CH. I.] SPINNING-ROD FOR TROUT FOR JACK. 5 



tinuous day's spinning, when you are out of prac- 

 tice, is back-aching work even with a light rod, 

 much more so with a heavy one. 



A trout-spinning-rod can generally be con- 

 verted into one applicable to Jack, by substituting 

 a short stiff top for the longer one, or (if extra- 

 heavy baits be used) for the two upper joints 

 required for lighter and finer work. Where how- 

 ever very heavy baits are exclusively employed 

 the fashion in some places, though I by no means 

 recommend it for general adoption it will be found 

 a matter of economy to have a stouter rod built 

 for the purpose, as the undue strain to which a 

 light rod would be thus subjected would soon ruin 

 it, however good it might be. 



A rod if well made, and of good materials, will 

 with care last a long while. I myself have a cane 

 one which was made for me about seventeen years 

 ago by Bowness (late Chevalier) of Bell Yard, 

 (whose materials and workmanship I have always 

 found extremely good,) which has been in pretty 

 constant use ever since, and barring a joint which 

 was accidentally broken, and has been renewed 

 seems scarcely to have suffered from the work it 

 has done. 



Over the button at the bottom of the rod 



