TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



I quote from Dr. James A. Henshall's book, entitled 

 "Favorite Fish and Fishing," in which he states his opin- 

 ion of "the proper function of the rod." (Pages 71-72.) 



"The essential and most important office of a rod is that which 

 is exhibited after the fish is hooked; ... in other words, in 

 the playing and landing of the fish." 



"In practical angling the act of casting, either with fly or bait, 

 is preliminary and subordinate to the real uses of a rod." 



"The poorest fly-rod made will cast a fly thirty or forty feet, 

 which is about as far as called for in ordinary angling." 



^'But it is the continuous spring and yielding resistance of the 

 bent rod, constantly maintained, that not only tires out the fish, but 

 protects the weak snell or leader from breakage, and prevents a 

 weak hold of the hook from giving way; and this is the proper 

 function of a rod." 



In contradistinction to what Dr. Henshall says about 

 a rod, I now quote from the first chapter of Mr. George 

 M. L. La Branche's book, entitled "The Dry-Fly in 

 America," as follows : 



"The man who believes this will never become an accom- 

 plished fly-fisherman, nor will he, if he does not realize that the 

 great essential to success lies in placing the fly lightly and ac- 

 curately." 



"/« plain words, the reader is told that the proper function of 

 a rod lies in the power which it gives the angler to kill fish, or, at 

 the least, in enabling him to handle his fish with a minimum risk 

 of loss." 



"I MAINTAIN THAT Dr. HENSHALL'S PRINCIPLE IS WRONG BE- 

 CAUSE IT PRESUPPOSES A DESIRE UPON THE PART OF THE ANGLER TO 

 POSSESS FISH, . . . AND SURELY THE DESIRE OF POSSESSION 

 ALONE CANNOT CALL SO MANY TO THE BROOKSIDE!" 



"Even in wet-fly fishing it is at all times necessary to cast deli- 

 cately and accurately, and while this may be done with a soft rod 



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