178 



Book of the Black Bass. 



The balance-handle is a delusion and a snare. There is 

 no real advantage in it. In so light a piece of machinery 



as a fishing reel, a balance- 

 handle adds nothing to its ef- 

 ficiency, while it is open to 

 several objections, the most 

 serious of vrhich is the greater 

 possibility of fouling the line 

 as compared with the simple 

 crank-handle. It is popularly 

 supposed to aid in the smooth 



Click Reel, witfBalLce-Handle and and rapid revolution of the 



Rubber Protective Rim. spool ; but if the reel is con- 



structed in a workmanlike manner, such aid is reduced to a 

 minimum. It is one of those theories that is not borne out 

 in practice. It was never designed by a practical angler. 



The click reel is placed at the extreme butt of the fly 

 rod, below the hand-grip, where it adds 

 much to the balance and general work- 

 ing of the rod. As the click regulates 

 the rendering of the line, and as the 

 narrowness of the reel obviates the 

 necessitv- for guiding the line in reel- 

 ing, it is placed out of the way, at 

 the extreme butt. It should always 

 be placed underneath the rod, and not 

 on top, as is often done. 



Click reels are all constructed upon the same general 

 principle, but are of various patterns and composed of 

 various materials, being made of hard rubber, celluloid, 

 brass, bronze, and German silver : their weight depends on 

 the material used, and the angler has a large assortment 

 of styles and prices to select from. Any good trout click 



