TACKLE AND FISHING GEAR. 59 



plates of the reel. It is fixed by a screw to the outer plate at G. 

 When the screw, F (fig. 5) corresponding to A in fig. 4 is 

 tightened, or screwed up, the effect is to press this steel plate 

 against the interior or revolving plate of the reel at E, the ten- 

 sion, or pressure, being thus decreased or increased at pleasure. 



Amongst these admirable inventions both the salmon and 

 trout fisher will have, I think, no difficulty in selecting a reel 

 entirely suited to his taste, observing that the question of 

 weight is one deserving of great consideration, especially by 

 fly fishers who are not burdened with superfluous muscular 

 development of the back and arms. If the lower portion of 

 the reel line, which is not used in casting, and which under- 

 goes but comparatively little wear and tear, is made to consist 

 of either moderately fine untapered dressed silk line, or still 

 better, of a line of hemp such as I have already described, the 

 weight of the salmon reel may be considerably reduced without 

 any loss whatever either of efficiency or ' compass.' 



Allowing thirty yards of stout tapered line either of the 

 ordinary taper, or of the swelled or double taper which I 

 suggest for casting purposes, sixty or seventy yards of hemp line 

 strong enough to hold anything that swims can be got comfort- 

 ably upon a three and three-quarter or four-inch reel, and this 

 length (ninety yards) will usually be found sufficient for all prac- 

 tical purposes. 1 The two lines should, of course, be very care- 

 fully and neatly lapped together with fine waxed silk at the 

 place of junction, so as to obviate any danger of the line get- 

 ting stuck in the rings at that point when running out with a 

 fish. If small stiff steel rings, such as I use myself and advo- 

 cate for every description of rod? are adopted, the chance, what- 

 ever it may be, of any ' hitch ' at the critical moment will be 

 reduced to a minimum. 



1 I like 130 to 150 yards on the reel for salmon fishing 75 yards of each sort 

 of line. In big rivers I have had a good deal of the stcond half run out by a 

 heavy fish. The having two kinds of line indicates, when the second begins 

 running, at what distance the fish is from you, which in very broken water is 

 sometimes difficult to ascertain. ED. 



2 I cordially agree in the advantage of standing rings. ED. 



