and backward. The increase in ten- 
sion applies only to the spool when 
the line is running out. When reeled 
in, the tension is always the same. 
The capacity. of a fly reel for 
trout fishing should be about forty 
yards of E line. The ordinary level 
enameled lines ‘sold in tackle shops 
come in twenty-five yard lengths. 
Most tapered lines-are thirty yards in 
length and a reel that has a capacity 
of forty yards will hold one of these 
lines comfortably. “The spool should be 
quite full in order that it may retrieve 
the line rapidly. If a twenty-five or 
thirty-yard line does not fill a reel 
more than three-fourths full it is best 
to put a backing of linen line on un- 
derneath the fly line. The reel should 
be full enough so that the line may 
be reeled in comfortably without pil- 
ing up and rubbing on the pillars. 
N important point that is fre- 
quently overlooked by anglers, in 
the selection of a fly reel, is to get one 
that balances the fly rod. A great 
many anglers use a reel that is too 
light, and this causes the rod to feel 
top heavy and tiring to fish with. A 
great American authority on fly fish- 
ing makes the statement that a fly reel 
should weigh once and a half what 
the rod weighs, in order to insure good 
balance. This would mean that a 
seven and one-half ounce reel would 
be proper for a five-ounce fly rod. Of 
course, this rule does not apply in- 
variably to all rods, as some rods are 
top heavy to begin with, while others 
feel well balanced without a reel. 
Salmon reels are the largest single- 
action reels made. The diameter of 
the end plates is from three and a 
quarter to four and a half inches. 
They are usually made of aluminum 
alloy or rubber and German silver, and 
sometimes of oxidized German silver. 
Reels made of the latter material, how- 
ever, are unduly heavy. Salmon and 
grilse reels are very similar in con- 
struction to trout fly reels, except for 
size. Most of them have an adjustable 
drag, which is regulated by means of 
a screw on the side plate. The pres- 
sure may be made very heavy so that 
a large fish will have difficulty in run- 
ning off the line. 
OST of the better salmon reels 
come from Great Britain, al- 
though there are two or three con- 
cerns in the United States making ex- 
cellent ones. The capacity of a salmon 
reel should be the regular 40 yard 
double-tapered salmon fly line, plus 
two hundred yards of linen line about 
number twelve, which is used for back- 
ing. 
Multiplying reels are in common use 
in this country for still-fishing, bait- 
casting and trolling. Reels of this 
type have the crank handle attached 
to the spool by means of cog wheels 
or gears. In a double multiplying reel, 
the spool turns twice to one turn of 
the handle; in a quadruple, four times. 
A few triple multipliers have been 
made, but they were never very suc- 
cessful, as it seems difficult to gear a 
reel this way. Salt-water reels are all 
double multipliers; also fresh-water 
reels used for trolling and still fish- 
ing. The reel used for bait-casting is 
a quadruple multiplier, because in this 
form of angling the bait must be re- 
trieved very quickly; also, a quadruple 
reel spins very freely and has a 
marked absence of vibration, which 
makes for smooth, steady casting. 
UADRUPLE reels have a long 
low spool in order to allow plenty 
of room for thumbing in bait-casting. 
Most of them have a balanced handle 
which consists of a small piece of metal 
on the crank shaft, opposite the han- 
dle proper, or grip, of the same weight 
as the latter. Some reels are equipped 
with a double grip, and these reels 
spin very easily, because beside being 
of equal weight, the air resistance is 
the same. Both double and quadruple 
action reels have a click which is en- 
gaged and released by means of a slid- 
ing button on the side of the plate. 
Many are also equipped with a drag 
mechanism, similar in character to the 
click, except that it is noiseless. These 
appliances are convenient in trolling 
and still fishing, as they prevent the 
drum of the reel from revolving freely 
and tangling the line, and also give 
warning when a fish strikes. 
Multiplying reels are commonly 
made of. nickeled brass, vulcanized rub- 
ber and German silver or of German 
silver throughout. A few are made 
of aluminum or aluminum alloy. The 
German silver reels are usually the 
best as this material is the most dura- 
ble and wear resisting, and the most 
careful workmanship usualiy enters 
into the making of them. 
Some reels are equipped with jeweled 
bearings and others with phosphor 
bronze and steel bearings. The former 
kind are usually the most costly, al- 
though some of the most expensive 
have plain bearings, 
reels and will 
wear a life time. The reason that the — 
bearings of most reels wear away is — 
because of insufficient lubrication. A 
reel, particularly one used for bait- 
casting, should be oiled thoroughly 
every day it is used, with a very little 
fine sperm or clock oil. 
UE to the popularity of bait-cast- 
ing in this country, many reels 
have been manufactured embodying 
anti-back-lash and level-winding de- 
vices. These are excellent for the 
angler who cannot properly learn to 
thumb the reel and spool the line. They 
are also useful for night fishing when 
a bad back-lash may spoil a trip. One 
of these reels has a bar in front which 
is lifted up by the line when the cast 
is made, and releases the gears of the 
reel. When the bait strikes the water, 
the bar drops down and stops the spool, 
thereby preventing the line’s overrun- 
ning and causing a back-lash. Other 
reels of this type have small gover- 
nors or balances inside, which cause 
the reel to run steadily and stop the 
spool at the end of the cast. Most of 
the level winding devices consist of a 
double-thread bar, which is geared to 
the spool. A small line guide travels 
across this bar, automatically drops 
into the other thread when it reaches 
the end of the bar and then returns, 
carrying the line with it and winding 
it evenly on the spool. Some reels 
have both the anti-back-lash and level 
winding feature combined. All one has 
to do with such a reel is to cast and 
retrieve without paying any attention 
to thumbing the reel or spooling the 
line. 
Many quadruple casting reels are 
equipped with a free spool. In a reel 
of this type, when the cast is made, 
the line runs out and the crank han- 
dle remains stationary, the spool alone 
revolving. When the handle is turned, 
the gears engage automatically and 
the line is retrieved. Free-spool reels 
are apt to be cranky and some anglers 
never master thumbing them. They 
require a very light thumb pressure 
in order to prevent overrunning and 
causing a back lash, but once the se- 
cret of handling them is gotten, they 
are pleasant to use. 
UTOMATIC reels are used princi- 
pally for fly fishing, although 
some anglers like them for still fish- 
ing. There are several different makes 
on the market and they vary but 
slightly in structure. The spool is 
(Continued on page 500) 

458 
