Chris Yates’s Paraflow trotting reel.

According to AI- ‘There is no known fishing or trotting reel named the “Paraflow”’

There is! There was also the “Paramount” by the same maker- James G. Turner of Smethwick. Both are quite unusual.

Poor James Turner. He sent this reel for approval to Conyers of Blandford Forum. In his covering letter dated 14^th of October 1977, he admits- ‘I would have thought it would have run like a charm but it does not, as you can see.’ There is a rather crushing acceptance of failure in Turner’s letter. He goes on- ‘I have all winter to put it right though, any comments good or bad are very welcome.’

‘Come on, kick me, I’m, already down’ he seems to be saying. Whether or not Conyers wrote to put him out of his misery is not known but many years later, in recognition of his patronage, they gave the Paraflow to Chris Yates as a token of their esteem.

Chris writes that he found it rather heavy to cast with but it was stable on windy days.

I’ve removed the aged, gummy grease from its innards and applied some light oil. It now spins pleasantly. Chris Yates may regret parting with it when he reads this. He has a special place in his heart for inexpensive, unusual reels.

For many years, he favoured Strikeright centre pins, made in Hounslow. These were simple and unremarkable. Grice & Young also made usable but undistinguished reels in Christchurch. One (small) step up was the Speedia, made in Shepherd’s Bush by WR Products. These still have a strong following.

Had these people not seen a Mitchell fixed spool reel or an Allcock Aerial, one wonders.

Back to the Paraflow trotting reel. It has a diameter of 4” and a fairly narrow drum. On its original box, the label tells us that it achieves rapid line recovery, it’s fitted with a line guard, a ratchet and a tension adjuster. I haven’t located the latter yet.

The reel is in mint condition. I’ve grown quite fond of its sturdy black plastic construction and Marxist-Leninist utilitarian aesthetics.

In the maker’s original box is the reel, of course, and the original letter from James G. Taylor to Mr Gordon (I remember him) of Conyers Ltd.

This may be the only known example of the Paraflow trotting reel.

The reel comes with a letter of provenance written by Chris Yates on Golden Scale Club headed paper.