BAIT-FISHING. 415 



tised ; but there is so little occasion for any alteration, 

 that it is unnecessary to take up the reader's time by any 

 further description of them. Almost all trolling-rods used 

 generally are furnished with rings, which are made to 

 stand up from the rod, in order to allow the line to tra- 

 verse their opening with greater facility. These are usually 

 made of broad brass ferules encircling the rod, and having 

 lesser rings of wire riveted into them ; but a much lighter 

 and cheaper plan answers perfectly well, and may be 

 described as follows : Take a piece of wire of sufficient 

 strength, and bend it into a ring of the usual size, leaving 

 a short tail on each side ; turn these tails to a right angle 

 each way, and flatten the ends so that they will lie along 

 the side of the rod, when they may be whipped in the 

 usual way. They thus form stand-up rings, easily remov- 

 able by cutting the whipping-silk, and very capable of 

 being restored, if by any accident they are injured. One 

 of these to the head of each joint, and a second to the 

 middle of the last, are about the proper number. Some 

 anglers, including that high authority, Mr. Stoddart, ap- 

 prove of the same kind of ring as is used in ordinary rods, 

 but I confess that, though I have the highest opinion of 

 Mr. Stoddart's judgment in general, yet in this instance 

 I cannot agree with him, as there can be no doubt in 

 my mind that the fixed and upright ring allows the line 

 to run more freely than the ordinary one. But the best 

 of all are the new patent railroad guides, which is sta- 

 tionary and flat to the rod. A large reel is wanted, 

 capable of holding from 35 to 70 yards of line, accordiog 

 to the nature of the fish and extent of water intended 



