The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-07-06
AUTOMATIC REELS.
More of Them Are Being Used, But
They Have Disadvantages.
New York SUM-


More of the various forms of auto
matte reels are going on the streams
ana lakes each season. Pretty nearly
every man owns one who is able TO
AFFORD II, and they are not expensive
put there is something to be said
against them
Like the chainless bicycle. thew are a
convenience, but they are not perfect.
and continued use of them win throw a
mans angling off. as fifteen-bau pool
VIII anect his game of billiards. They
are intended to do by mechanism what
should be done by the fingers and
W-ist, and in just SO far as their
mechanism takes the place of the fin
SerS ana wrist they cause inaccuracy
In those members
FOR another comparison with the hi
cycle, they act like the toe cIin. They
are good 10 have sometimes. but when
lney get to be, a habit it is hard to do
without them
Inc automatic reel is that reel which
Dy one device or another acts automat-
lcally to take up slack in a line. 1t is
very swift and certain.
BY pressing spring with finoar Of
the left hand the machine is set in mo-
ton and whirls the slack much faster
than IL could be taken IN by hand. In
inns way a f1sh never gets any slack to
lts credit and is debarred from chance
to pop out the hook, or break the silk
by throwing his weight against the
slack 1t permits also the handling of
the rod with one hand.
1t is an easy thing to bring in a fish
With an automatic reel Swiftly lower
ing the tip of an upright rod to the
water, at the same time pressing upon
the spring, will cause the reel to take
up the slack caused by the lowering
and the line will be taut when the fin
hlts the surface of the lake or river.
Ihen If the butt is given again. the
l1S VIII be brought in by so much.
This is really bringing the fish in bv
rod strain and it is a pretty thing to
witness
The angler with the automatic reel
grows to rely upon it unconsciously
and absolutely, which is a bad thing.
He presses the spring mechanically
ana the line is taken up for him with
out further motion on his part.
IN not great while he becomes in
competent to handle an ordinary reel,
winch depends for its effectiveness
upon human brain and muscle. Thus
When his automatic reel gets out of
order, as, like all other delicate machin-
cry. II viii do upon slight or no provo
cation, he is in a fix
II away upon a ten days trip in the
woods where there is no matchmaker
- 10 lhe repairing, ne must c en- get
out an old-fashioned reel. or borrow
one. and learn all over again.
This IS annoying. discouraclng, cost
~, and makes for laughter among COM
panIons. Again to refer 10 the bicycle.
when a chain wheel br6aks down. anv
blacksmith by a country roadside can
NIX 1t, but when a ohainless breaks
Gown, the rider walks to town.
This is not to say that the automatic
is not good thing. II is a good thing
used in moderation One day with
the automatic and ore with the COM
mon hand power reel should keep a,
man in trim.
After all, however, il does seem TO
be taking rather klaavish advantage
of the red spotted trout TO set this
devllish whirring thing against him.
robblng him of inches and feet and
yards of line as he darts in and refus-
ing to let him have any of it when he
darts back unless he pulls his head of.
He is only little fellow, after all
with inherited activity. courage and
and 150-pound man with
an eight-ounce rod and high-priced silk
line and carefully tied fly and good
plain reel ought to be able to handle
him without setting a spring-driven
wheel against him