Martin - Float fishing and spinning in the Nottingham

TKENT FISHING. 31
vinced most fully, that for the Nottingham style of general
fishing, that comprises both float fishing and spinning, this
reel is worthless. In the last Fishing Gazette tournament,
those pleasant anglers' gatherings that were introduced
into this country by the worthy editor of the paper just
mentioned (Mr. R. B. Marston 1
this reel ), was allowed in
competition in the Nottingham style of casting but ; in my
humble opinion it ought not to have been so allowed, as it is
more of a Thames style than a Trent ; but, however, that
event proved that that reel had to put up with a third place,
as regards the distance cast by the ordinary Thames and
Nottingham styles. I do not know that I should have
noticed this reel at such length, if there had not been claimed
for it the title of " Nottingham style," and I am in duty
bound, as giving a full description of that style, to notice most
fully such an important article as the reel.
In the fashion pursued by the Thames fishermen, the line
is drawn off the reel, and laid loosely in coils at his feet,
unless he happens to be skilful enough to gather it up in the
palm of the left hand as some do. Suppose the angler to be
fishing from a reed bed, or an osier holt, and his line to be
coiled at his feet, it would be constantly catching in twigs,
or pieces of rubbish, and a tangle at the rings of the rod
would be inevitable at every cast. If we add to this the
fact that the Nottingham style requires the very finest and
lightest of silk running-lines, made of what is called Derby
twist, and scarcely thicker than cotton, it is manifest that if
it were laid in coils or gathered in the palm of the hand, it
would tangle up into inextricable knots. Hence my reader
will see it is necessary that the line should be able to run off
the reel with the greatest freedom, and that there should be
a minimum of friction. Indeed, it not unfrequently happens,
when throwing out a long line, or a heavy tackle, that the
reel runs with too great a freedom. It spins round quicker
than the line can run through the rings, and if this happens,
a sad tangle will be the result. This difficulty can easily be
1 Mr. Malloch's reel is very useful to those anglers who cannot cast
from the ordinary Nottingham reel. It answers admirably for pike
fishing, ledgering and bottom fishing for salmon, E. B. Marston.