6o SALMON AND TROUT. 



(bronzed) reel, shown in two views in the engravings. It is 

 made in all sizes, but it is distinctly as a salmon reel that it 

 finds its most natural place. 



Its speciality is the mechanism, explained by the lower diagram, 

 in which the lozenge-shaped piece represents a convex spring 

 plate, which by means of a screw-nut (shown in the upper figure) 

 can be loosened or tightened at pleasure, so as to offer exactly the 

 resistance to the running out of the line that may be desired. This 

 takes the place of the ordinary check, which is, however, attached 

 to a second variety of the reel for those who may prefer it. In 

 this latter model the regulator-spring is transferred to the left- 

 hand, or opposite, plate, and replaced on the right-hand plate by 

 the check machinery. 



There is also a little supplementary plate, which will be 

 noticed covering the end of the axis, for lubricating purposes. 



Chevalier and Bowness manufacture a very similar reel, in 

 which the ' pressure nut ' is turned on and off by the fingers, 

 instead of by a knife-blade or screwdriver. 



These are both strong and thoroughly serviceable reels ; 

 and for salmon fishing, where it seems — or I should perhaps 

 rather say, seemed till recently — to be the general theory — or, 

 at any rate, practice — that weight is subsidiary to strength and 

 durability, can be safely relied on. A ' lever ' reel of 4^ inches, 

 with a proper complement of line, weighs 2 lbs. i oz. 



Another capital reel, which I have found excellent for all 

 sorts of boat work, is Malloch's ' Sun and Planet ' Reel. This 

 is a check reel, and its peculiarity is that unless, and until, the 

 handle is taken hold of, the line runs out without any move- 

 ment of the side plate (or, of course, of the handle), so that, 

 when trailing, for instance, the rod can safely be left with the 

 reel resting on the bottom of the boat, and in case of a * run ' 

 there is no danger of a contact between the reel-handle and 

 boat-gear causing one of those sudden checks on the line 

 which are apt to produce inopportune results. 



In the reel which I have of this pattern the right-hand 

 plate is made of some white metal lightly bronzed, or rather 



