TROLLING RODS. ^05 



either a Jack or a Pike see him, it is very rare indeed 

 that he will then take the bait. And again, with a 

 long- rod you will be able to drop your baited hook in 

 some very likely place for Jack or Pike to lay, such 

 as a small hole, division, or clear place, among a bed 

 of weeds, in a river, or any other water, where there 

 are many weeds ; but if your rod be too short for that 

 purpose, your baited hook frequently falls short when 

 cast, or among the weeds, instead of the open place 

 which you desire or wish it to fall into 3 in such case, 

 Jack or Pike are alarmed, and your chance of getting 

 a run (a run, in Jack or Pike fishing, is a bite) is lost, 

 and frequently the bait is spoiled or much injured by 

 catching or hanging to the weeds 3 you then have to 

 bait your hook afresh, losing time, &c. ; from which 

 mishaps, you are, perchance, sometimes near losing 

 your temper, forgetting that hope and patience sup- 

 port the Fisherman. 



There is some difference of opinion among Anglers 

 about the number of rings necessary for trolling rods ; 

 those who have their line on a thumb-winder, or on a 

 bank-runner, seldom place more than two or three 

 rings on their rod, and others have only a large ring 

 ,at the top ; but if a winch is used, there should be a 

 ring to every joint, except the butt 5 that is, fasten 

 the winch to the butt, about a foot from the bottom, 

 and let that joint be without a ring, and all the 

 other joints, except the top, to have a ring, each 

 iinade of double brass wire, fixed so as always to stand 

 out, and nearly large enough to admit the top of your 



