Wm Slote reels were made in the 1880’s and 1890’s. He is considered to be one of the great New York reel makers and made reels with unique features. He was born in New York on May 8, 1858 to German parents. He was 14 years old when he began learning the fishing tackle business in a machine shop in Brooklyn (probably Julius vom Hofe). In 1885, he went into business for himself and established a small retail store back in Brooklyn. William Slote received a patent for a reel design on September 30, 1890. The design incorporated a raised hard rubber head plate that included an annular volume for the gearing. In the approximately 50 years of making reels and rods, the variations in his reel designs shows he was not afraid to try different ideas. Wm Slote reels include the 3/8 inch diameter hole in the reel foot making it stand out from the 1/2 inch hole seen on Edward vom Hofe reels. Slote died in Queens, New York on June 2, 1935 at the age of 77.
The WILLIAM SLOTE Size 1/0 Reel
The WILLIAM SLOTE 80 Yard Size Fly Reel
The WILLIAM SLOTE Size 3 Fly Reel
The WILLIAM SLOTE Size 2 Reel
The WILLIAM SLOTE Size 3 1/2 Reel
The WILLIAM SLOTE Size 3/0 Reel
The WILLIAM SLOTE Fishing Rod Reel Seat Marking
The WILLIAM SLOTE September 30, 1890 Reel Patent