William K Heller’s story of his Bogdan reels.

Here at Thomas Turner we have the pleasure of offering for sale, two rare Bogdan salmon reels. The first is a model 300 salmon reel, set up for RHW. This was one of Stan’s two largest catalogued models with a 3 3/4″ diameter and 1 5/8″ spool width, perfect for matching with a large two-handed rod. The second is a model 50 RHW fly reel in all black, with William K Heller’s name engraved on it.

With this purchase, we were also very lucky to receive information from their previous owner, Mr. William K Heller. Here is his story……

This reel brings back happy memories for me as I hope it will for the new owner. I met Stan Bogdan in the 80s when he came to England with friends to fish the famous River Test. At the time I was a tenant of a beat and invited Stan and his friends to fish for a couple of days. A few weeks later Stan sent me one of his reels with my name engraved on it. A lovely generous man.

My ambition was to catch a forty-pounder with the 300 (which I never did) however, in Norway I did once catch a 36lbs; a 37½ lbs, and a 39 ½ lbs. We tried to make the 39 ½ lbs come to 40lbs to no avail so I hope the new owner will beat me!

I had spent a fortune traveling to Norway trying to catch a 40lb salmon.  On the fabulous morning when I caught the three big fish with one weighing 39 ½ lbs my American friend ‘ Hunter ‘ had always said “ if you ever catch a 40 pounder I’ll buy a bottle of champagne “. Hunter was a lovely man who must have had a trace of Scottish blood as he was very careful with deep pockets. We used to ask “do you know the difference between Hunter and a coconut” answer “you can get a drink out of a coconut “. We put some stones in my big fish and got it to weigh 41 ½ lbs whereupon Hunter true to his word bought the champagne. When the bottle was empty the gillie picked the fish up shook it and the stones fell out on the dining room floor. That week this Bogdan landed 25 fish with an average weight of 24lbs! A week I never came anywhere near to repeating. Oh, happy days!!

The last time I used the Bogdan reel was in June 2021 on the famous Delfur beat of the Spey with the head gillie Mark. I caught two salmon of 10lbs each. Mark said, “I love to hear that Bogdan screaming away it’s such a wonderful sound “. I said, “well two lovely silver fish in a morning’s fishing is sufficient for me so you have a go and see if you can make the Bogdan scream “. Three casts and he hooked a 12 pounder and yes, the Bogdan screamed again. A most wonderful morning which was my last.

I returned home to Hampshire and had three severe heart attacks and was told that I died for 11 seconds. I followed this with some wonderful days of trout fishing on the Test where I first met Stan.

The moral to this story – don’t sign up to a ‘do not resuscitate ‘; had I have done so I would have missed those trout days on the Test for which I have booked a whole lot more for this coming season.  They say a day’s fishing doesn’t count in your life span perhaps that is why I shall be 93 this coming season! If on the other hand, it does count, then I have been in the departure lounge for a good many years….