52 PRACTICAL FLY FISHING 



The working parts of a reel should be of the best 

 material finely tempered steel and bronze as softer 

 metals soon wear. The materials most often used in 

 making the frames and spools of click reels are alu- 

 minum, aluminum alloy, gun metal, German silver, 

 nickel plated brass or one of these metals in combina- 

 tion with hard rubber or " ebonite." 



FINISH 



The English make fine reels of the large narrow 

 style, noted the world over for their honest work- 

 manship and fine finish, many of them being made of 

 aluminum alloy, finished either all black or with just 

 enough bright metal to furnish a pleasing contrast. 

 Although I do not take much stock in the theory that 

 bright metal scares a fish I prefer those with the dark 

 finish a preference shared by many of our most ex- 

 pert fly fishers. 



WEIGHT 



It is regrettable that many of the English reels are 

 too light in weight to balance American-made bass and 

 heavy trout rods, it being axiomatic that to secure 

 proper balance the combined weight of reel and line 

 should be at least i% times the weight of the rod. 

 American reels, especially the newer models, also tend 

 toward excessive lightness. 



I discussed this question once with a reel maker 

 who said : " I agree with you that most fly fishing 

 reels are too light in weight but somehow the angling 



