Describing a mechanical innovation from both a technical and persuasive stance.

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                                                                  TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF A

                                               SHAKESPEARE AGILITY AGFLY FISHING REEL    

                                                                                By Yosef Zidell

                                                                            Writing for Engineers

                                                                         City College Of New York

CATALOG

Introduction

1.1Fly fishing

1.2History

1.3 The Advantage

Parts

2.1 Drag System

2.2 Frame (Body, Foot, Inner Arbor)

2.3 Spool/Spool Gear (Outer Arber)

2.4 handle

• Conclusions/References

1.1 Fly Fishing

Fly fishing is a common fishing technique used both for leisure and sport. It is commonly rivaled with standard spin fishing and is often deterred due to its differences. While standard spin fishing uses heavier rods and reels to perform, fly fishing emphasizes its lighter weight all around, giving much more flexibility in casting and other techniques. This difference is mainly due to the intended fishing locations for these tools, as fly fishing is dominantly used in moving waters such as rivers and streams, which requires constant movement and adjustments. On top of this, fly fishing technique relies heavily on fooling the fish rather than simply feeding them, hence the use of a “fly” or imitation bait to catch them. What makes this uniquely versatile sport possible is mainly due to the reel used, a reel which prioritizes its agility in its simple yet incredibly effective design. The Shakespeare Agility fly fishing reel is a prime example of this type of reel.

1. History

The fishing reel was invented in Song Dynasty China in the late 10^th century. From that original introduction, there have been many alterations made to the invention. A common trend was to have the reels use wide spooled and narrow arbor brass ‘winches’ made by craftsman or jewelers, making it more of an offhand tool than a stable product. The standard (spin) reel has gone through many changes and was the predominate fishing reel among the masses. It wasn’t until the 19^th century that a shift in fishing technique began to take place. Up until then, standard fishing was dominant due to its usefulness in catching pond-rearing fish such pike and carp. However, due to increasing overall wealth and ability to travel, consumers began to turn their interests towards the tastier fresh-sea fish found in running waters (Paetz, 2014). This is where fly fishing began to make its appearance to the market. Fly fishing is thought to be dated back to the 2^nd century, where Macedonian anglers used red wool wrapped around a hook to lure fish with snares. Later, in the 15^th century, Britain upgraded the system by using a braided horsehair line to the tip of a long rod (Ward-Allen, 2011). Although these mechanisms were used for river fishing, their designs were drastically different and are therefore hard to consider fly fishing rods in its modern definition. George Snyder is often credited with the first fly fishing reel in 1820, though his invention was mainly used for standard fishing and was able to double down for fly fishing as well (George W. Snyder, n.d.). The widely considered “parent” model for the fly-fishing reel is the Nottingham, which appeared in the mid-1800s.  From this model came many succeeding models, such as the Centrepin, the Birmingham, and the Perfect.  Each model’s advancement over the last was quite apparent. First, the Centrepin added a sprung latch to the reel as opposed the Nottingham’s brass nut, allowing a quick release for the spool. The Birmingham then shut out the spindly design of the brass winches held by the previous models and introduced a stable, concrete reel for the sport. That model was shortly overtaken by The Perfect, which introduced the adjustable drag and detachable spool, and was the last of major changes to the fly reel history (Ward-Allen, 2011).

1. Advantage

There is an overlying uniqueness to the sport of fly-fishing, in that it is a more finely tuned way of fishing, challenging those willing to learn the craft. However, there is a key advantage to fly-fishing over standard fishing that will draw one towards it. As the name indicates, fly-fishing uses light flies, or imitation insects, in order to catch fish, using the weight of the fishing line to cast into the water. Standard fishing needs to use thick, heavy bait since its line is light weight and physically can’t be cast without it (Outdoors, 2018). Many fish, especially those predominately located in running water such as rivers, tend to look for their source of food at the surface of the water, since that is where insects reside in the water (Losee, 2012). This makes having a fly as bait the most efficient way to catch these fish, as it sits on top of the water, unlike heavy bait which is made to sink. The entire structure of a fly-fishing reel is made to assist in this advantage. This includes the need for versatility in order to aggressively swing the line of the rod to cast, and the need for durability in order to fight both the fish and the current of the river.

                                                                                        Shakespeare fly fishing reel parts

2.1 Drag System

 The Drag System is composed of a Drag Knob and its connecting subparts. The Knob is a round instrument made of both plastic and aluminum, and from the outer side is attached to the main body of the reel. On the inner side of the main body, the drag knob is held together with a stop seat, protruding wheel, and a screw (SKP FLY CMFFLY, n.d.). The drag  acts as the brake pads for the rod

allowing the line to press firmly against a series of    washers and bolts before ever touching the spool. When a fish makes a run and the line is tugged, the washers, shown above, rub tightly together and the force of the friction causes the spool to slow down, allowing for a controlled movement. The knob can turn at full rotations, each turn making tighter contact with the washers. What makes a drag system tough or not is completely dependent on the amount and strength of the buffering pieces touching the moving line. This fly-reel uses a click pawl for its drag, which is a small metal piece that clicks against the gear on the inside of the spool m. This gives the reel more flexibility in its drag than you would otherwise find in other reels which use up to eight wheels to gain heavy sturdiness. This is perfect for light river fishing, aiming to catch small trout, steelhead, and salmon (Fishing, 2016).

2.2 Main Body

The main body is essentially the foundation of this reel, where all the side parts are attached to. The body of the Shakespeare fly fishing reel, also known as the arbor, is a large circular mechanism that provides the home for the line. It is four inches in diameter and one-fourth an inch thick. The size of the body allows the fly-fishing reel to give or take a lot of line per revolution while reeling, more than the standard fishing rod. This allows for more            line to be reeled in with less effort, allowing for faster catches. While most fly reels are open sided, completely exposing the spool and line that it holds, this model is designed cylindrically, with sides that enclose the spool and line (SKP FLY CMFFLY, n.d.). As well as having aesthetic appeal, this design allows protection for vulnerable fingers. As shown above, the sides of the cylindrical body are mostly porous, creating a much lighter reel (SKP FLY CMFFLY, n.d.). The reel is the largest contributor to the weight of a fishing rod, which determines how mobile the rod is in the hands of user. Because the body of this reel is so light, the fly-fishing rod can be swung with unconventional range of motion for casting, which is essential considering the light fly used for bait (Outdoors, 2018). Above the body is a line protect, a covering which helps keep the line within the inner part of the frame. It is made of metal and is held in place using a screw, washer and a click pawl, twice on the inner left side of the frame. Next to them is a spring attached with screw, used for flexibility for the tension placed on the system while reeling in the catch. Protruding from the center of the frame is a short metal beam, in which a metal bushing piece firmly fits over. This bushing is a cylindrical, open ended object which has a diameter slightly larger than that of the beam, allowing the spool to move freely yet steadily (SKP FLY CMFFLY, n.d.). Without the bushing, the fly reel would be ineffective for bigger game and would cause the user more effort with fewer catches.

2.3 Spool System

The spool system of a fly-fishing reel is made of stainless steel and is composed of two main parts: The spool, which holds the line, and the spool gear, which controls the movement pattern of the spool. The line used in fly fishing is primarily braided Dacron or gel-spun monofilaments. This line is not smooth and waxy like typical fishing line, so it is especially important for the spool of the fly-fishing reel to be wide enough to comfortably situate the thick, rough line. The spool is four inches in diameter at the outer ring, and one inch in diameter in the center ring. As shown above, it is designed symmetrically, which allows the reel to be spun. This spool fits over the bushing piece inside the cylinder, inner side of the reel body. From there, the spool gear is placed over the spool and attached from the outer side using a release plate, release plate seesaw, release plate cover, and a spring (SKP FLY CMFFLY, n.d.). This whole mini mechanism allows the spool to be detached easily, which is a necessary tool for fly fishing since fishermen constantly need to be changing their lines for different thickness depending on the strength of the current. Attached to the spool is the spool gear, a circular metal plate which rotates along the axis of the bushing it slides onto. As shown on the right, the surface of the spool gear has many, close-knitted pores which provides not only a lighter feel while reeling, but aerodynamically allows for faster line collection while it turns (Fishing, 2016).

2.4 handle

The handle of the fishing reel is the control point between the reel and the user. The handle rivet is the main component of this part. It slides over a small protrusion on the outer side of the spool gear and is free to swivel in place as well as help rotate the entire spool gear. The handle rivet is simply attached into place with a screw and washer, as the need for the handle is more in its stability rather than its versatility (SKP FLY CMFFLY, n.d.).  Because it I the only part of the reel which has constant contact with the user, it is very important for the rivet to be comfortable to hold. Unlike many of the other reel components, the rivet is made of a durable plastic, which will not nearly heat up at easily as metal does. This allows the user to comfortably hold the reel for long periods of time.

Conclusion

The fly-fishing reel is not just a wonder in its unique approach to the sport, but also in its overall simplicity. Many standard fishing reels have a plethora of parts, making up an impressive yet complex system. Yet with no more than four main parts, each with a handful of subparts, the Shakespeare Agility fly-fishing reel is an extremely effective fishing reel. The few washers in the drag system gives the line more freedom to run. The body is designed to be lightweight and encapsulates the line it holds completely. The spool system is designed lightweight as well and wide enough to hold the tough line inside comfortably. The handle is both durable and made to hold for a while. All these components combined make a reel which is extremely light and efficient for river fishing.

References:

Fishing, D. t. (2016). Retrieved from www.demystifly.com: https://www.demystifly.com/fly-reels-1

George W. Snyder. (n.d.). Retrieved from luresnreels.com: https://luresnreels.com/snyder.html

Losee, C. (2012, August 17). What is Fly Fishing. Retrieved from theflyfishingbasics.com: https://theflyfishingbasics.com/what-is-fly-fishing/

Outdoors, T. N. (2018, March 15). Fly Fishing Vs Spin Fishing Expalined. Retrieved from www.youtube.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oqHcvIrYJw

Paetz, D. (2014, June 9). History of Fly Fishing. Retrieved from troutster.com:

History of Fly Fishing

SKP FLY CMFFLY. (n.d.). Retrieved from reelschematic.com: https://www.reelschematic.com/wp-content/uploads/schematics/Shakespeare/fly/Shakespeare%20CMFFLY%2023-00.pdf

Ward-Allen, A. H. (2011). A Brief History of the Fishing Reel. Retrieved from www.fishingmuseum.org: http://www.fishingmuseum.org.uk/reels_overview.html

Picture References:

 (2019) A Hardy Bros. 4 inch Birmingham plate wind reel, solid brass, smooth brass foot, Horn handle[ digital image]. Retrieved from https://img.carters.com.au/300×300/1e8f03760e56b9d6756052f6236d3243.jpg

Hornberg Dry Fly [digital image]. Retrieved fromhttps://dryflyonline.com/products/hornberg-dry-fly

Click Prawl Reels [digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.ssprayrods.com/post/398865747106/click-pawl-reels-a-quick-explanation

Shakespeare Agility Series Diagram [digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.reelschematic.com/wp-content/uploads/schematics/Shakespeare/fly/Shakespeare%20Agility%20AGFLY%205-6%2000%201337217.pdf

OKUMA 34040017 HANDLE KNOB [digital image]. Retrieved from https://stores.tunasreeltroubles.com/okuma-34040017-handle-knob-for-aventa-vt-1000-vt-1002-helios-h-5-6-h-7-8-h-8-9-sheffield-s-1002-float-fly-fishing-reels/