22 



PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



"*Wjf 



I 



to convert the Nottingham trailers to what is commonly known 

 as the ' Thames style ' of spinning ; first, because in fishing, as 

 in everything else, there is a charm in variety ; 

 secondly, because I am well aware that, at any 

 rate on their own river, the Nottingham spinners 

 are both expert and successful as regards the 

 actual results of their system — and these the 

 most important results, viz., making good 

 baskets ... I might add as a third argument 

 against the attempt, that it would, I am quite 

 satisfied, be a failure. 



Amongst the recent, I was going to say less 

 important, improvements in fishing gear — but 

 no improvement that adds materially to the 

 comfort and efficiency of the angler's equip- 

 ment is unimportant — are the various ingenious 

 inventions before noticed, for attaching the reel 

 to the rod. Of these I can only repeat here 

 that the most simple, inexpensive, and in every 

 way efficient fastening is that brought out at 

 the late Fisheries Exhibition, I believe, by 

 Messrs. Hardy Brothers, of Alnwick. 



It is applicable, without exception, to all 

 sorts of rods, and to every description of reel 

 which is attached by a plate in the ordinary 

 way. Whether it could be fitted to rods already 

 made with the common ring or other fasten- 

 ings, I am unable to say positively, but I have 

 little doubt that in many cases — perhaps in 

 _'/ all — it could be substituted. I shall never 

 '^f^ have a rod made with any other fastening in 

 future. 



The ' catch ' was originally attached to the 



rod by nails or screws {vMe cut), but, at my 



suggestion, Messrs. Hardy have now substituted a catch 



entirely surrounding or clasping the rod, which is both more 



REEL-FASTENING. 



