# The Whirlaway rod/reel



## wyogoob

Kind of an interesting reel:









The "Whirlaway," is a spinning reel with a line spool that swivels within a bulb-shaped housing at the end of the rod. The contraption was sold during the 1950s and 1960s. It was made by Great Lakes Products out of Michigan. Back in the day it was affectionately called the "douche bag" reel. (Back in the day I had no idea what that meant).

There were several models. The housed reel was pivoted to alternating casting and retrieval positions. I own three of the reels, I think&#8230;I can only find two.

Move the handle down in the casting position:









Flip the handle up to retrieve:









The outfit casts suprisinging well but I didn't care for having to take the reel apart to adjust the drag.










Kinda cool piece of nostalgia. I refurbished a Whirlaway rod/reel combo to original once. Anyone have one of these?


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## Al Hansen

So thats how you became an expert fisherman !!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Grandpa D

And from that idea came the pocket fisherman.


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## DallanC

Grandpa D said:


> And from that idea came the pocket fisherman.


And from the pocket fisherman comes the Rocket Fishing Pole!

http://www.amazon.com/FOGO-Generation-R ... B001PO5KQO

Actually as stupid an idea as this is, I've been in some brushy areas where casting is out of the question, such a "pole" might actually work pretty good.

_(O)_

-DallanC


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## wyogoob

Like I said, these things cast really well. Much easier to cast than a spinning reel. They are like a spinning reel in design but the spool is very large relative to whats on today's spinning reels. The rods were standard legnth, 6 foot to 7 foot long. The reels had to be expensive to produce.

I have the older models that stacked the line up on the spool sometimes creating tangles. An improved model came out with a bail, like any spinning reel, that was enclosed in the chrome bulb, and it had a fixed handle.


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## Briar Patch

Ha! That's pretty cool Goob!


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## wyogoob

DallanC said:


> Grandpa D said:
> 
> 
> 
> And from that idea came the pocket fisherman.
> 
> 
> 
> And from the pocket fisherman comes the Rocket Fishing Pole!
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/FOGO-Generation-R ... B001PO5KQO
> 
> Actually as stupid an idea as this is, I've been in some brushy areas where casting is out of the question, such a "pole" might actually work pretty good.
> 
> _(O)_
> 
> -DallanC
Click to expand...

Never heard of that one. If I was younger I would buy one and keep it as an investment. It would be worth something some day.


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## troutwhisperer

WOW! what a blast from the past, this was my first fishing pole given to me from my dad when I was MUCH younger.


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## muysauve

troutwhisperer said:


> WOW! what a blast from the past, this was my first fishing pole given to me from my dad when I was MUCH younger.


Wow you just dated yourself... I knew you were old, but not that old!!!! lol


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## troutwhisperer

Get back to work whippersnapper!! I.m just well seasoned.


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## strat201

I know this is an old post but was just curious what one of these would go for, my dad gave me one of these and it still work great. Everything is original even the rod guides are in good shape, the only thing that isn't original is one of the screws that hold the ball on.


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## DallanC

I'll tell you in 12 hours...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Great-Lakes-Whi ... _22wt_1279

-DallanC


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## Queenofthelake

wyogoob said:


> Kind of an interesting reel:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The "Whirlaway," is a spinning reel with a line spool that swivels within a bulb-shaped housing at the end of the rod. The contraption was sold during the 1950s and 1960s. It was made by Great Lakes Products out of Michigan. Back in the day it was affectionately called the "douche bag" reel. (Back in the day I had no idea what that meant).
> 
> There were several models. The housed reel was pivoted to alternating casting and retrieval positions. I own three of the reels, I think&#8230;I can only find two.
> 
> Move the handle down in the casting position:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Flip the handle up to retrieve:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The outfit casts suprisinging well but I didn't care for having to take the reel apart to adjust the drag.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kinda cool piece of nostalgia. I refurbished a Whirlaway rod/reel combo to original once. Anyone have one of these?


Just picked one up at a yard sale. Anyone interested?


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## wyogoob

Queenofthelake said:


> Just picked one up at a yard sale. Anyone interested?


What kinda shape is it in?


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## Queenofthelake

The gentleman I bought it from said it still works. It is in decent condition. I will try it out when home from camp and post a pix.


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## wyogoob

Bump


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## DallanC

You should catch your golden trout on it. That would be a heck of a picture with a 20" golden and a whirlaway in the background.

-DallanC


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