THE ANGLER'S OUTFIT 31 



to all outward appearances are sound enough. 

 I was myself badly had on one occasion with 

 a reel of this sort, the interior working parts 

 of which were composed of brass instead of 

 steel. A good reel, which will quickly come 

 apart for cleaning and oiling purposes, may 

 prove a bit expensive at first, but it will last 

 a lifetime with ordinary usage. 



3. j The line. 



The line runs from the reel through rings 

 attached to the rod. These rings are of two 

 patterns, i.e. " snake " and " bridge." The 

 latter are to be preferred, as they keep the 

 line clear of the rod, and in wet weather 

 prevent it from sticking or dragging. In 

 order to work properly, the thickness and 

 weight of the line must be in proportion to 

 the power and spring of the rod. A very 

 light line takes quite as much out of a rod as 

 a line that is too heavy. The beginner, if 

 left to choose for himself, is likely to err on 

 the side of lightness, for usually the correct 

 line is rather thicker than he will think proper. 

 Any of the first-class rod makers will supply 

 a line most suitable to the length and power 

 of the rod, and the choice is therefore best 

 left to them. Lines may be had single- and 

 double-tapered, but the beginner will find a 



