72 COARSE FISH. 



given by the longer rod in striking is of great 

 service. Besides, in bank-fishing, the extra length 

 is useful when fishing over bushes or branches, 

 whereas when fishing from a punt the swims are 

 generally perfectly free and open to the rod. 



The winch I can recommend for chubbing is 



Slater's " Wellington," of mahogany, with 

 Winch , , ,1,1- ■ 1 • 



the usual ' cage bars and rims, with centre- 

 pin action, very free and light running, without a 

 check, and the one I prefer is four inches in 

 diameter. This is a large but light winch, and 

 its big barrel saves much time in winding in, for 

 chub-swims are fished very long, especially from 

 a punt. Slater has a new winch this year (1897), 

 the " Zephyr," with aluminium back and mahogany 

 barrel. I have not tried this winch, but it certainly 

 looks workmanlike. The only objection I can 

 make is that the aluminium shines brightly ; but a 

 little wear would soon alter this, or a coat of paint 

 would take the shine out of it. Perhaps I am too 

 particular about this, perhaps not. It may be 

 thought that the " Wellington " winch, being all 

 wood (barrel and sides), would warp in wet weather ; 

 I can only say that my winch has been through 

 some terribly wet weather, and has not warped in 

 the slightest. A test for a good winch, one that 

 runs smoothly, is to give it a good spin and place 

 the back of the winch flat on the hand ; if the 

 slightest vibration is felt, the mechanism is not 

 exactly true. An accurately constructed winch 

 will spin for a long while. There is a small catch 

 on the face plate of the best Nottingham winches. 

 By pressing this the winch is thrown out of gear 

 and the revolving portion can be lifted off and the 

 axle oiled and cleaned ; and this should occasion- 



