REELS AND THEIR CARE 55 



Another thing: if his reel has spiral gears, 

 as many of the best reels have, its spool may 

 not revolve so freely in recovering as in deliver- 

 ing, therefore one will not gain a fair knowl- 

 edge of its capabilities for casting unless he 

 spins it backward. This is more difficult to do 

 with thumb and finger because of the form of 

 the balance handle. 



A better plan, and one giving more accurate 

 results is this: Take a piece of small cord and 

 wax one end. Lay this on the spindle of the 

 spool and wind over it, just as you would with 

 a casting line, always winding a given length of 

 cord, say twelve inches. Hold the reel firmly 

 in one hand, handle at the top, and when the 

 second hand of your watch is over a given 

 point, pull the cord evenly with the other hand 

 until it comes away from the spindle just as a 

 boy spins a top. Pull steadily, exerting not much 

 more force than would the half-ounce weight 

 in a cast. Your reel will spin as it does in cast- 

 ing, and the method insures steadiness and 

 uniform results, as you will find after a few 

 trials. 



If the reel is made of hard rubber with bronze 

 or brass parts, on taking it apart you may find 

 verdigris under and in the teeth of the gear, 

 and this, as well as the gummed oil, must be 



