One of the first double handles placed on a reel was the Shakespeare Marhoff shown here. There was a lot of controversy with this new handle, but soon it would become the industry standard. Image Bill Sonnett, April 1916 issue of Outdoor Life.

One of my favorite angling writers is O. Warren Smith, who, in addition to several books, wrote many articles in the early years of the last century. He also served as the Angling Editor of Outdoor Life for some years. As an Angling Editor he was expected to review new developments in fishing tackle. Today’s post, The Double Handle Crank, is about a review that appeared in the October 1916 issue of Outdoor Life along with several other items under the heading: “Some Odd Casting Reels and Special Attachments”.

One forgets how strange new developments sometimes seem when first observed. Such was the case with the “double crank handle” when it first began to appear on casting reels. One writer of the day even ventured the opinion that one’s fingers would become hopelessly entangled in such a contraption! Today it is the single griped, counter-balanced handle that seems somewhat out-of-place in bass-sized baitcasting reels.

Along with his write-up (below) was included the lead-in picture of the reel in question, which is an early model of the Shakespeare Marhoff Reel.

Outdoor Life magazine's Angling Editor, O. Warren Smith, introduced a new handle for reels in 1916. It was the double handle. Here is his review of this new contraption. Image Bill Sonnett, April 1916 issue of Outdoor Life magazine.

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