THE CASTING REEL 43 



ing, so far as the reel is concerned, "thumbing" 

 and "spooling." Naturally American inventiveness 

 has sought to obviate the "human element" in both 

 operations, making them purely mechanical; as a 

 result we have the "self-thumbing" and "automatic- 

 spooling" winches. However, making casting a sim- 

 ple mechanical operation is not wholly satisfactory. 

 Well says Mr. Samuel G. Camp, in "Fishing Kits 

 and Equipment" : "It seems to me that there would 

 not be much sport in using a self-aiming rifle or an 

 auto-striking trout fly, and that there would be very 

 little more enjoyment in using a self-thumbing reel." 



It hardly seems necessary to assert that there is 

 more true enjoyment in learning to handle a regular 

 winch, one that must be thumbed properly and upon 

 vhich the line must be laid with care, than can be 

 derived from the use of a reel which does all the 

 work automatically; however, it is not the part of 

 wisdom to turn down every mechanical aid, nor 

 taboo all who use them. The man who has time and 

 patience to master the thumbing of a casting-reel 

 will have little use for the self-thumber, though the 

 man who goes fishing only once or twice a year, yet 

 desires to cast "a la mode," will find such a winch a 

 veritable godsend. But more regarding self-thumb- 

 ers later on. 



While for ordinary fishing I do not employ a self- 

 thumber, I have one automatic-spooler which is a 

 favorite winch, so I am not consistent in the matter 



