400 



THE PKACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



Fm. 15. HANDLE 

 FOR WINCH. 



not occur. Of course this is its only advantage over the old-fashioned 

 winch, but it is a very great one. 



Now, in brass winches in fact all winches there is a danger of the- 

 line getting fast round the handle, if there be one. I never use one on a 

 Nottingham reel, but one is necessary on the "check," because my 

 handleless arrangement to be detailed, and belonging to my Nottingham 

 ree l cannot be applied to a check winch, because of the superior difficulty 

 of moving the latter. In order to obviate the handle nuisance, one of the 

 following shape (Fig. 15) should be always used, and the nuisance vanishes. 

 It will be seen that it is cone shaped, consequently 

 no matter how wet the line is it is not likely, if the- 

 handle be of polished agate or glass, or even ivory, 

 for a disastrous entanglement to take place. Especi- 

 ally is this a secure handle if it be counter- sunk in 

 the plate of the winch. 



As to another evil which is incident to all makes 

 of reels viz., that of the line getting round the reel 

 itself there is, as far as I know, only one cure, and that has been- 

 adopted by Mr. Pennell. Its simplicity will recommend it. It consists 

 only of a steel spring placed as in the following diagram (Fig. 16). 



The wooden reels are now made with a 

 great degree of neatness. One in my posses- 

 sion at the present time has a check applied 

 and an arrangement which throws it on and off 

 as desired. By touching a button also the box 

 of the reel comes away from the axle, and thus 

 if by any chance the line or anything else in- 

 terferes with the free running of the reel it 

 can be detached and corrected. This reel is 

 termed a " spring reel," and is the invention 

 of one of the Nottingham makers I have before spoken of either Bailey 

 or Wells, I do not remember which. It answers every purpose 

 capitally, but care must always be taken with these wooden reels 

 whilst fishing in the rain. No matter how well seasoned the material 

 may be, they are sure to absorb wet, and consequently are certain 

 to swell. Of course, therefore, on shrinking they are prone to return 

 to a different shape, thus destroying running power, and often entirely 

 and irrevocably spoiling their free movements. The only remedy is a 

 good coating of varnish, and the invariable manufacture of them with 

 cross bars of metal riveted to retain the wood in its original and desired- 

 position. 



In addition to even this improvement I have devised a remedy for the 



FIG. 16. WINCH, WITH 

 PENN ELL'S LINE GUARD. 



