nine versions of the classic Mitchell 300 as described by Wallace Carney, and wonde...

giaguaro, Welcome to the Mitchell Reel Museum :text-welcomeconfetti: Thank you for posting the photos. I suspect the number on your reel is actually S.4.03. and that would date it to circa 1987. Notice that your reel is marked "Made In France" which helps to confirm that date due to Mitche...

Schrack, You may have noticed a sort of brass colored insert where the drive gear axle goes into the cover plate. That is an oilite bushing or bearing. Sometimes the oilite bearing would stick up a little above the inner surface of the cover plate. Generally speaking, in this case, no shim was neede...

Hi Nobby,
OK I give up, what is wrong with it?
Kind Regards,
Bill

John, A very interesting and informative post. I am really looking forward to seeing the rest of them. :text-goodpost: Regarding the first three, sales brochures from 1980-1982. A very interesting time for the fishing reel world. I am quite curious as to who put out these brochures. Was it Abu-Garci...

To all Mitchell Mates,

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year to all!

Kind Regards,
Bill

Chris, I just love seeing your fantastic reel collection. :banana-dance: :text-bravo: :text-coolphotos: I think you have a very clever display for your dual reels and rods. The way you did it you can see the entire rod and reel by mounting the display high enough up to avoid any problems with the lo...

So I have not been on here for awhile... yet the other day I had some time & caught up on all the posts I had missed... I would also like to see a forum for the Conolon Rods at some point... it was a huge part of the Garcia legacy & in my opinion deserves it's own section on this site... Ma...

Ted, I agree if the letter prefix is an E then it's a 1975 and if it is an F then its a 1976. :text-bravo: JimT, :text-welcomewave: It can not be a correct 300A housing as they weren't made until 1977. How about a photo of the full side of the reel where the handle is found? :geek: Kind Regards, Bil...

Pratt2112,
Could you be a little more specific as far as what you do not understand?
Kind Regards,
Bill

Pratt2112,
If and when you decided to take the first one apart can we have a peek?

Kind Regards,
Bill

Long ago I started asking sellers to ensure the safety of the reel box/reel by shipping well packed inside a larger box. Some sellers take the request as an insult, but I think it's necessary. Some people just don't get it that either the boxes. or tubes are part of the deal. Ted [/size] Ted, I agr...

Sandman,

Love to see collections.
Kind Regards,
Bill

Pratt2112,
Could you please remove the spools and show us a photo of the baffle plates under the spools?
Kind Regards,
Bill

Mates,
Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Kind Regards,
Bill

Schrack,
Mitchell of France was long gone. Your reel not made by Mitchell Company but company using Mitchell name or brand. Only similarity to original Mitchell 300 is the name/brand which was sold after original company in France went out of business. Sorry you were fooled.
Kind Regards,
Bill

Sandman, Yes I remember the discussion regarding these spools back in 2018. I believe it was part of the Re: All things Garcia/Mitchell/CAP post that was so well received by everyone. Seems like we were not able to come to any conclusions but I do remember that these spools had unique spacers and pl...

Ted, Your photo perfectly illustrates several important facts regarding the early spools. :text-coolphotos: 1. Going from left to right, the first spool shell bottom shows a 2nd version spool pawl and attached spring. Also, as Ted has already pointed out, note that the spring arm on the left side of...

Ted,
I agree 100% with you, but. I think Wallace should weigh in on this and answer regarding the first version reel spools. What do you think?
Kind Regards,
Bill

Sandman,
Great post and one I will for sure be saving in my personal files.
Kind Regards,
Bill

Jerry, welcome to the MRM! :text-welcomewave: I'm not sure what you mean by the handle shaft bushing? :?: There really aren't any bushings on the handle shaft. If you mean the drive gear bushing which is on the cover plate then there is no way to replace it. That bushing or bushings depending on the...

Ted,
Thanks so much for all you do.

Kind Regards,
Bill

Rocky, Thanks so much for posting the photos!! :text-thankyouyellow: I don't think you will find your serial number on the bottom of your reel foot. :o In circa 1950 serial numbers were relocated from the bottom of the reel foot to the housing, on the upper portion of the side, opposite the handle. ...

rocks66ss wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 2:25 pm I don't mean to be dense but how do you go about uploading a picture?
Rocky

Rocky,
Just go here: Group Instructions News & Events,

and read this:
https://mitchellreelmuseum.com/forum/vi ... 33b69bae55
Kind Regards,
Bill

richie7799us, :text-welcomewave: It sounds like your spool is an older one. Back from the time when labor was not so expensive and screws were much preferred to modern assembly methods and fasteners. Why not post a few photos of it, there is lots to know about spools and what better place to find ou...

Rocky,

I agree with Ted in that we really need to see a photo of the reel. It would be most helpful if your photos show both sided of the complete reel.
Kind Regards,
Bill

Hello Trouts Fisher and welcome to the MRM! :text-welcomewave: :text-welcomeconfetti: :text-welcomewave: I do not have very much printed information. :( (I can also translate into French if that is helpful-just let me know.) Schematics, and for that matter any type of written material, is very scarc...

Allan,
There have been many posts on shims in the new MRM. I suggest you do a search for shims. Here is one I did a while back that might be of interest.

https://mitchellreelmuseum.com/forum/vi ... 50e06#p354
Kind Regards,
Bill

Jonn and Glen,
Thank you so much for your responses, they are quite interesting and informative.

Bit by bit, step by step we peel back the Mitchell mysteries.
Kind Regards,
Bill

John, Here is a November 1951 ad, by Charles Garcia & Co., Inc., from Field & Stream Magazine-pp. 90. It promotes the merits of spinning or spin fishing with a French made MITCHELL SPINNING REEL showing a Mitchell 300. Kind Regards, Bill :) 1951 Mitchell 300 ad field and stream-edited.jpg

John,
Are you still interested in additional participation from the Mates? I have others not shown if you are interested.
A quick question, how would you account for no advertisements from 1950?
Kind Regards,
Bill

Christian, Thank you for posting the previous 8 new images with dates. :text-thankyouyellow: I would really love to know: -What was the source for each image? (e.g.: Magazine Advertisement or Catalog) -Who was the publisher (distributor) for each image? (e.g.: Garcia, Browning, Mitchell Sports) Than...

Hello Bill Below are my answers 1) white painted spool on aluminum alloy - red seal 2) red seal, the only one I have with a black seal is a 301A garcia # H163? 04 bought from Ebay USA many years ago 3) aluminum alloy spool with red seal 4) M8 ?, I don't know how to number the reels or gears so I do...

John,
Interesting early advertisements. :text-coolphotos:

I have a copy of a 1949 ad from the old MRM.

: 300-1949 ad-half bail-close up.jpg (62.72 KiB) Viewed 14703 times

Kind Regards,
Bill

Christian, Thank you so much for your post. :text-coolphotos: :text-goodpost: Your post reminds me of an important lesson I have learned and that is that it is not safe to assume that all Mitchell reels were the same that were sold in different country's. Of course, your wonderful photo evokes many ...

Hello Ken, :text-welcomeconfetti:

Welcome to the new MRM!! I hope you find a new home here.
Kind Regards,
Bill

Wallace, Great to hear from you. Thanks so much for these additional images. They are of immense help to me in my study of the 300A reels. Would you agree that it is somewhat curious that Mitchell Sports provided almost no advertisements for the 300A reels here in the U.S.? Perhaps I have overlooked...

Hello Bill, I had not seen this discussion, at the time it started I was on vacation at the sea. I have two reels that you might be interested in, a garcia 300 and a garcia 300A made 30 days apart. The first has the SN G234408 (08/22/1977) and the second G2645209 (09/21/1977). So one of the last 30...

Fishabout, Thanks for posting more photos. :text-thankyouyellow: Your reel has the smaller, raised, through-hole reinforcements for the slide guide screws. These later went back to more flattened and thinner reinforcements as Wallace has shown us in his book. I am unable to tell from the photo of th...

Chris, Another stellar post which is of a great service to the collecting community. The combination of great photos (as usual) and insightful text (as always) create a post worthy of a special place at the MRM. Thanks Again. :text-coolphotos: :text-bravo: :text-goodpost: :text-thankyouyellow: :bana...

Christian,
Wonderful images and quite informative as well. I know I have never seen anything like these before and we are so fortunate to be able to see them.
:text-coolphotos:

Kind Regards,
Bill

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