FISHING-RODS. 209 



to or superior to any thing offered by the dealers. Ten 

 years ago, a person entering a tackle shop in a Western 

 town, and inquiring for Bass tackle, would be presented 

 with a rod from twelve to sixteen feet long, weighing 

 from one to two pounds ; a large brass reel, with a 

 handle like a coffee-mill crank ; a line like a chalk lin ?, 

 and a large ungainly hook with -a side bend — and all this 

 formidable array of clumsy apparatus to do battle with 

 such a thoroughbred and noble foe as the Black Bass! 

 Combination rods, general rods, perch rods, cheap striped 

 bass tackle, et hoc, genus omne, had been, as a rule, manu- 

 factured for the Western market, and sold for Black Bass 

 fishing. 



This was the more surprising, as the Black Bass in- 

 habited so many of the waters of the Union, from New 

 England to Florida, and from Maryland to Missouri. 

 He was, moreover, the acknowledged peer of the Brook 

 Trout for gameness by those who knew him best; and it 

 was "a consummation devoutly to be wished'' that as 

 much skill should be dLsplayed in his capture, and as 

 elegant and as suitable tackle employed for the purpose 

 as in the case of his speckled rival. 



Those enthusiastic and observant anglers, Avho learned 

 from experience that there was a want not supplied in 

 Black Bass rods, as offered by the trade, and who pos- 

 sessed sufficient ingenuity, constructed their own rods, 

 and fished in their own way; and as these worthy souls 

 were generally regarded as authority in their respective 

 localities on the subject of Black Bass fishing, and not 

 without reason, their particular style of rod was adopted 

 in their particular locality as the "perfect bass rod." 

 This will account for the marked difference of opinion 

 18 



