50 PRACTICAL FLY FISHING 



Some of them also used imported reels or the multipli- 

 ers which they made themselves with wonderful skill 

 as early as iSio. 1 



The earliest click reel turned out especially for fly 

 fishing for bass was made by J. L. Sage of Frankfort, 

 Ky., in 1848. It is still in excellent fishing condition 

 and is of solid brass measuring 2% inches in diameter 

 and 1*4 inches between head and tail plates. It has 

 a permanent click which is placed in the head instead 

 of the rear as is usual in click reels. It has an unusu- 

 ally sweet song. 



This reel was presented by Mr. Sage to Dr. Hen- 

 shall during the World's Fair at Chicago, who in turn 

 has passed it down to the writer. Needless to say 

 it is one of my prize possessions. The reel is pictured 

 in the illustration showing the correct way to grasp 

 the rod. 



USE OF THE REEL 



Compared with the bait-casting reel the winch for 

 fly fishing plays a minor part. It is used mainly as a 

 storage place for surplus line, to wind in excess slack 

 and occasionally, depending on one's style of fishing, to 

 play a fish. 



l Henshall credits the invention of the multiplying reel to Gee. 

 Snyder of Kentucky, giving the date of his first reel about 1810. 

 According to R. B. Marston, editor of the Fishing Gazette (London) 

 Onesimus Ustonson advertised " the best sort of multiplying brass 

 winches, both stop and plain " in 1770. 



