Tournament Casting Reel Record 2100
Sport
John Harrison
John is posted here under Ted Whitam on the Significant ABU
Friends page, as he owned the same type of dedicated
Tournament Casting reel that Ted used to become a World Champion.
South Australia's previously unknown fisherman John Harrison loved his fishing.
His daughter Anthea shares some detail on the man and his much loved Record Sport 2100 Tournament reel.
A custom made reel from the ABU factory in Svangsta half a
world away in place and more than 50 years ago in time. ( first
model was 1944 )
It is naturally kitted out with the ultra narrow lightweight casting spool and in the leather case of its era, it came with a spare spool prefilled with silken line and looks to have spent it's entire life safely cradled by John's hand or the original box. How it ever came to live here in Australia and owned by a man who was never a devotee of the Tournament Casting Sport.
Enjoy pics here of the reel which I feel honored to own as well as fishing photos of John.
Thanks for sharing your Dad's passion for fishing with us, as well as allowing his treasured ABU 2100 Sport to be re-homed with me.
A few new photos taken after receiving this Record 2100 Sport with Tournament spool
As
for a few words about Dad and his fishing....from Daughter Anthea
I
could only find one charter boat willing to take Dad. Other
companies simply said they couldn’t accommodate an old man. This
boat had a side opening door. I accompanied Dad as I was off work at
the time with a broken femur.
The two of us shuffled along the gang way to the boat, him stooped
and me limping.
The other charter clients, nine young men celebrating an up-coming
wedding, looked on in horror as we were helped aboard by the
captain, who then announced that the only seat on the boat, the
padded cooler bin lid, was reserved for my father.
So off this disparate group set for a day on the quiet waters out
from Adelaide. Dad caught the first fish, and kept catching them.
The young bucks slowly edged closer and closer to him, trying to
cast next to his line, but Dad still out-caught every one.
When the boat changed spots, the captain would ask if Dad was OK
before he dropped the anchor. Dad would usually insist on adjusting
our position just a bit before the all clear was given.
By the end of the day Dad alone had caught more fish than the rest
of us combined. Those young men looked at Dad a bit differently as
he shuffled back along the gang way at day’s end.
John, pier fishing at Brighton SA, from another time.
If you have any others listed above, that are unneeded or doubles in your collection and are available for a reasonable fee, I would be very pleased to hear from you. Particularly any Record rods or Diplomat series, or Safari Fly rod and a Pacific Series boat rod.
