Mitchell match 440A

Just after a bit of information on this reel. It's in superb condition, and feels very nice, I particularly like the auto bail arm. However, how useful is it in practice? My thought is that it must be a quick and easy trotting device, but surely upon trapping the line an striking, you are going to bounce fish off when winding the bail arm back?

Or am I barking up the wrong tree....what was the main purpose / history of this reel?

I'm sure there's and expert out there who can help....




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Not sure if it's of any help but I've owned and used 440s for about thirty five years. Never had any problems with them and one soon gets used to the bail arm.

I still think the original 440 in its cobalt blue colour is one of the nicest looking reels out there. I think I'd go as far as to say it's the E-Type Jaguar of the reel world.

Yes, I had a pair of blue 440s back in the 1970's and loved them to bits.

The quirky bail arm is fine in practice. There was a brand new never used example on ebay last week and although the auction had not finished, it was at £92!

35 years is certainly experienced enough!

Once you've struck and hit a fish, with finger touch holding the line against the spool, it takes quite a turn of the handle to snap the bail shut, which ends up moving your finger away. This looks like you would get a moment where the line goes slightly slack.

Is there a way of snapping the bail arm shut otherwise?

Or was the reel not designed for trotting?

I agree, looks wise it's stunning


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---------- Post added at 01:05 ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 ----------

Cheers terry, Didn't realise they fetched that much! I've just purchased this from someone I know for £25!


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I had one of these, there are better reels for trotting, so I would suggest it's not a trotting reel!

I still have one - the slightly older model in blue without the Mitchell and 440A decals, I don't think that it has the plastic knob on the handle either.

I took it out of retirement a few years ago and used it for a while, it was fine to use and apart from the odd moment where the line got caught in the finger dab bail arm it was, well, a fishing reel..

Back in the day C1970's it was either own one of these or an ABU but to a kid in the 70's ABU CF reels were science fiction. No such things as tackle tests we just went fishing - trotting, trotting, and more trotting - occasionally giving up the will to live and ledgering for a while, yep the Mitchell Match did it all. Plus there was a photo of Ivan Marks using one (I think it was the uncropped picture on the front of the recent book about him) - I was sold.

It evolved from the 1950s Otomatic or 330 which had the same slow speed 3.5:1 gear ratio but the automatic bale. It was a spinning reel but its qualities of good line lay meant the 300 was adopted by float anglers once the full bale came in from about 1954. In the 60s the 440 came about which had the fast retrieve of the 410 - 5:1 - plus the auto bale but also the torpedo handle; very rare in the UK. The final step was the Match which had 'Match' on it and the twist handle of the 300 although slightly longer handle than a 300, that was about 1968/9.

It was the ultimate match reel in the 70s though West Midlands anglers preferred the ABU 506 despite its poor line lay. A practised match angler could outfish just about any other with other reels and the knack of not losing line when tripping the bale is one that takes practice. The ultimate stick and waggler float reel bar none.

Original Matches are midnight blue that became the blue metallic of the 440A around about the late 70s which have a bale roller whereas the original bale didn't have this. Late Matches from about 1986 are usually black and not made in France, and poorer quality. There was an 840 around about 1981 which is 6:1 and a dark chocolate colour but many struggled to use them as very prone to tangles.

Very useful and informative, appreciated.


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Mark Wintle said:

It evolved from the 1950s Otomatic or 330 which had the same slow speed 3.5:1 gear ratio but the automatic bale. It was a spinning reel but its qualities of good line lay meant the 300 was adopted by float anglers once the full bale came in from about 1954. In the 60s the 440 came about which had the fast retrieve of the 410 - 5:1 - plus the auto bale but also the torpedo handle; very rare in the UK. The final step was the Match which had 'Match' on it and the twist handle of the 300 although slightly longer handle than a 300, that was about 1968/9.

It was the ultimate match reel in the 70s though West Midlands anglers preferred the ABU 506 despite its poor line lay. A practised match angler could outfish just about any other with other reels and the knack of not losing line when tripping the bale is one that takes practice. The ultimate stick and waggler float reel bar none.

Original Matches are midnight blue that became the blue metallic of the 440A around about the late 70s which have a bale roller whereas the original bale didn't have this. Late Matches from about 1986 are usually black and not made in France, and poorer quality. There was an 840 around about 1981 which is 6:1 and a dark chocolate colour but many struggled to use them as very prone to tangles.

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Don't forget about the 441 for us lefties.

I have one almost brand new and still in the box. I have had it decades. (Its not for sale though)

Its a great trotting reel but I do prefer a Centerpin.

Kickstart

Am I imagining it or do I vaguely remember somebody writing a book on the Mitchell 440 some years ago?

If not, I imagine it could be done?

I don't use mine for trotting, but it is ideal for waggler fishing or long range float fishing. I was given one by a friend who had bought it new and hardly took it out as he was more of a pike angler. It is a lovely reel to use.



I think Flightliner might still use his Mitchell Match for trotting.

Nice reel and nice mullet!

I have been thinking of using it in the coming weeks for tench. Looking forward to giving it a whirl....Nice pic, nicepix


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Hey, that picture of your reel just gave me a judder!! lol.
Yes, I still use my trusty old match for trotting with the stick and waggler. Only my very humble opinion but there as never been a reel to beat it for many types of float work.
I read many comments of ex users saying things like "I,ve had five over a short number of years and they all let me down" to " The spool just collapsed"-- Its called abuse for gods sake or maybe they were not the correct reel for what you were using them for.
Mine is almost forty years old and barring paint wear is as good as the day I bought it.
Top top piece of kit.
Anybody who was anybody in the match scene when I was younger used them.

Opening this out a little and being partial to float fishing on rivers I do like the Daiwa 1657DM, it too has a finger dab bail but with fewer tanglles and the ability to close the bail arm manually.

bottle rocket said:

Opening this out a little and being partial to float fishing on rivers I do like the Daiwa 1657DM, it too has a finger dab bail but with fewer tanglles and the ability to close the bail arm manually.

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Strange how different perceptions can be. I hate the 1657DM with a passion. The bail arm works well enough but the reel it's attached to is junk.
As Jim is turning into a scrap metal dealer, he's welcome to my 1657DM as a comparison to the Mitchell, providing I don't have to post it!

Sam,

Your too kind.

I'll be interested if its endorsed by two or more people


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jimlad said:

Sam,

Your too kind.

I'll be interested if its endorsed by two or more people

Click to expand...

Easily solved. I'll endorse the Mitchell and Daiwa as utterly fantastic.............












paperweights.

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1657...ugh! I liked the idea of the auto bail which could be closed manually, but the line twist this reel produced was terrible (although Keith Arthur and others recommended glueing the bail roller so that it didn't 'work' as a solution!). Also, the (wet) line had a nasty habit of sticking to the lip of the spool, meaning that you had to feed it off the spool to get a smooth trot. And it was (is - can't believe it's still in the Daiwa catalogue) a heavy reel.

In my opinion, the Mitchell 440 was for a long time the only reel that seemed purpose built for trotting (for left-handers at any rate). Great spool size and exceptional line lay for a reel of such old design. The shallow match spools were very good.

I did try the old Ryobi Mastermatches (MM200) reels for a bit, although for one reason or another, they all ceased to work. Nice proportions, easy to reach spool, and reasonable line lay. Autobail, but no manual close option. Just didn't last the course, though (and I'm not hard on my tackle...ooer!).

Then it was the turn of the Daiwa Advantage in 2508 size (Malaysian made). Great in most respects except - crucially for me - line lay...it is pants, and has been demoted to 'light feeder reel'. Nice smooth reel, but missing that vital ingredient of superb line lay.

Mark Wintle did a very good detailed piece a number of years ago about a trotting replacement for the venerable Mitchell. I think he settled on the Shimano Stradics in 2500 size. On the strength of his recommendation, I bought two front drag jobs and was quite happy with them (2500FA and 2500FB, both Jap made). I think what needs to be said is that the main reel manufacturers built fixed spool reels for a long time which were almost impossible to reach with the index finger.

Anyway, I'm now on Daiwa 2500ia and 2503CU models which I find perfect for me. I can't fault them - superb line lay (better than the Stradics in my opinion), great ergonomics (I can reach the spool easily), and single handles (which suit be better because I sometimes backwind to release tension in the line while holding the hooklength...if that makes sense?). It's been an expensive journey, but I think I'm there now. If only I'd bitten the bullet and bought a few Matches instead You hang onto it Jimlad!