196 DRAG-HOOK AND CLEARING-RING. 



waters, when it often happens that a fish will twist the 

 line several times round a mass of weed, until it becomes 

 so completely entangled, that neither tackle nor fish 

 can be recovered without some such assistance. 



The Clearing-Ring, as usually sold in shops, is a 

 heavy iron ring of about an inch and a half in diameter, 

 thicker at one side than the other, and having a hinge 

 in the thick side, to open and permit of its being slipped 

 on to the rod or line, and a clasp on the other, to secure 

 it again when on. To a hole near the clasp a strong 

 cord wound on a reel is attached. But the annexed 

 Fig. 24 will show a much less costly and equally efficient 

 contrivance which I am in the habit of using myself, 

 and which any village blacksmith has skill 

 enough to make. It consists, as will be 

 seen, of an oblong iron ring, thick and heavy 

 at one end, and furnished with an opening 

 (a), at the other for the purpose of slipping 

 it on the line, while a cord is attached to 

 the part I. 



In using this implement, just wind up 

 the line upon the reel as tight as possible, 

 and slip the ring on to the line through the 

 opening (a) ; then elevate the rod as per- 

 pendicularly above the obstruction in the 

 water as you can, when the ring will slide 

 * ia 24 ' down the line to the hook ; then pull the 



THE CLEABINO- 



cord, and the hook will either be at once 

 disengaged, or the line broken close by it. A rather 

 knowing old gentleman of my acquaintance was in the 



