TKENT FISHING. 31 



vinced most fully, that for the Nottingham style of general 

 fishing, that comprises both float fishing and spinning, this 

 reel is worthless. In the last Fishing Gazette tourna- 

 ment, those pleasant anglers' gatherings that were introduced 

 into this country by the worthy editor of the paper just 

 mentioned (Mr. R. B. Marston 1 ), this reel was allowed in 

 competition in the Nottingham style of casting ; but in my 

 humble opinion it ought not to have been so allowed, as it is 

 more of a Thames style than a Trent ; but, however, that 

 event proved that that reel had to put up with a third place, 

 as regards the distance cast by the ordinary Thames and 

 Nottingham styles. I do not know that I should have 

 noticed this reel at such length, if there had not been claimed 

 for it the title of " Nottingham style," and I am in duty 

 bound, as giving a full description of that style, to notice most 

 fully such an important article as the reel. 



In the fashion pursued by the Thames fishermen, the line 

 is drawn off the reel, and laid loosely in coils at his feet, 

 unless he happens to be skilful enough to gather it up in the 

 palm of the left hand as some do. Suppose the angler to be 

 fishing from a reed bed, or an osier holt, and his line to be 

 coiled at his feet, it would be constantly catching in twigs, 

 or pieces of rubbish, and a tangle at the rings of the rod 

 would be inevitable at every cast. If we add to this the 

 fact that the Nottingham style requires the very finest and 

 lightest of silk running-lines, made of what is called Derby 

 twist, and scarcely thicker than cotton, it is manifest that if 

 it were laid in coils or gathered in the palm of the hand, it 

 would tangle up into inextricable knots. Hence my reader 

 will see it is necessary that the line should be able to run off 

 the reel with the greatest freedom, and that there should be 

 a minimum of friction. Indeed, it not unfrequently happens, 

 when throwing out a long line, or a heavy tackle, that the 

 reel runs with too great a freedom. It spins round quicker 

 than the line can run through the rings, and if this happens, 

 a sad tangle will be the result. This difficulty can easily be 



1 Mr. Malloch's reel is very useful to those anglers who cannot cast 

 from the ordinary Nottingham reel. It answers admirably for pike 

 fishing, ledgering and bottom fishing for salmon, E. B. Marston. 



