Kill Devil

[Captain Midnight]

Does anyone know how to make a "Kill Devil"? It was a device used for fishing in the 18th century. It was basically a floating wooden reel that would unwind to a point when the fish was hooked, and would tire the fish out after dragging it around for a while. I have seen pics of one on the internet that a fellow in the UK makes as candle holders, but I have not seen one that is actually made to be used. I think these would be used much the same way as plastic jugs are used for jug fishing nowadays. Thanks for any leads!