Ed Mitchell Outdoors

The Baby Seamaster Mark 1

The most sought after saltwater fly reels of  the last century were handmade by Captain McChristian in Florida. Truth is Bob’s reels were known far and wide as the finest ever made and are still held in high regard. Below is a Baby Seamaster Mark 1. The Baby Seamaster was the smallest of the lot, measuring roughly 3″ in circumference and 1.5″ deep. It is Direct-Drive and only holds a six or seven weight line, depending on how much backing you hope to squeeze on it.

Baby Seamaster Mark 1

Bob called his original store, opened on the 1950’s, Captain Mack’s Tackle Shop. It was located on Coral Way in Miami at SE First Avenue.  He made spinning reels for a time and then switched to Direct-Drive fly reels which came in several sizes- Mark 1, Mark 2, Mark 3, Mark 3W and Mark 4. They ran on a sealed ball bearing and had an incredibly diamond hard finish. He also made Anti-Reverse fly reel, and eventually created his Dual Mode reel in the 1980’s, which amazingly was both Direct-Drive and Anti-Reverse, patenting it in 1987.

Getting one of his reels was no easy task. You almost had to walk in the front door and convince him you were a good enough angler to own one. Years ago I called him a few time hoping to get a Mark 2 or Mark 3 Direct-Drive. He said he put my name on a list and would be in touch. Never happened. The last time I called he told me he was done with Direct-Drive and had switched entirely over to his new Dual-Mode.  Oh well that’s life, you win some and lose some. Bob passed away in August of 1995, but his name and his reels remain legendary and highly collectable.

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