Fishin' reels

[Jim Bow]

I haven't fished since I was 12, but I'm picking up interest.

Last weekend I found two Pflueger aluminum (I think) reels.
This one is stamped "Pflueger Taxie" with a bulldog logo.
Here's the back of the Taxie.

This is marked "Pflueger Captain" with no logo.

Here's the back of the Captain.

I don't know Jack about fishing reels and I thought these were fly reels.
The Taxie has it's mount on the bottom and the Captain mounts on the side.
The Captain also has steel wire where the fishing line should be. What kind of fishing do you do with steel wire?

What are they? Any maintenance or cleaning tips you can pass on?

[Stiletto]

A steel wire trace is often used here when catching sharks and other strong sharp toothed fish.

From your pictures I thought they were old trout reels, but I have no idea of their size.

Pfleuger is a reputable brand.

[Donn]

They're both dedicated wire trolling reels. Trolling with wire line enables you to get a lure deep without letting out as much line as other types of line, because the smaller diameter wire has much less resistance in the water and much more weight.

[Todd Bradshaw]

Hunt up a Pflueger "Pakron" on eBay and you'll see what was one of their more popular trolling reels. Another advantage of the wire line is lack of stretch compared to braided trolling line. When you have a lure that's running at 100' down (like mid summer lake trout fishing) line stretch really dulls your ability to feel what's going on down there. A strike and active fish feels like a dull pull or snag until you get them up within 25-30' of the surface. Wire line can be kind of obnoxious to use, but helps make it feel more like fishing if you aren't using downriggers.

[fishrswim]

If you're looking for inexpensive fly reels for trout or pan fish, try a Pfluger 1494. That reel has been around forever. I still have the one I bought in the PX in Newfoundland in 1965 for $11. It's a good solid trout reel. I just packed it up today for tomorrows trip to Idaho. I've even used it in salt water and just washed it in fresh water removed the spool and let it air dry.

Of course you can spend hundreds on fly reels, but for trout, you don't need an expensive reel with disc drag and all the other bells and whistles. Scientific anglers has a line that's a little more expensive, has a better drag and is made out of graphite so it's lighter, and impervious to moisture and salt.

Whatever you do, do NOT buy an "automatic" fly reel.

Look up your local fly fishing club if that's the kind of fishing you're interested in. You'll learn more in a year than you'll learn on your own in 10.