Goin' Fishin' * * * * r 69 



Those who yearn to fish ought to equip themselves with good tackle. 

 If they are novices, they might well take some lessons in the use of a 

 split bamboo rod, lest the first time they get a fair-sized fish on the end 

 of the line they jerk him into the air and break the delicate tip, if not 

 the whole rod. It is necessary to know just how much strength to put 

 into the hooking of a fish in order to protect the rod. It is not a bad 

 idea for the novice to try a steel rod at first, one capable of standing 

 hard knocks. Besides, a steel rod can be used for trolling and casting 

 with a heavy spinner, upon which the beginner must rely to bring home 

 the fish when he is just learning the sport. As he learns more about the 

 technique of casting, he can get a fly rod and better tackle, smaller flies, 

 and finally in all probability barbless hooks will become a part of his 

 standard equipment. 



As to lines, it never pays to buy a poor or cheap one which loses its 

 life and vigor when it gets wet. It wraps around everything in sight, is 

 hard to untangle, and never gets far out over the water. Cheap line may 

 be all right for bait fishing from a boat or for trolling, but if there is 

 any casting to be done, it takes a good line to achieve the snare and 

 delusion. 



Leaders are essential in fly fishing and trolling and must be kept in 

 good condition. If carefully preserved, leaders will last a long time. 

 They must always be soaked before using, of course. The weight and 

 strength must be in proportion to the fish to be caught if one is not an 

 expert. Never try to land a ten-pound Mackinaw with a leader made for 

 one-pound fish. Many people just learning to fish tie spinners and even 

 flies right on to the line and throw them out into the lake or stream. 

 This is wrong, for the simple reason that the fish can see the line. The 

 leader has a definite and important value that everybody should learn 

 right at the start, that of deceiving the fish into thinking the artificial 

 fly is a real one. 



The reel is an important part of fishing tackle and the advice to give 

 about reels for the beginner is to get a good one. A weak reel will let 

 your line run out and will even tangle it up 

 in winding or unwinding. Of course, many 

 experts prefer the automatic reel, but it is 

 not a necessary part of the ordinary equip 

 ment and it takes skill to use it effectively. 

 Besides, it is expensive. 



Getting down to lures, here again experi 

 ence counts a lot. Bait fishing makes pos 

 sible the use of a small variety of lures. The 

 spinner is more effective at certain times 

 than at others. When fish are feeding deep, 



