TROUT REELS 65 



well-balanced, well-fitted rod, and then to mar the 

 whole, and upset the balance completely, by fitting 

 on a cheap, worthless reel, which is either too light 

 or too heavy. Where rods differ much in weight, 

 they should have their own reels ; and it is far 

 better, when purchasing these, to get the best and 

 simplest. The wear and tear in a reel is very con- 

 siderable, and the internal mechanism needs to be 

 very perfect and well tempered. There is a very 

 great deal of difference between the price of a 

 good reel and a common one. I myself am 

 strongly in favour of metal reels as opposed to 

 vulcanite. The latter are very light and nice to 

 use, but a fall on a stone will shiver them to pieces ; 

 and this is too serious a calamity to run the risk 

 of incurring. Multiplying reels are an abomina- 

 tion ; but I think that the ordinary ' check ' or 

 ' click ' reel is advisable, inasmuch as the check 

 prevents the line overrunning and so fouling ; 

 and the sound, too, is far from unpleasant when 

 a good fighting fish makes play from it. By all 

 means let the reel be as large as the rod can 

 carry to balance well ; and it is a good plan to 

 fill it about a third full with an old line, in order 

 that the one in use can be more speedily wound 

 up by reason of the circumference of the axle 

 being thus increased. When purchasing a reel I 

 would advise the reader to be very careful to see 

 that the fitting of the inner plates, which are made 



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