# Brand New Mitchell 486 with Garcia Conolon 10' rod



## Feeder1 (Jul 25, 2012)

Hello men and lady folk out there. I was trying to find out about a fishing rod I came across. It is a Mitchell 486 reel with a Garcia Conolon 10' rod. the reel still has the tape on the line to keep it from unwinding, and the rod has some of the plastic wrap right above the reel on the cork. I tried looking it up but not able. to find out much info. It seems old probably going to take it out this week some time but i do not want to mess it up. Does anybody know anything about either? I would sure appreciate any info or a place to research these. I will try to post a picture or two when I figure out how.


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## doggfish (Oct 30, 2009)

*kool find*



Feeder1 said:


> Hello men and lady folk out there. I was trying to find out about a fishing rod I came across. It is a Mitchell 486 reel with a Garcia Conolon 10' rod. the reel still has the tape on the line to keep it from unwinding, and the rod has some of the plastic wrap right above the reel on the cork. I tried looking it up but not able. to find out much info. It seems old probably going to take it out this week some time but i do not want to mess it up. Does anybody know anything about either? I would sure appreciate any info or a place to research these. I will try to post a picture or two when I figure out how.


The conolon rod was the go to rod back in the 60's and early 70's and those wonderful carbaloy guides are pretty much bullet proof. and a mitchell 486 in that shape is a find...You might not want to fish with it because of its collect-ability factor of one in that pristine shape. Alot of collectors would drool over the shape its in.

doggfish:thumbsup:


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## Boatjob1 (Oct 2, 2007)

Amazing find. You have to decide if you want to keep it new, or use the hell out of it. Myself personally, I would make it a wall hanger. Your item in it's current condition is almost impossible to find. Sweet rig! :thumbup:

PS Here is a used 486 on e-bay that is in now where near the condition the one that you have and it's almost at $60 with a little less than 3 days left on it. I am guessing it could go over $100. The link, http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mitchell-Ga...443?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35be7605bb


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## kandv2000 (May 10, 2012)

These guys have lost it. This set up is junk complete junk. So much so that I will save you the trip to the trash can, let me know when I can pick it up.


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## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

The Conlon is a throw back. I had one back in the late 60's and would give you $75.00 for it on the spot.( don't need the reel)
I'd never use it, it would be a wall hanger with my first Mitchell Garcia 300 that I purchased from Eckerds drug store back in 1968.
What a sweet find, and thanks for the flashback.
Congratulations to you.


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## welldoya (Oct 5, 2007)

Back in the 60s and 70s everybody fished with Mitchells. I had (and still have) several Mitchells that I used and still use. I've even still have a few 300s that are NIB.
I used 300s for freshwater and 302s for salt. The Conolon rod was what everybody matched them up with.
I think the 486 is the biggest one they made.
Great find. I would either sell it to a collector or put it on the wall. 
Honestly, I think they make some reels now that are better but back then, they were the best and will always be classics.


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## Feeder1 (Jul 25, 2012)

Thanks Everyone who has posted with info. this is my first post, and i see a lot of knowledge out there.


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## Gaff (Jan 20, 2012)

Let me know if you are interested in selling it. I would love to buy it from you. Either way, very nice set up


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## shootnstarz (May 4, 2011)

welldoya said:


> Back in the 60s and 70s everybody fished with Mitchells. I had (and still have) several Mitchells that I used and still use. I've even still have a few 300s that are NIB.
> I used 300s for freshwater and 302s for salt. The Conolon rod was what everybody matched them up with.
> I think the 486 is the biggest one they made.
> Great find. I would either sell it to a collector or put it on the wall.
> Honestly, I think they make some reels now that are better but back then, they were the best and will always be classics.


 
The 386/486 line of reels were introduced in the late 60s and have about the same line cap as a 302. They never "reely" caught on and were basicly lower quality than the 302/402 models. They were just larger versions of the 308/408 line of ultralights.

I had several in the past and was not impressed at all. Your reel in it's pristine condition is much more valuable as a collector piece than a usable reel. Same goes for that rod. It would be ashame to fish it being so old and still unused. Collectors would truely love to have them both.

The 488/498 were the largest of the Mitchell reels, came about around 1970 I believe. The 488 wasn't too popular around here but many folks bought a 498 because of it's very high capacity, skirted spool and factory manual bail. I don't think they were all that high a quality either, pretty much anything after the 302 wasn't, and it is bad enough quality wise.

Great find, you have a reel treasure there.

Rick


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## specktackler57 (May 15, 2011)

i sold a 486 nor near pristine for 100.00.awesome find.


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## welldoya (Oct 5, 2007)

shootnstarz said:


> The 386/486 line of reels were introduced in the late 60s and have about the same line cap as a 302. They never "reely" caught on and were basicly lower quality than the 302/402 models. They were just larger versions of the 308/408 line of ultralights.
> 
> I had several in the past and was not impressed at all. Your reel in it's pristine condition is much more valuable as a collector piece than a usable reel. Same goes for that rod. It would be ashame to fish it being so old and still unused. Collectors would truely love to have them both.
> 
> ...


You are right. I never saw many people using those models at all. Everybody on the pier had a 302. I had that same color 4 star Conolon rod on my 300 but in a 7' model. Sell it to a collector who would appreciate it. Where did you find it anyway ?


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## Feeder1 (Jul 25, 2012)

I got it a a house my mom is cleaning out. It sure is neat looking though kind of hard not to take it out and use it. I dont even own another surf rod? Guess now I need to decide what to do with. To Fish it or Not to fish it.


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## tiderider (Oct 1, 2007)

Your brand new reel is missing it's Garcia flag above the script Mitchell logo.


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## Big Red (Oct 1, 2007)

Here is some info on Mitchell’s.

http://networkdimension.com/garciamitchell.html

http://users.skynet.be/mitchell-collectors.org/glossary_a.html

And this one has info on the 386/486.

http://users.skynet.be/mitchell-collectors.org/articles_mitchellsymmetry.html

My suggestion is, if you are not into using the old classics, sell it to a collector on e-bay & use the money to buy a more modern rod & reel that you would be happier with.


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