FISHING REELS. 89 



the " alarm " was not intended in any sense to represent, 

 or subserve the functions of a " click " proper, the spring 

 not being stiff enough to retard the action of the reel. It 

 was invented to meet the requirements of still-fishing, 

 where the butt of the cane rod was frequently stuck in the 

 bank (often by a spike provided for that purpose), thus re- 

 lieving the lazy angler from the necessity of holding the 

 rod or watching his float while waiting for a " bite," until 

 the singing of the " alarm " announced that welcome con- 

 tingency. 



Now a " click " proper is a very different affair from the 

 " alarm " of the Kentucky reel. The former is a pawl en- 

 gaging, constantly and permanently, with the shaft pinion, 

 and operated by a strong spring, so as to materially retard 

 the action of the reel, and is used only in reels intended 

 for fly-fishing. Originally all such reels were the single- 

 action " click reels," but now many multiplying reels are 

 made to subserve the same purpose by an " adjustable 

 click," that is, a click which can be readily thrown in or 

 out of gear. This is a very .gooH arrangement, and all ex- 

 pensive multiplying reels should be constructed in this 

 way, so as to admit of their being used for either bait-fish- 

 ing or fly-fishing. In this case the adjustable cli'ck answers 

 also all the purposes of a " drag," rendering the latter 

 superfluous. 



And now for the reason why the click and drag exist in 

 combination in some reels. Of late years, the popularity 

 and excellence of the " Kentucky " multiplying reel induced 

 certain manufacturers to imitate it. This would be all well 

 enough if they produced an exact imitation ; but, not realiz- 

 ing the proper function of the " alarm," they substituted 

 for it the well-known " click," and also retained the " drag," 



