THE BOTTOM-FISHER'S ROD. 179 



the different varieties of which form the principal 

 prey the bait- fisher pursues. 



The bottom-fisher's rod must be strong and 

 light, not by any means so springy as that of the 

 fly-fisher. It must taper stiffly, not be topheavy, 

 and be just springy enough to strike a fish quickly 

 without the* delay too much elasticity in the top 

 pieces would cause. It must be supple, so that 

 pressure will equalise itself from top to butt. 

 Though its pieces be not so fine or so limber as 

 those of the fly-rod, it must taper with equal 

 precision. The lengths of bottom-fishing rods 

 differ very widely. Those that are used for bank- 

 fishing in wide rivers are sometimes twenty-four 

 feet long ; while those for angling from punts 

 are frequently as short as ten feet. They also 

 vary in strength according to the fish one angles . 

 for. The average length of a bank-rod should be 

 seventeen feet, that of a punt or boat-rod twelve. 

 With a good general rod, having several tops, 

 which you can change as occasion requires, you 

 may successfully bottom-angle for any species of 

 river fish, roach perhaps excepted, which require 

 a specific rod. 



The bottom-lines for bait-fishing should be 

 made of good gut, as fine as is consistent with 

 strength, and it cannot be too fine for roach 

 fishing. Eoach-lines, at least ,that portion of them 

 next to the hook, are often made of single horse- 



