Designed by Gar Wood Jr., this machined-aluminum saltwater “Wedding Cake”- style reel from Fin-Nor was originally produced in four sizes, from a #1 to a #4, between 1967 and 1976. According to historian Ed Pritchard, the #4 size reel- the same diameter as the #3 but with a wider spool-utilized the same spindle. Under pressure from big fish, the spindle bent, causing it to hit the frame, stalling and breaking the leader or line. The #4 was discontinued after 28 units. The #3 reel, however, became a go-to tarpon reel and the standard for future big-game reels that could withstand abuse from fish and resist corrosion.
