Show Jr O Origin r I of Fi Fishing S Rc Reels Beds C I 5 The origin of the reel is more or orless orless less shrouded in mystery and although although although al al- al- al though it was known to the Chinese Egyptians and Macedonians there is probably no record of its having been known mown to the ancients The earliest description of a reel occurs in The uThe Art of Angling by T. T Barker Bark Bark- er in 1651 1631 The earliest picture figures figures figures fig fig- ures in his enlarged edition of 1657 It was obviously invented some time between 1496 The Boke of St. St Albans Albans Al- Al bans where we are arc expressly told to dubbe the lyne and frette it fast in y with a n bowe to fasten on your lyne and 1651 when Barker Bark Bark- er mentions the wind which was let ct in a hole two feet or so from the bottom of the rod as a device employed by a namesake of his own |