Help Identifying unknown reels?

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reelfishin

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I happened upon two reels this week, one reads Thunder Bay LD30, and is about the size of a Daiwa Sealine 30H but with graphite sides and lever drag, it resembles an Okuma Catalina but is made from a solid billet, uses all US threaded stainless hardware, (a magnet wouldn't stick to any part in the reel), and uses 2 1/2" diameter 7 disc drag. It's a lever drag reel, not a casting reel and has two harness tabs on top. The ratio is 4.3:1
I at first bought it thinking it would be handy to have, not thinking it was anything worth much, but after opening this up and seeing the size of the internals, my opinion of it changed. The drag looks like it would stop a truck, the drag washer look a lot like the carbontex drags and are huge in size. The drag assembly is also built into an assembly retained by a circlip making assembly a breeze. If it's China built, its one of the best I've seen yet.

I've got one that reads Thunder Bay LD30, and another with no name, which is larger, just slightly smaller than a Penn 9/0 senator, that has only an LD80 badge on the left side. This reel has a much longer handle with two more handle positions, with the longest position making the handle long enough for Rock Cod use.
This reel reads 4.8:1 on the side.

I realize these are a bit large for catfishing, (the 30 size one would work for big blues), but I'm curious as to where they came from. Having at first just blown them off as cheap China import reels, I hadn't given them a second thought, but after taking a closer look, they look to be pretty decent. Far heavier than anything I've seen from the likes of Okuma, Tica, or any other offbrand reel. In hand, the 80 is about double the size of the 30. I doun't doubt their imports of some kind but by who and from where? Most odd brand reels usually turn out to be made by one of the larger brands, but I really don't see any particular similarities between these and any other known reel.

Has anyone else here seen or have any info on these? I found these in NJ, I am wondering if maybe they were more a regional sold reel?
A web search turned up nothing.
Here's a few pics, (the pics are large so I just posted them to the web, I wasn't sure how to downsize pics for here?)

LD30
http://i44.tinypic.com/29zar4.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/25rdqxc.jpg

LD80
http://i40.tinypic.com/90oxnb.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/2re4k0i.jpg
 
R

reelfishin

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Re: Help Identifying unknown reels?

I had contacted them and was told that they never sold any trolling reels, they're an importer or something, the email I got back was of concern that I had these.
I'm guessing their a rebranded reel made for someone in Asia, or made there, assembled here as with some Penn reels.
I just find it odd that I have two and there's no others to be seen. They admit that the smaller one is theirs, but the larger one has no label, and they don't offer one that large.
The part that surprised me was the huge drag washers, nearly 1/4" diameter spool shaft and billet maid frame. The spool, drag, and handle drive assembly is on par with the best reels, or better. I only wish the smaller one was a star drag reel. The high speed retrieve would be great for deep water bottom fishing.
Being a lever drag reel, plus a having the we clutch type drag, you don't get a true free spool. You will always have the drag discs spinning creating friction.
Even the small one looks like it could stop a truck. It's also pretty heavy, the 30 is nearly 2 lbs, and the 80 is over 5 lbs. Both are in near new condition, maybe never fished. They were so cheap, and being a bit of a tackle junky, I had to grab them. I just can't believe I have the only two in circulation.
 
CheapboatKev

CheapboatKev

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Re: Help Identifying unknown reels?

Any chance there is a US patent # anywhere?
Might be able to track em down that way..
If ya got a great deal and they can pull fish for ya..;)
But 5 LBS..Wow, thats up there with the big International's!
 
R

reelfishin

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Re: Help Identifying unknown reels?

The neither reel has any numbers or writing at all other than the screen printed logo on the LD30. The seat, body and all parts are void of any writing. Other than the plastic parts, everything looks custom made on a CNC machine.

The reels sort of resemble a Shimano graphite levelwind in design, but with a meaner drag and larger gears. Someone has to have set up to make these, the lever drag and side plates are molded graphite components, not something made as a one of part. Either their built from an existing reel and its components, or someone went to some real expense to make these.
I got another letter saying that the small reel is indeed their product, they won't say any more about it other than only a couple of salesman's samples were made and none were sold to the public. They didn't claim the larger reel, so that makes me think that it's an import that found it's way here by other means. I'm guessing it most likely uses another brands existing parts and someone just contracted the billet parts to be made. I just need to figure out who's parts they used or copied. By process of elimination, I can rule out any known Daiwa, Penn, or Okuma models, that leaves Shimano, which I have little experience with in the larger reels.

The larger reel is on par with any of that size trolling reel in that class, the reel's body is a bit heavier than the Penn Int. and I'm sure the brass drive plate on the right side outweighs Penn's machined aluminum right side housing.

I may never find a use for the larger one but it's looking like I may have the only ones of these out there, but I find that hard to believe.
My guess is that someone had a reel built or developed, then manufactured offshore in China or someplace, then when they didn't sell or hit the market, the factory went on to build and start selling them on their own? Somehow a couple made it to the US?
 
rolmops

rolmops

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Re: Help Identifying unknown reels?

I think that they are made in Dundas,Ontario Canada.Which is near Lake Ontario at the west end of the lake.they are salmon reels.
 
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reelfishin

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Re: Help Identifying unknown reels?

rolmops said:
I think that they are made in Dundas,Ontario Canada.Which is near Lake Ontario at the west end of the lake.they are salmon reels.
Click to expand...

How big are salmon reels?
These are 3/0 and 8/0 offshore type reels?
 
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