CHAP. xx. Uniformity in Heel-plates. 295 



plate of their winches of varying fancy sizes, whereas if they always 

 made this one part of the winch of one uniform size, irrespective of the 

 size of the rest of the winch, all agreeing what that size should be, or 

 getting sporting authorities like the Field, Land and Water, the Asian, 

 the Fishing Gazette, to discuss and fix the size, rod-makers would then 

 be able to sink the heel-plate so accurately that when once the sliding 

 ring had passed over it, it could not possibly shift or wobble. I 

 suggest 3 j X i X T V of an inch. It would not add half an ounce of 

 weight to the smallest trout winch, and it would add that little at a 

 point, close up to the hand, where it would not spoil the balance or be 

 otherwise felt. And it would be strong enough to hold the biggest 

 Tarpon winch going. And if indeed any additional strength is needed 

 for these last-named winches, it can be obtained by slightly thickening 

 the casting just at the point of junction of the longitudinal heel plate 

 and the cross plate, without any alteration of the rest of the dimensions. 

 If it be objected that a large heel plate to a small winch would 

 be disproportionate and unsightly, I reply that to practical anglers that 

 would probably be a matter secondary to the utilitarianism of uniformity. 

 As it is now rod- makers have no fixed pattern as a guide, and one 

 winch fitting is too large and the winch is loose, while another is too 

 small and the winch will not enter. I speak with special reference to 

 waters holding big fish, where it is necessary to have an amount of 

 running line ready for all comers. I could name a gentleman who 

 killed a 40 Ib. Mahseer on a single-handed 10 foot trout rod, and I 

 have myself killed a 22 Ib. Catla hooked foul in the cheek, and there- 

 fore as good as a 44 Ib. fish for fighting purposes, on a 10 foot rod that 

 weighed only 8 ounces. Of course I had on a large winch necessarily 

 lashed on, with plenty of running line. One has to have that in the 

 East. One does not want to take a salmon rod when the majority of 

 the fish expected will run from 2 to 4 Ibs., and one simply must not take 

 a large rod when quick striking is necessary, as for Labeo, or it will 

 certainly neutralize all your chances of sport, for it would be a practical 

 impossibility to strike quick enough with such a rod, and yet you wish 

 to be prepared for an exceptionally good fish if he comes. It is hard 

 on Indian anglers that we cannot get all heel plates and all winch 

 fittings of a uniform size, so that winches may be interchangeable at will. 

 But I suppose the practical difficulty is that English trout fishermen do 

 not want such large heel plates, and would be prejudiced against them, 



