OTHER TACKLE, FLIES AND MINNOWS 45 



or aids to more efficient labour. Some certainly will 

 appeal to the careful man, whilst others may be noted 

 for future consideration. 



Reel bags, so often ignored by fishermen, are something 

 more than a fussy man's fad : they are covers for pieces 

 of delicate mechanism. When you realize that some 

 fixed spool reels are composed of thirty or more parts, 

 ranging from tiny screws and washers to the eccentric 

 bearing, you will appreciate the need for safeguarding 

 the reel from dust and grit. However heedful you may 

 be, a fishing bag has a knack of collecting bits of dirt ; 

 and to drop an unprotected reel into a general hold-all 

 is simply asking for ultimate trouble. Strong waterproof 

 reel bags can be purchased for about three shillings each, 

 and they are well worth that small sum. As an alter- 

 native, I have known men who have used discarded socks 

 for the purpose of shielding their reels against dust and 

 danger. Anything is better than to allow a valuable 

 reel to be exposed to the risk of insidious damage. 



Another asset is a stout rubber band placed round the 

 butt of the rod. Before assembling the rod and reel, 

 slip the band over the butt above the reel fitting. If the 

 band is too slack, merely give it a twist and let it make a 

 double turn round the rod. This will provide an ideal 

 means of holding a metal spinner or even a large fly. 

 The fly rings mounted by the makers on many rods are 

 not large enough to take the barb of a big hook. When 

 passing from pool to pool, or climbing over fences, a 

 dangling treble or a drifting fly can entail inconveniences 

 and irritations. Consequently, this simple rubber con- 

 trivance will prove of much benefit. Further, if at the 

 end of your day's trip, you do not wish to strip your 

 gear, you will find the rubber wrapping a perfect 

 method for confining the lure in readiness for the morrow's 

 expedition. 



