174 Book of the Black Bass. 



CHAPTER X. 



FISHING REELS. 



"And to that end, some use a wheel about the middle of the rod, 

 or near their hand; which is to be observed better by seeing one 

 of them, than by a large demonstration of words." — Izaak 

 Walton. 



Next to a good rod there is nothing that contributes to 

 the pleasure of the angler so much as a well-made reliable 

 reel, and T am happy to be able to state that the improve- 

 ments in fishing reels for black bass fishing have fully kept 

 pace with the improvements in fishing rods. Manufactur- 

 ers and inventors have taxed their ingenuity in devising 

 the best and most suitable reels for both fly-fishing and 

 bait-fishing, and the American reel, as the American rod, 

 is to-day the best in the world. 



The earliest mention of a fishing reel that I am aware 

 of is that recorded in the "Compleat Angler " by Izaak 

 Walton, who states, as a matter of hearsay, that a " wheel " 

 was sometimes placed about the middle of the rod for wind- 

 ing up the line. He did not employ one himself, and 

 probably never saw it used, or he would have been more 

 explicit concerning it. The wheel mentioned was doubt- 

 less a solid wooden one, of large diameter, with a deep 

 groove in its peripheral border for the line. Such a winch 

 is in common use to-day in England, and is known as 

 the Nottingham reel. 



There are three kinds of reels employed in angling : the 

 click reel, the multiplying reel, and the automatic reel. 



A fishing reel is made in accordance with the special 

 service required of it, the objects of said service being 

 twofold. The first and most important is the proper 



