J.A. Coxe Reels - Los Angles, CA -

J.A. Coxe reels were patented and made by a man that had established his reputation as a big game fisherman and sportsman while living in Los Angles, CA. Joe Coxe was a Director of the Tuna Club of Santa Catalina Island in 1915 when it burned down. Joe was instrumental in coordinating the reconstruction of the Club and was elected its President for 7 years because of his leadership. Coxe started making reels of his own design in Los Angles, CA about 1920. By 1928, he was selling reels varying from $150 to $1,500 depending on the size. The first reels he made are marked with his name and Los Angles, CA. He later sold the business and the J.A. Coxe reel name to Bronson Reel Co. in MI in the 1930’s.

His many years of catching record size fish enabled him to understand what features of a reel could be improved to benefit the fisherman. Joe was granted his first patent on May 27, 1924. It incorporated what is believed to be the first use of a star drag for a drag adjustment mechanism. His second patent was granted on October 17, 1939 for click mechanism and was assigned to the Bronson Reel Company. His third patent was also assigned to Bronson and included 8 pages of sketches that summarized all the details required to make the big game reels in production as Bronson-Coxe reels. J.A. Coxe reels were made by one of the early great reel makers in the USA.