122 Angling Travels in Norway. 



the flooring-boards of the boat, with space between it and 

 the flooring to admit the butt of the rod. 



I then place the rod at the desired angle (about 45°), 

 resting in the notch in the counter, and the butt under 

 the rail, and turn the reel over until the handle is in 

 contact with the flooring. 



I now thrust the butt further under the rail, at the 

 same time maintaining the reel in position, until the 

 rod is jambed fast enough to keep steady, and by this 

 adjustment I accurately determine with what force the 

 fish will strike himself. 



I always adopt this system with reels having checks 

 of ordinary strength, and have never met with disaster 

 by breakage, while the fish are generally well hooked, 

 but I admit the necessity of some little delicacy in the 

 manipulation, and of late I have had my reels made 

 with double strength of check, which is by itself 

 sufficient to strike a fish. 



When harling with a Nottingham reel, it will be found 

 more convenient to fix the rod in the position described 

 above, with the revolving side itself against the flooring, 

 as the handles are generally too short and set too near the 

 centre of the reel to be serviceable for this purpose. 



To avoid counting the number of yards of line to be 

 released from the reel at each harl, I attach a piece of 

 waxed silk to each line at about twenty-five yards from 



