C>2 AMKKICAN FISHES. 



feet, is exactly up to my notiuii The Avcight Kbould not excfed thir- 

 teen or fourteen ounces ; and above all, it should not be top-heavy. 

 In stormy weather, a very pliant rod, even in the hands of the best 

 angler, is very inconvenient and laborious ; and when used in such 

 weather, nothing short of constant care and exertion will save the flies 

 from snapping off. 



" You omit to mention the necessity for a spike in the butt. Every 

 fly-rod should have it. In case a new cast of flies is required, or any 

 change, what a convenience to have the rod erect, and the line hang- 

 inT down to your hand. How many rods get broken when stretched 

 on the ground, by some careless devil standing on the tip ; or the tip 

 being obstructed by weed or brier, in a sudden and careless lift. 



" You give no directions about the number of rings. A rod should 

 have sixteen. Avoid whalebone tip. There should be no percepti- 

 ble spring in a fly-rod before three and a half feet from the spike ; a 

 spring below that will inevitably make the rod top-heavy. Three 

 yards is the length of the casting-line, but never more than three and 

 a half. 



" You say ' the flies should be three in number.' Not always — there 

 are exceptions, many exceptions. In confined streams, where there 

 are bushes, weeds, &c., one fly is as much as can be managed or used. 

 Also, in streams where the fish are very numerous, one fly is plenty, 

 particularly with the light tackle, which a gentleman and an anglei 

 should use. In clear water, lakes and ponds, three flies are the proper 

 number. 



" Now to return to the casting-line. On a casting-line no loops of 

 any kind should be used, because they are unnecessary ; and every un- 

 necessary bulk, or uneven surface, which may make a splash, or 

 frighten fish, should be avoided. To the reel-line, splice a link of the 

 strongest gut ; that is, proportionate with the tapering gut of the cast- 

 ing-lino, which is a fixture, until used up by constant cuttmg, when 

 another is put on. 



" Let the casting-line be nine feet, the largi^st and stoutest links at 

 the top, graduating ti the bottom. To the bottom or last link, knot 

 the link upon which the tail or stretcher-fly is tied. Three feet from 

 the end of the casting-line, before the tail-fly is put up, or three feet 

 eight or nine inches fiom the tail-fly, use this knot : 



