Hi, I'm a new old guy.  Western N.C,  Lake Norman, Hickory, James etc.  and I am wondering what happened to those really nice fishing rods they used to make with the dropped area right in front of the handle so as your reel was a little lower and so easy to operate.  I am 80 and still catching a few now and then.  I have a rod my Dad gave me when I was about 12 and I still use it because of the lower area.   Perhaps in my old age  I have not looked everywhere I should but I have had no luck finding one like that that suited me.  I guess they disappeared along with  the 16 ga.shot shells.   What a shame.  Anyhow glad to be here.      Catch

Welcome aboard!

Reminiscing is definitely not against the rules  

I thin I still have a few of those laying around.

Welcome from Morganton NC!

The rods are called pistol grips and a few rod builders still make them for spin cast reels. Today's rods are light weight tubular composite in lieu of 1948 era solid glass or tempered steel.

Tom

9 hours ago, Darren. said:

Welcome aboard!

Reminiscing is definitely not against the rules  

 I'm glad about that Darren. If it was, I would have been kicked off here long ago...lol.

Hootie

The rods with the dropped reel seat area are mostly "antiques" nowadays. I am not aware of any manufacturer still making them and don't believe they have been made for at least the past 30 or so years. That reel seat design is very heavy and not conducive to transmitting vibrations from the "blank to the hand" so to speak.

There are some folks that still use them.  I fished a late 60s/early 70s vintage Garcia Conolon rod just the other day but it's certainly not in my first-line arsenal...

Try Craigslist,I see them there all the time.

St Croix still offers pistol grip rods in modern high quality construction; look at St Croix and search pistol grip rods; PC56MF for example.

Tom

6 minutes ago, WRB said:

St Croix still offers pistol grip rods in modern high quality construction; look at St Croix and search pistol grip rods; PC56MF for example.

Tom

So does BPS with their Bionic Blade series of rods, although they only offer it in a 5"6" and 6" medium rod.  The reel seat doesn't drop down as far as on the older rods because modern casting reels sit lower, but it gives a similar feel.

Probably because of my age, I still prefer pistol grips for quick, accurate casting to close targets.

4 hours ago, WRB said:

St Croix still offers pistol grip rods in modern high quality construction; look at St Croix and search pistol grip rods; PC56MF for example.

Tom

 

3 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

So does BPS with their Bionic Blade series of rods, although they only offer it in a 5"6" and 6" medium rod.  The reel seat doesn't drop down as far as on the older rods because modern casting reels sit lower, but it gives a similar feel.

Probably because of my age, I still prefer pistol grips for quick, accurate casting to close targets.

Guys, I think the OP was specifically inquiring about reel seats like those in the photo below...not modern reel seats having "pistol grips"...

And, another recent photo of the type of reel seat under discussion:

I always thought the drop in the handle was to accommodate reels like the Ambassador in your picture, which sit high.  The drop in the handle made the center of the spool line up with the guides height wise.

I remember in the late 70's, Diawa began to make their Millionaire reels more low profile so that the matching rods did not need that handle dip.  The lower profile reels also made it easier to palm the reel.