TACKLE (Continued) : Page 38

Reel Seat, etc.

The reel seat on a fly rod is placed below the hand to keep the reel out of the way and to add weight below the grip for leverage in casting. The reel seat may be either metal, celluloid or " skeleton "— the latter usually being a piece of grooved cedar.

The metal reel seat should be of German silver as this material is superior to the nickel plated brass used on the cheaper rods. German silver is strong, its finish is permanent and never chips and while it tarnishes slightly it can easily be polished. I rather like the British idea of oxidizing all metal parts. With the skeleton or celluloid reel seats a metal butt cap is put