Orvis Star Fly Reel

[VeeRay56]

Need some help with a “gifted” fly reel. It has, with the help of CS at Orvis, been identified as the Star Reel. It was there first foray into saltwater fishing. 
 

Anyone familiar with this model!  Would love to find a complete owners manual. Would also like to make it left hand retrieve, but the anti-reverse feature may negate that. 
 

Thanks!

[JEFFSOD]

 

This reel was most likely made by Pflueger for Orvis and their 1499 Medalist is similar

[Mike Oliver]

Jeff it certainly looks like it has the provenance of Pflugler. My how reels have evolved but these old bangers still evoke a lot of emotion and love to this day.

Fantastic owners guide a magic in its own right. Thanks for posting that.

 

We are a strange lot.

 

mikey

Edited September 10, 2022 by Mike Oliver

[theshadow]

7 hours ago, Mike Oliver said:

Jeff it certainly looks like it has the provenance of Pflugler. My how reels have evolved but these old bangers still evoke a lot of emotion and love to this day.

Fantastic owners guide a magic in its own right. Thanks for posting that.

 

We are a strange lot.

 

mikey

"Strange" indeed........Ya-hoo!

[flyrad10]

Try a Google search on the real you have and there may be reel papers or information on line for that particular model or PM me and I will give some websites. I still use those “old banger” like a medalist 1498 and Martin 71SS These reels are great but highly susceptible to galvanic corrosion in salty environments so they need extra TLC.

[VeeRay56]

Thanks to those who responded. It does look like the Pflueger 1499. Thanks for the Owners Guide as well. 
 

Great resource here!!  Tight lines. 

[flyrad10]

I don’t think it’s a 1499 which has two function changing knobs on the side plate not the one lever on your reel. Yours is a rebadged Pflueger supreme 578 or 577. 1499s were made in Japan after Pflueger was taken over by Shakespeare. I have a 578 with no papers. The reel you have may be extremely rare as I’ve never seen such an Orvis rebadge Pflueger before. Call Orvis, they may have information on it and how to change the retieve side. Also check the ORCA website which may have something on it. Couldn’t find 578 or 577 reel papers online with a Google search.

Edited September 11, 2022 by flyrad10
Spelling

[VeeRay56]

The folks in the Orvis Reel Shop spent about four hours helping me ID the reel as the Star. They didn’t have anything else. Will research the other Plueger models and possibly contact Pflueger HQ. 

[flyrad10]

You could try Pflueger but I think they like Orvis and LL Bean they have lost their way in the current industrial meta-culture and have forgotten their company’s  history. Contact Richard Janak at rjanack@hvc.rr.com or Bill Archuleta’s Reel Works. Richard has a load of Pflueger parts and knowledge and Bill is an expert machinist. Post questions and photos  of your reel on ORCA or the Classic Fly Rod Forum as well.

[JohnDe]

Provided the diagram above matches, the real challenge is going to be finding a left handed pawl spring.  Where is MacGyver when you need him.

[SnookFly]

That's an interesting reel, and very similar to the Pflueger Supreme 577 and 578 reels that were apparently rebranded for Orvis with a few minor changes. Orvis also rebranded the Pflueger Medalist as the Madison, again with a few minor changes.

Thought you might get a kick out of the following pix. The first one is my Supreme 577 that gets an occasional workout for old times sake.  The ad is from an old issue of "Double Haul" published by the long ago defunk Salt Water Fly Rodders of America with some background information.    

 

[KidDkivahh]

Here's what I believe was a Pflueger made for Orvis the reel kinda came with a 9 weight cane rod I picked up.