22 



PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



to convert the Nottingham trailers to what is commonly known 

 as the 'Thames style' of spinning ; first, because in fishing, as 

 in everything else, there is a charm in variety ; 

 secondly, because I am well aware that, at any 

 rate on their own river, the Nottingham spinners 

 are both expert and successful as regards the 

 actual results of their system and these the 

 most important results, viz., making good 

 baskets ... I might add as a third argument 

 against the attempt, that it would, I am quite 

 satisfied, be a failure. 



Amongst the recent, I was going to say less 

 important, improvements in fishing gear but 

 no improvement that adds materially to the 

 comfort and efficiency of the angler's equip- 

 ment is unimportant are the various ingenious 

 inventions before noticed, for attaching the reel 

 to the rod. Of these I can only repeat here 

 that the most simple, inexpensive, and in every 

 way efficient fastening is that brought out at 

 the late Fisheries Exhibition, I believe, by 

 Messrs. Hardy Brothers, of Alnwick. 



It is applicable, without exception, to nil 

 sorts of rods, and to every description of reel 

 which is attached by a plate in the ordinary 

 way. Whether it could be fitted to rods already 

 made with the common ring or other fasten- 

 ings, I am unable to say positively, but I have 

 little doubt that in many cases perhaps in 

 all it could be substituted. I shall never 

 have a rod made with any other fastening in 

 future. 



KEKI.-FASTENINO. The ' catch ' was originally attached to the 



rod by nails or screws (n'Je cut), but, at my 



suggestion, Messrs. Hardy have now substituted a catch 



entirely surrounding or clasping the rod, which \z both more 



