I'm very interested in Bogdan reels (especially early variations) and I am always interested in learning more about them. I have a great appreciation for reels made by current maker Paul Hermann, and am interested in pre-WWII reels by Dingley, J.W Young, Hardy's, as well as US made Heddon 125s and Thompson reels.

Top to Bottom: circa 1945 Bogdan Prototype, circa 1946 Bogdan Prototype (first use of coil springs and single brakeshoe), circa 1952 Bogdan Model 0, date coded 1961 AF200M, circa 1965 experimental Bogdan Steelhead, circa 1963-1977 Single Action Bogdan Model 00

This reel is a predecessor to the Bogdan Steelhead reel that Stan started producing in the mid-1970s.

In recent discussions with Stan (Feb 2008), he indicated that this reel and the one in the Bogdan book on page 32 were made in about 1965 when he was first experimenting with a design for a Steelhead reel (Note: the photo of the reel in the book is mirrored, and there is a typo in the photo caption that says the reel in the book wass circa 1955, that should read circa 1965).

Unlike the final version of the Steelhead models, this reel has no bias for RHW or LHW and has an external rim brake. As far as the rim brake never being used in his final design, when I asked him about it, Stan mentioned to me that this feature made for more work in machining the spool since the bell of the spool on the drag side needed to be machined deeper to accomodate an area for the delrin pad to apply braking/drag from the external brake button.

I feel very fortunate to have this reel and it is one of my most cherished. I hope to someday provide it to a permanent public institution/display devoted to Bogdan reels. Until then I will fish it on occasion with a 7 wt line mounted on an 8 ft Hardy Fibalight (pre-JET) Fiberglass rod as shown below.

This reel was designed by Stan Bogdan for Lee Wulff in the mid-1960s. Mr Wulff wanted a large capacity (the reel is 3.50 inches in diameter) reel that was light weight, had no drag other than a fixed check and palming rim, and was capable of landing very large fish. Stan's design accomodated these wishes exactly. Mr. Wulff then commissioned approximately 100 total units of this reel to be manufactured by Farlows starting in 1969 (as I understand it they were actually made in the Sharpes of Aberdeen facility which was owned by Farlows at the time). They were retailed by Norm Thomson as the Lee Wulff Ultimate reel and sold for $120 in 1969.