76 The Atlantic Salmon 



casting power that is adaptable to a short as well 

 as to a long line. There are many rods which 

 need a heavy weight of line to work well, and at 

 any distance under fifteen to twenty yards are 

 too stiff for good work. Others are so limber 

 and withy that they are only capable of doing 

 well at short ranges, and are useless for anything 

 like a long cast. A properly constructed rod 

 should have the strength equally distributed 

 from butt to tip, so that a pull at the latter point 

 will cause the rod to bend throughout its entire 

 length. If the spring is confined to one-half the 

 length, owing to the weakness of the top or stiff- 

 ness of the butt, the rod is defective, as in cast- 

 ing the spring should be easily perceptible to 

 the end of the butt. Top-heavy rods of the 

 Castle Council pattern, though possessing great 

 power, are not pleasant to fish with, owing to the 

 great proportionate weight of the top. 



Major Traherne, one of the best anglers of his 

 day and the author of " Salmon Fishing with the 

 Fly," in the Badminton Library, and "The Habits 

 of the Salmon," two most interesting and instruc- 

 tive treatises, says : " I have tried all sorts and 

 sizes of rods by various makers, and the one I am 

 now using, and have used for many years, is, to 



