History of Fly Fishing, Part 3
The 18th Century and the Industrial Revolution
"The world the river is, both you and I, And all mankind, are either fish or fry"The beginning of the Industrial Revolution was marked by a population explosion that was to have far reaching effects. Between 1750 and 1900, the population of Europe grew from one hundred and forty million people to four hundred and sixty-three million.
During this time, the Industrial Revolution saw unprecedented advancements in agriculture, industry, textiles, communications and transportation as well as science and technology.
The Agricultural Revolution improved the diets of many people and helped to make people healthier. In addition, advances in medicine and improvements in public sanitation reduced the number of deaths caused by disease. Furthermore, in the 1800’s, European nations fought no major wars. Industry provided jobs as well as goods for the growing population. Hence, the cumulative effect of the Industrial Revolution also contributed to the population growth.
Yet, as Charles Dickens recognized in his 1854 novel, Hard Times, the price of industrialization for a factory town was also very high:
“… it is a town of machinery and tall chimneys, out of which interminable serpents of smoke trailed themselves for ever and ever, and never got uncoiled. It had a black canal in it, and a river that ran purple with ill-smelling dye, and vast piles of buildings full of windows where there was a rattling and trembling all day long, and where the piston of the steam engine worked monotonously up and down, like the head of an elephant in a state of melancholy madness.”
Pollution was endemic during the Industrial Revolution and the plight of low paid factory workers: men, women, and children toiling up to 16 hours each day in terrible and dangerous conditions, often fatal.
For better and worse, the Industrial Revolution also saw advancements and innovation in the fishing industry. The population growth and increase in wealth among the merchant and shopkeeper class also brought increased interest in fly fishing and in the commercial manufacturing of tackle.
Fly Fishing Rods:
Early 17th century fly fishing rods lacked running rings (ferrules) and the first did not appear until the end of this century. The running rings gave anglers more control over their line while playing a fish. However, early rings were unreliable and would often pull out when under pressure.In the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution also saw an increase in the variety and types of rods and material. Jointed rods became very common, with joints often constructed of brass and wood. Deal, ash and willow were used for butts and hickory or hazel for tops with a standard whalebone extension for the tip. Trout rods were still longer than what we are used to and salmon rods could measure up to 17 feet long.
Bamboo cane began to be used in the latter half of the century for the top section of rods, especially for the longer salmon rods.
Fly Fishing Reels:
While dealers had been selling tackle as early as the 16th century, by the 18th century fishing had become so popular that new tackle was being manufactured daily. One of these innovations was the multiplying reel. The multiplying reel was at first thought to be the answer to the poor design of the small, single action reels of the day. It had a much higher rate of retrieve than the single action reels and could hold more line. However, they found, soon enough, that the brass gears would grind to pieces when any real pressure was applied.Lines:
Since the early days, anglers twisted horsehair to make their fly lines but the Industrial Revolution changed all that. The invention of new machines led to a variety of manufactured tapered lines. The new tapered lines could be cast with greater accuracy and could be reversed when one end wore out. The late 1700’s saw the introduction of woven silk lines and before the end of the century, plaited silk lines were being sold. The silk lines were heavier and could be shot easier with less reel memory than horsehair lines. However, they absorbed water quickly, became too heavy to cast, and wore out quickly.A combination of horsehair and silk lines were also introduced at this time. This composite line, despite its wide use, had its own inherent problems. The two materials, having quite different properties, wore out quickly, lacked strength, kinked easily, and were expensive to boot. Also, the fraying of the horsehair at numberless points along the rod made casting like trying to throw a wool sweater through the guides.
Obviously, there was still room for improvement. If you were a fisherman back in the 18th century you could count on a number of potential difficulties to try your patience: broken rod tips, dislodged rod joints, grinding reels, and a kinked line, that was either too water logged or too frayed to cast.
Nevertheless, our pioneer brethren persevered and by 1790 a fly fisherman could go to a local shop and outfit himself with all the latest gear including a selection of Charles Cotton’s flies. Lucky for us, this age of innovation and the many problems encountered was merely the first small wave of advancement in fly-fishing technology. The proceeding century will see this small wave grow into a tsunami of innovation and advancement in the world of fly fishing.