94 THE TROUT 



troublesome one, and, moreover, is a rare thing to 

 meet with. 



It will be obvious that to fish properly such a 

 river as, say the Test or the Kennet, a somewhat 

 longer rod is required than would be the case if the 

 Lea or the Mimram were the stream. For the Test 

 is far broader that the Lea ; and though by deepish 

 wading a somewhat greater quantity of water may be 

 covered, a nine-feet-six-inch rod could not under 

 ordinary circumstances be considered as effective as 

 one of ten feet six inches or eleven feet. Therefore, 

 as in the case of the choice of wading equipment, the 

 only counsel that can fairly be given to the fishing 

 novice is to go to a good firm of rod- makers and ex- 

 plain his wants to them. He will then in all likelihood 

 be properly turned out. 



Nevertheless while on the subject of trout rods 

 there are certain suggestions and observations which 

 may with due diffidence be offered for the considera- 

 tion of fishermen. Taking first of all, then, the 

 requisites of a rod to be used for fly fishing on rivers 

 of an average size, such as the Derbyshire Wye or 

 the Hertfordshire Lea, let us see what the length had 

 better be, and of what material it should be made. 

 Here we are at once confronted by the difficulty 

 that every fisherman has a fancy of his own. The 



