References

This references page tells you where specific information in these guides comes from and how to locate the original sources for follow‑up. To see which documents were used for a particular reel, check the References section at the end of that reel’s overview and service guide.

Schematics and manuals are the most important documents for service procedures so all known manuals and schematics are listed here in one of two ways:

Some entries provide direct links to schematics or the documents containing them; these are typically documents owned and scanned by Vintage Reel Service Guides, or documents from open-source archives.
Some entries provide links to other sites or archives. Some of these sites, for example, [The Old Reel Collector's Association]((https://www.orcaonline.org/), charge non-members a nominal fee for downloading manuals and schematics per document; members can download documents free. ORCA provides valuable services to the entire vintage reel enthusiast community and the fees go toward supporting these services.

Other documents listed here, like books and articles, are less directly important for service procedures but provide background information that will be of interest to the vintage reel enthusiast. Some provide information about field use, like how to create balanced tackle outfits, how to cast effectively, and how to fish using specific methods like trolling.

The annotations provide brief summaries of why each source is useful to the vintage reel enthusiast.

These bibliography entries loosely follow a combination of the Chicago Manual of Style and the Council of Science Editors.

For repository pages references are briefly cited as follows:

For books and articles: [Author last name], “[Title]”
Examples:
- Shakespeare, Secrets of Successful Fishing.
- Miller, "The Pflueger Nobby – A Few Surprises."
For manuals / inserts with no named author: [Company name], *[Title]*
Example: Penn Fishing Tackle Mfg. Co., Instruction Manual Spinfisher 720, et al.
Optionally, the year in parentheses if needed to differentiate between similar sources.

Books

Cleaning, Restoring, and Repairing Antique Fishing Reels. 4th ed., Old Reel Collectors Association, (2024).

A collection of articles from The Reel News, including articles on assessing and grading antique reels, restoration and cleaning, materials and finishes.

Cacioppo, Michael. "Servicing a Penn Spinfisher 710 Spinning Reel," in Cleaning, Restoring, and Repairing Antique Fishing Reels. 4th ed., Old Reel Collectors Association, (2024).

Illustrated procedure, cover disassembly and reassembly. Some of the information can be generalized to the other reels in the Penn Spinfishers series, provides a good starting point to work out specific procedures for other similar reels.

Shakespeare, Henry. Secrets of Successful Fishing. Dell Publishing Co., 1962.

Comprehensive field guide to all types of fishing from a mid-century American perspective. Describes all types of reels, rods, lines, terminal tackle, lures, how to create balanced tackle outfits, and fishing methods. Includs many diagrams showing how to cast, where to locate fish, and various types of lures.

Manuals and box inserts

Manuals for vintage reels often took the form of small box inserts. If a box insert is literally titled "manual," that is how it will be listed here. If not, it will be listed simply as a box insert.

The Enterprise Mfg. Co. Facts You'll Want to Know about the New Pflueger Pelican Spinning Reel. Box insert, n.d. (https://www.orcaonline.org/product-category/orca-library/reel-schematics/).

Instructions for installing line, mechanical description, instructions on usage, knots, schematics, and parts lists for Pflueger Pelican models 1020, 1020A, and 1021. Also includes images and descriptions of available lures.

Penn Fishing Tackle Mfg. Co. How to Enjoy Your Penn Spinfisher #700 Spinning Reel. Box insert for Penn Spinfisher reels, June 1963.

General notes on the entire 700 series of reels.

Penn Fishing Tackle Mfg. Co. Instruction Manual Spinfisher 720, et al. Box insert for Penn Spinfisher series, n.d. (https://www.orcaonline.org/product-category/orca-library/reel-schematics/).

Line selection, capacity, schematics, parts lists, usage instructions, recommended balanced tackle outfits, and cleaning and lubricating instructions for all reels in the Spinfisher series. Schematics and parts lists highlight parts interchangeability across models.

The Enterprise Manufacturing Co. Pflueger Free Spool Nobby No. 1965. Instruction manual, n.d. (https://www.orcaonline.org).

Schematic, parts list, line capacity, and lubrication instructions for the Pflueger Nobby model no. 1965. Located in the member library section of the site.

The Pfluegers. Pflueger Nobby Level Wind Fishing Reel. Box insert, n.d. (https://www.orcaonline.org/product-category/orca-library/reel-schematics/).

Schematic, parts list, line capacity, cleaning and lubricating instructions, and mechanical description for the Pflueger Nobby no. 1963.

Catalogs

Manufacturer catalogs were variously aimed at consumers, both as full-size and "pocket" versions, and tradespeople. These are rich sources of images and information on not only the reels but other tackle (rods, lures, terminal tackle), fishing practices of that era, and historic information on the manufacturers.

The Enterprise Manufacturing Co. Fishing with Pflueger. Catalog, 1955. (https://www.orcaonline.org).

Consumer catalog for 1955, includes all types of reels and lures.

The Enterprise Manufacturing Co. Pflueger Fishing Tackle. Catalog, 1964. (https://www.orcaonline.org).

Trade catalog for 1964, includes all types of reels.

The Enterprise Manufacturing Co. Pflueger Fishing Tackle Trade Catalog 57. Catalog, 1937. (https://www.orcaonline.org).

Trade catalog for 1937, includes all types of reels, repair parts, and accessories.

The Enterprise Manufacturing Co. Pflueger Trade Catalog 95. Catalog, 1959. (https://www.orcaonline.org).

Trade catalog for 1959, includes images and descriptions of all types of reels and accessories.

The Enterprise Manufacturing Co. Pflueger Level Wind Reels. Catalog, 1938. (https://www.orcaonline.org).

Pocket catalog for 1938, images and descriptions of level-wind baitcasting reels.

The Enterprise Manufacturing Co. Pocket Catalog No. 155. Catalog, 1935. (https://www.orcaonline.org).

Pocket catalog for 1935, includes history of the company, pictures of anglers and fish caught on Pflueger tackle, descriptions of game fish species, how-to guides for angling knots, casting methods, fishing methods, tackle specs, illustrated descriptions of their rods, lines, lures, terminal tackle.

Miller, Bob. "The Pflueger Nobby - A Few Surpises." The Reel News 13, no. 3 (2003): 10-12. (https://www.orcaonline.org/the-reel-news-index-online-full/).

A brief historical overview of the various models of the Pflueger Nobby baitcasting reel. Discusses the naming, production dates, amd mechanical details for all the models in the series. Includes illustrations.

Patents

Goldberg, Jacob M., inventor. Fishing Reel. United States patent US 2,571,440. 1951 Oct 16.

Describes the mechanics and operation of the reel marketed as the Magic Fishing Reel, includes schematics.

Dictionaries and other general references

Webster's New Twentieth Century Dicitonary, unabridged, 2nd ed. Edited by Jean L. McKechnie, et. al. 1983. Simon & Schuster. Prentice Hall Press, NY.