Otto Zwarg, St. Petersburg, FL

World War II brought about the end to a lot of the great fishing tackle companies including Edward vom Hofe. Otto Zwarg was the head reel maker at the vom Hofe company. After it went out of business, he acquired the rights to the designs. He set up production for one year in Brooklyn, NY in 1946. He then moved the business to St. Petersburg, FL in 1947. The reels were made up until 1960, which was 3 years after Otto Zwarg's death. The reels came in three basic models - Model 300 Saguenay Fly/Salmon Reel, Model 400 LaurentianMultiplying Fly/Salmon Reel and the Model 600 Maximo Salt Water Reel. The Maximo was named after Maximo Point in St. Petersburg, FL. This was a famed fishing spot since the first local settler Antinio Maximo established a "fish ranch" on the point in 1843. The Saguenay was named in honor of the celebrated salmon river. All Zwarg reels are collectable and the ones marked Brooklyn are the most scarce.