HEEL LINES, ETC. 21 



handle is the best. These are winches made 

 with cog-wheels and springs, to prevent too 

 much line running out. They are very useful 

 in cases where a slight check to the rush of the 

 fish is necessary. The winch should be pro- 

 vided with a screw plate, to fix the instrument 

 into a groove in the rod, which should also 

 have a brass ferrule for that purpose. If your 

 rod does not possess the proper fittings, you 

 can fasten on the winch with wet tape ; and if 

 you keep the tape wet, the reel will remain in 

 its place. Cord or twine is apt to loosen. 



REEL LINES. 



Reel Lines are generally made of horsehair 

 and silk plaited together, or of silk alone. The 

 best are made of the two materials combined, 

 as they are less likely to tangle, run out more 

 freely, and are less apt to decay with damp 

 than those of silk alone. The length of line 

 on the winch should be not less than fifteen 

 yards; and it may be, for salmon and pike- 

 fishing, as many as eighty. After your day's 

 sport, the line should be unwound and allowed 

 to dry, as, if left on the reel, it soon decays. 



THE CLEARING-RING AND LINE. 



The Clearing-ring and Line are used to free 

 your line from any obstruction from weeds, 

 stones, posts, &c. It consists of a ring of brass 

 or lead, and passes over the rod to the point 

 of obstruction. The brass rings are best, as 

 they are jointed, and can pass over the rod 



