THE STRIPED BASS. 1 37 



early history of Bass-fishing in the vicinity of New York. 

 He said that the reels were single-acting, awkward affairs at 

 best; that the multiplier, the balance-handle, the guides, 

 reel-band, and tip of the rod, and various other minor details 

 in both rod and reel which go to make up their present 

 perfection, are the result of improvements made from time 

 to time, suggested by the experience of anglers, or by the 

 ingenuity of the makers themselves. As to the material of 

 which the rod should be made, there is much diversity of 

 opinion; in fact, there are so many kinds of wood that are 

 excellent for the purpose, that it becomes a matter of caprice 

 or fancy on the part of the individual. Some prefer the joint- 

 ed rod of ash and lance- wood; others the Calcutta, and others 

 still the Japan bamboo; while a few, who have the means 

 and believe that this royal fish should be hunted in regal 

 style, use a rod consisting of a short butt of ash, to which the 

 reel is attached, while the long, taperingsecond joint is made 

 of the choicest bamboo splints glued together and bound 

 with parti-colored silks, with guides and tips of agate or 

 cornelian. This is the rod 'Vd' litxc''' — lovely, costly, delight- 

 ful to handle, but I fear not over-reliable in wet weather, by 

 reason of the glue used in its construction. Calcutta or 

 Japan bamboo, in their natural state, possess qualities which 

 fit them admirably for heavy sea-fishing; the slender, tapering 

 stems formed of masses of tough, stringy fibers, which spread 

 out sparsely through the pithy inner wood where strength is 

 not required, and crowd so closely as almost to touch each 

 other as they approach the flinty covering — the case-harden- 

 ing as it were, which envelop the whole — seem to be especial- 

 ly adapted to the purpose. 



With such a rod you may cast all day without tiring. It 

 is springy, and strikes a fish sharply and at once, and has an 

 elastic force which will enable you to tire out a seventy- 

 pounder if you have the good fortune to try conclusions with 

 one of that weight. It requires at least as much skill to 



