Martin - Float fishing and spinning in the Nottingham

28 BOTTOM FISHING IN THE NOTTINGHAM STYLE.
centre-pin reels, as just noticed, are splendid articles for the
Nottingham style of fishing, and are generally made of the
very best and hardest well-seasoned walnut (the spindle does
not come right through and is fastened outside with a nut,
like the ordinary reel) the ; spindle itself is steel, and at the
end it is reduced to nearly a point, which runs in a hole
that is in the centre of the front plate, and is held in position
by a strong spring.
These very best centre-pin reels are rather expensive, a
real good one costing something like fifteen shillings, while
a good ordinary one would only cost five ; however, if the
angler can afford a " centre-pin," by all means have one ;
if he
cannot, why, he will make very good shift with a first-class
ordinary one. These reels are admirably adapted for throwing
out a long line with only a very light float and tackle.
I have been asked by several correspondents lately to send
them a description of the Nottingham reels, and how much
they differ in their construction from the ordinary brass
winches, because they say I only just refer to them in my
book, and do not fully describe them. It would take up too
much of my time to answer all these communications by
letter, so in this edition I will go more fully into this question
of the Nottingham reels. The ordinary brass winches
or reels are of no use for the Nottingham style of fishing,
because they do not revolve with anything like sufficient
freedom for casting out a bait, or in " traveller "
fishing for
chub down a swim. I have just hinted that a reel with a
solid cross-back to it is to be preferred, and perhaps it would
be as well here to explain why. The back of a Nottingham
reel is generally made of hard wood, either walnut or
mahogany, about half an inch thick and this is hollowed
;
or recessed out about one-third of its thickness, so that it
forms a rim round the edge (this rim is to act as a cover and
protection for the back edge or plate of the revolving portion
of the reel). Now this wooden back being so thin, it is
manifest that if it had no protection it would be liable to
warp ; and if this did happen, instead of the reel spinning
round evenly and truly, it would be a nasty wobbling affair,
and very disagreeable to use ; especially is this the case