FISHING TACKLE AND COMMENTS 



did have any use for it; to me it represented only unnecessary 

 extra weight. The reel is constantly giving the angler trouble 

 with the different types of rods and the ferrule. 



The two-handle reel was originally put out by Fin-Nor, 

 but, thank heaven, this bizarre innovation was barred by the 

 International Game Fish Association and the idea has now 

 been discarded and forgotten. 



The curved butt put out by Tycoon at the request of some 

 of the Bimini tuna anglers is being ridiculed throughout the 

 world, and I think rightfully so. In Australia and New Zea- 

 land it would be prohibited and I do not understand why the 

 International Game Fish Association has not taken such steps. 

 This reasoning is prompted by the fact that if you consist- 

 ently tolerate such gadgets other freaks like the two-handle 

 reel, and similar artificial aids to fishing, will proliferate. Per- 

 sonally I think the curved butt more hinders than helps the 

 angler. Very few fishermen are using it. The idea is that it 

 helps cut down on the length of the rod tip— which to me is 

 just trying to corner a little too sharply. No doubt the Inter- 

 national Game Fish Association would have barred this butt, 

 but some 80 per cent of the people they queried repHed that 

 they thought it would die a natural death and that therefore 

 there was no point in ruling against it. Needless to say, many 

 of the persons polled were not big game anglers. It is almost 

 dead. It looks like a "deformity." 



Many fine fish also have been caught on Hardy reels, 

 widely used in such British possessions as New Zealand and 

 Australia. Since they lack the throw-off feature, they do not 

 stand so high on my list. The only other reels I would pos- 

 sibly think of using are made by the Penn Reel Company, 



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