SALMON FLY ROD, REEL, &c. 45 



as it is only in the direction of drawing out 

 the line that any alteration is necessary. 



Plate 5, page 43, is an illustration of a favourite 

 reel of the author's, which has seen much service. 

 The patent " revolving ring line guard " is an addi- 

 tion made in the spring of 1903, and invaluable 

 in preventing the line from getting round the 

 back of the reel when " shooting." The per- 

 forations shown in the back plate, are an. advan- 

 tage only in saving a little weight. The idea 

 was that they helped to dry the line ; and while 

 they may do this to a limited extent, they are 

 also liable to damage the dressing if the line 

 is pressed into them, and for this reason they 

 are now discarded. 



The wear and tear on the check of a reel is 

 enormous, as may be seen, when it is considered 

 that in turning the handle once round, the tongue 

 strikes the toothed wheel some thirty times. 

 The wear on the tongue being so great, necessi- 

 tates its being of a much harder temper than 

 that of the toothed wheel, and this must be 

 carefully gauged. Until quite recently a really 

 sound, well-balanced check arrangement was not 

 made, and breakdowns were of frequent occur- 

 rence where reels were in constant use. The 

 introduction by Messrs. Hardy of the half ball 

 and socket end to the tongue (on the suggestion 

 of Fraser Sandeman, Esq., author of " By Hook 



