A Reel Fish Story A new

A Brief History of Baitcasting, Bass Fishing and the Kentucky Reel retails for $24.95 and can be purchased online at whitefishpress.com.

A Reel Fish Story

A new book traces the history of the iconic Kentucky Reel

ABrief History of Baitcasting, Bass Fishing and the Kentucky Reel details the early history of bass angling in the Commonwealth and the origin of the Kentucky Reel, America’s first multiplying fishing reel.

Co-authored by Kentucky Reel collector William Hinkebein and outdoors writer Art Lander, it’s a compelling story that has been overshadowed by the many sports and cultural traditions that Kentuckians are known for around the world such as distilling bourbon, the Kentucky Derby, Thoroughbred breeding and racing, college basketball, Bluegrass music and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Published by Whitefish Press in Cincinnati, the 142-page softcover book is richly illustrated with drawings, paintings and 109 highquality black-and-white photographs of some of the rarest Kentucky Reels.

Todd E.A. Larson, a fishing historian and publisher of Whitefish Press, edited the book and contributed some important historical details.

Part one of the book covers bass fishing and baitcasting in early Kentucky. Chapters detail the state’s bountiful waters and the life history of the black bass in central Kentucky streams. Three towns—Paris, Cynthiana and Frankfort, all located on high-quality streams—were the cradle of early fishing for food and sport, launched the state’s enduring bass-fishing culture, and led to the birth of the Kentucky Reel.

Early bass fishing in the state was in the form of stream fishing, casting with live bait, usually minnows seined from tributary creeks.

The term “baitcasting” became widely associated with the Kentucky Reel, a multiplying reel that was geared so that its spool rotated multiple times with each turn of the reel’s crank. This made it possible to cast a baited hook farther because the line flowed more freely off the reel’s spool.

Renowned reel maker Benjamin C. Milam, likely fishing with one of his creations.

James A. Henshall, the author of Book of the Black Bass (published in 1881), wrote that this style of fishing “constituted the pleasure and perfection of bass angling.”

Henshall described early bass fishing tackle and techniques in his classic book and provided insight into how the Kentucky Reel became world famous. To the affluent, land-holding upper class, influential businessmen, civic leaders and politicians who owned Kentucky Reels, they became treasured heirlooms.

Some early distillers had ties to the early makers of Kentucky Reels. Frank Stagg, the son of famed distiller George T. Stagg, married Ann Milam Keenon, the granddaughter of renowned Kentucky Reel maker Benjamin C. Milam. The younger Stagg, who was the financial director of Stagg’s O.F.C. Distillery, fished with a reel passed down in his family for generations. That reel eventually became part of the collection at the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort.

The second part of A Brief History of Baitcasting, Bass Fishing and the Kentucky Reel features biographies of the reel makers and details about their reels.

Kentucky Reels were made by individuals and families in six counties in central Kentucky— THE CRAFTSMEN

The Kentucky Reel makers and the dates that they worked, as can best be determined, are:

George W. Snyder and Family (1810-1848) Jonathan F. & Benjamin F. Meek (1834-1852) Meek & Milam (1852-1882) Benjamin C. Milam (1880-1904) Benjamin C. Milam & Son (1880-1928) J.W. Hardman (1843-1845) James L. Sage (1848-1900) T. Dalton (circa 1870s) Benjamin F. Meek (1883-1892) Benjamin F. Meek & Sons (1892-1898) Benjamin F. Meek & Sons and Blue Grass Reels (1899-1916) Sylvanus Meek (1886-1910) James J. Deally (1892-1901) Granville E. Medley (1892-1915) Frank Fullilove (1905-1910) George W. Gayle & Son (1882-1948)

MEET THE AUTHORS

Reel collectors, anglers and history buffs can meet William Hinkebein (above right) and Art Lander (left) and obtain signed copies of A Brief History of Baitcasting, Bass Fishing and the Kentucky Reel at these events:

SEPT. 22, 5-7 P.M. Liberty Hall, 202 Wilkinson Street, Frankfort Enjoy an evening by the Kentucky River, where the story of the Kentucky Reel began. The $30 admission includes hors d’oeurves, a drink ticket and a signed copy of the book. To purchase tickets, visit libertyhall.org.

SEPT. 28, 7 P.M. Frazier History Museum, 829 West Main Street, Louisville

This event features bourbon tastings of Stagg Jr., Blanton’s and E.H. Taylor and a signed copy of the book. For more information, go to fraziermuseum.org.

OCT. 29

Kentucky Book Festival, JosephBeth Booksellers, 161 Lexington Green Circle, Lexington Admission is free. Find out more about the event at kyhumanities.org/programs/ kentucky-book-festival. Bourbon, Fayette, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln and Owen—and in Christian County. The first Kentucky Reel was made by George W. Snyder around 1810 in Paris, and the last was by Clarence Gayle, who crafted reels in Frankfort until 1948.

Kentucky Reels were handcrafted, produced before the introduction of interchangeable parts, so each reel was unique. While reels were constructed to a set of specifications, no two had the same exact dimensions.

It has been suggested that the reel spool arbor (bar) was made first, and that determined the length of the pillars that connected the head plate to the tail plate, creating the frame of the reel.

Reels were assembled one at a time but not necessarily in the order of their serial numbers, since head caps or tail plates, where the serial numbers were stamped, would be made in batches and stored until needed. Because the threads of screws varied, the screws were numbered and could be placed only into the corresponding tapped holes.

Kentucky Reels were made by first-class artisans competent in precision engineering and machining, men skilled in trades that made them familiar with fabricating small parts from steel, iron and the alloys of other metals that were used to make the reels. These would include gunsmiths, watchmakers, jewelers, locksmiths and silversmiths.

The precision workmanship and beauty of Kentucky Reels were admired in their time, and they have captivated many people through the display of collections carefully curated over decades into the 21st century. Q

Antique Fishing Tackle Show Join the country’s most knowledgeable collectors of antique fishing reels for a show at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort on Sept. 21-24, presented by the Old Reel Collectors Association (ORCA). Attendees will get to see historic reels and fishing tackle, with many items dating to the 1800s, and they can bring their own antique tackle to have it appraised at no charge. Guests interested in selling their antique fishing tackle can participate in the ORCA Auction. Open only to ORCA members, the auction is attended by many of the country’s top collectors. For more information, call Ron Gast at 407.496.7940.