Wanted - Mitchell 396 and 496 skirted spool reels or parts

Sudsy · #1 09-06-2005, 01:03 AM

Either with bail wire or manual pickup

Condition's not important, I need 2 or 3 parts reels, but the cleaner the better. Loose parts are cool too.
A spool or two would be sweet

Cash, trade for custom wood plugs or a combo of both.

These reels were very popular in the 1970's and early 1980's up around the Cape so I'm hoping there might be a few gathering dust in some basements.

Private message me here.

Thanks

sea sea rider · #2 09-17-2005, 06:41 PM

Go to e-bay punch in saltwater reels, then mitchell . When I want mitchells thats were I go . Find some nice ones on there, cheep too.Plus sometimes parts .The young guys don't know what they are.

Its a great reel.

Sudsy · #3 09-22-2005, 08:49 PM

My last few purchases on E-bay have not gone so well.
My last few reels in a row have come in damaged in some way, one stuffed into too small a box had the handle bent, another idiot, even after I asked him to pack it well with lots of newspaper in the box, mailed it in a manila envelope. Of coarse the spool was bent when it got here. I've received spools with big, line cutting nicks in em and one that was listed as excellent condition but either had the photo doctored or was switched with another because it was a worthless POS.

"F" ebay

I'd rather get stuff from people I can track down in person.

Sudsy · #4 01-25-2006, 07:27 PM

Bump

Come on guys - I can't believe no one has one of these lying around.

Striperjim · #5 01-25-2006, 08:38 PM

Suds I have a bunch of mitchells. I'll look through them. Are the parts for the 396 and 496 compatable with others? Also i have a box full of spools made in France. (Bonyl) I'll have to look up the 396 for size and specs. ?

Sudsy · #6 01-25-2006, 11:43 PM

Thanks, that would be great. Considering I plan on fishing these reels for another 30 years and the last one ever made was in 1999 I figure should stock up on parts now. If it has a skirted spool, it's what I'm looking for.

The skirted spool Mitchells (396, 496, 498) are, for the most part very different and much simpler then the nonskirted spool reels (302, 304....).
The parts for the 396 and 496 are totally interchangeable with the exception of the gears. The 496 is a higher speed version of the 396.

What I'm looking for more than anything else is new line rollers, mine are starting to wear in the bushings and I don't think I'll be getting more than another season or two out of them. If possible I'd like to swap em out to the ball bearing line rollers that were used on the newer models. but I'll take whatever I can get. I've been trying to get em on Ebay for a few years with no luck. One came up once and some rat bastage managed to snipe it out from under me in the last second of the auction

Striperjim · #7 01-26-2006, 07:27 AM

Ill find one for you suds. :)
Check out this lineage geneology link You'll appreciate it.
From the collectors international web site

Striperjim · #8 01-26-2006, 11:57 PM

Suds that picture doesnt look like a skirted spool. The only true skirted mitchell i have is a 900. The others sit atop the main shaft but are inside the rotor assembly. large and small. The 300 looks like a fit.
Your right about the bail roller. It is pretty hard to come by. Most are bail models.

Sudsy · #9 01-27-2006, 12:56 AM

Definately skirted spools (trust me on that). Also, they're much much larger than a 900 or a 300. The 396 and 496 are the same size as a Penn 8500SS. The 498 is even bigger than that and holds about 500 to 600 yards of braid.

Striperjim · #10 01-30-2006, 06:22 AM

The 396 Mitchell skirted spool part # 81892

The line roller is a little bit harder to locate. Ill procure one for you before the spring.

merrillizer · #11 02-01-2006, 12:43 AM

Here's a Mitchell for ya lol...

Mitchell

Striperjim · #12 02-01-2006, 12:49 AM

I got a 396 for suds. It has a bail though. He might be able to use it or convert it for parts.

I have a bunch of the 300's and 308s. Ill put some up as prizes as we get closer to the spring.

Sudsy · #13 02-01-2006, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonny Bolt

Here's a Mitchell for ya lol...

Mitchell

Great little reel especially for heavy freshwater light saltwater. I have two of em that still get used once in a while.

Jim,
A 396 is very cool, bail or not. There are plenty of parts inside the reel that I can cannibalize. Pretty much everything can be used but the rotor and bail assembly.
Like I said earlier I'm stocking up on parts. Figure I'll be fishing these things for another 30 years, parts are only going to get harder to find.
I'm just trying to plan ahead.

Fish-Aholic · #14 02-01-2006, 09:02 AM

All this talk about the Mitchell, I haven't used a mitchell in years, so I figured what the hell, went to Ebay and checked it out. Saw that a 396 sold for $71 and one currently for sale in working condition was only at $17, so I bid....it ends in 13 hours and I'm high bidder at $19, we'll see what happens huh? Maybe it will be my new favorite reel.

Striperjim · #15 02-01-2006, 07:33 PM

Hi Jeff

I've been watching that one for a week. Its the only one available at present. I was hoping to snipe it at the last second. I've got it down to an art. How high were you planning to bid because I dont want to bid against you? If you bow out look for my bid at the 20 second mark. :)

BTW if you want a mitchell I have quite a few.