Mitchell Reel Forum

What year did the 1St MPU come out for the 306 and 302?

rlw, I show 1970 for the 302 and 1972 for the 306. These were the first PUM production years of these models. Not many of each were made. The PUM part may have been available for conversion earlier.

Sandman

Sandman wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:52 pm rlw, I show 1970 for the 302 and 1972 for the 306. These were the first PUM production years of these models. Not many of each were made. The PUM part may have been available for conversion earlier. Sandman

Hello Sandman, In checking my files I see the 302 first came out in 1954 for both the part and the reels sold as PUMs. I don't have any ads for the 306 PUM but the part was first available in 1964. Hope this helps, Wallace

I KNOW THE FIRST PUM CAME OUT A BALL BERING ROLLER.LATER THEY WENT TO A SLEVE TYPE ROLLER. YHEY WERE PRETTY COOL CAUSE IF YOU WERE FISHING AND YOUR BAIL SPRING BROKE YOU COULD SWITCH THEM OUT AND KEEP FISHING!!!

Thanks Wallace, I knew when I was writing those years for the PUM it didn't seem correct because I thought I had seen them advertised earlier, but my records didn't indicate that....apparently my PUM records aren't very accurate...thanks for the correction.

Sandman

Hi Sandman, Here's the ad you're missing for your records:



Kind Regards,
Wallace

Thanks Wallace, I did not have that advert...I noticed is says it is easily convertible to a manual pick up. Does this mean it came with a full bale and an additional PUM part, or it was available to purchase with the PUM attached and no full bale? I read it as it came with with a full bale and the PUM part you could purchase separately.. Not a big deal, just curious.

Sandman

Sandman, It either came with a full bail for $37.50 or a Mitchell 302 PUM left or right handed for $34.50. Extremely rare,,, I've only seen one with PUM sticker on the box. Hope this helps. Kind Regards, Wallace

Thanks Wallace...interesting....it does seem like I've seen one somewhere, maybe once.....rare indeed

Sandman

Hey Mates,

I always like to source material as much as possible. Reasons for that include being able to view/collect the original and to better understand its context (for example, magazine ad, poster, consumer catalog, or trade material).

The pages 6 & 7, Wallace posted above, come from the 1955 Garcia Balanced Spinning Tackle Catalog, which likely would have been available to fishers in late 1954 (maybe November?).

John

Hey Mates,

The earliest I could find the Manual Pick-Up Attachment being cataloged is pg 60 of The Spin Fisherman Magazine (published quarterly by Charles Garcia) that included a copy of what is viewed as the 1954 Garcia Catalog. [In case anyone is wondering about the Atlantis and Spinette, they were made by Plate (Germany).]

John

Nice work John! The reel didn't come out much before then. Maybe one year.

Sandman

Hello Mitchell Mates,

1st off: I have split the Dennis Roberts topic into two different subjects namely Dennis Roberts Books and then when we got off on talking about PUMs, the second half of the split is as you can see: Early Mitchell PUMs!

2nd off: We can't talk about early Mitchell PUMs without exposing my most desired part. Mitchell came out with a part to convert half bail reels to a PUM as you can see below:





The one shown is a very early 3rd version Mitchell Half Bail I converted to a PUM after finding the part in a grungy old box of Mitchell parts, some new but mostly old. When I first saw it I couldn't believe my eyes but here it is. A few years later I spotted a Mitchell 2nd version PUM intact (not shown). I now don't have the time or the energy to search for these and hope one of you does a daily search for what I believe to be the rarest most desirable part! Happy Hunting.

Best Regards, Wallace

Wallace,
Now that's a needle in a thousand hay stacks.

Regards,
Ted Lanham

Thanks Wallace. I believe that part is shown on the 2nd version pamphlet that came with the reels. Can't find the pamphlet right now. I've never come across one.

Sandman

Sandman wrote: ↑Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:59 pm Thanks Wallace. I believe that part is shown on the 2nd version pamphlet that came with the reels. Can't find the pamphlet right now. I've never come across one. Sandman

Hello Sandman, Here's the 300 Owner's Manual for a 2nd version reel you spoke of.






I also have the same manuals in French, Dutch and German but they show 3rd version reels with the same PUM as the above.

Regards,
Wallace

Yep, that’s it….and it’s not a half bail….it’s a heavy duty pick up arm…wonder where the term half bail came from…maybe another manufacturer?

Sandman

Sandman,

The terms half bail and full bail came out just when the full bail was introduced. The term "Bail" came from the full bail wire looking like the arm or handle of an old basket. Again, when the full bail became popular, the terms full bail and half bail became the proper "English" terms to identify which was which. Another term used for the half bail was "finger bail" cause it looked like a curved index finger. The PUM (pick-up manual) aka MP (manual pickup) became common terms used for all reels with this feature.

Sometimes I scare myself!

Regards,
Wallace

All that makes sense.

And heavy duty it was...not a dainty part...I can see where the term 'claw bail' came from...

Sandman

Hi Mates,

The earliest advertising for a 306 PUM (accessory) that I could find was from the 1963 Garcia Fishing Annual. That doesn't necessarily indicate that a Mitchell 306 was available as a PUM, but the accessory was available to convert it as such. Initially, I thought it was advertising a 305 PUM but those were never made and closer inspection proved it to be for the 306. Hope this helps.

Kind Regards,
Chris