SPINNING WITH A SALMON REEL 363 



THE CONTROL OVER THE DRUM 



When a perfectly regulated spinning reel is used when 

 casting, the centifrugal force acquired by the lure should not 

 overcome the spring controlling the rotatory action of the 

 drum, and the lure, therefore, after reaching the position L 6 , 

 Diagram 23, would continue to circle round concentrically 

 in line with the rod top, so long as the forward motion of the 

 rod is not varied (see K.K.K., Diagram 23, page 365). 



It is obvious that if the lure has to leave this circle in 

 order to reach some desired place on the river, lake, etc., 

 it will have to be released from the controlling action of the 

 drum. A free rotation of the drum is therefore necessary 

 if the lure is to proceed to its destination. Directly the 

 drum is allowed to rotate the centrifugal force hitherto 

 kept in check will cause the lure to fly off at a tangent to 

 the circle in which it has been travelling (see L 6 Q, 

 Diagram 23). 



The frictional resistance of the air to the line, etc., 

 will gradually affect the speed of the lure and also the 

 amount of the line which is being drawn out, but the 

 rotatory velocity which the drum of the reel has acquired 

 will not be so readily affected, and unless it be checked 

 it will eventually overtake the line which is being less 

 quickly pulled from the cylinder, and thus cause over- 

 running. 



It is necessary, therefore that the drum should be again 

 controlled, so that its rotatory velocity shall not exceed the 

 rate at which the line is being drawn off by the reel. Now, 

 this check to the drum of the original Nottingham reel was 

 effected by the application of the hand, a finger of which 

 was pressed to the side or edge of the rotating drum in order 

 to check when necessary its excessive rotation, but not 

 otherwise to interfere with its freedom or cause any sudden 

 or unnecessary check to the progress of the lure. 



