160 TROUT FISHING. 



top-heavy, nor it must not have too much play in the 

 lower part, but the play should be just in proportion 

 to the gradual tapering ; by which there will be very 

 little spring till after about the third foot of its 

 length. A rod too pliable below is as bad a fault as 

 being too stiff; and, from being too small there, is, 

 of course, more liable to be top-heavy, which nine 

 rods in ten are. The consequence is, they tire the 

 hand, and do not drop the fly so neatly. I have 

 seen some Irish rods (I think of Mr. Martin Kelly's, 

 Dublin), which, if they had not been too pliant, 

 would have been worth any money. 



REEL. Put on your reel with a plate, and wax- 

 end fifteen inches from the bottom ; and handle your 

 rod close below it, keeping the reel uppermost, as 

 the line then lies on, instead of under, your rod, and 

 is, therefore, less likely to strain the top between the 

 rings. The closer the rings are put together on the 

 top, the less chance, of course, you have of straining 

 or breaking it between them. Use a multiplying 

 click reel, without a stop; and, by not confining it 

 with the hand while throwing, you are sure never to 

 break your rod or line, by happening to raise it 

 suddenly, at the moment you have hooked a large 

 fish or a weed. Let your reel be full large in pro- 

 portion to the quantity of line, or it will not always 

 go pleasantly with it in winding up. 



GUT and FLIES. Use about eight feet of gut, 

 and the addition of that on the tail fly will bring the 

 whole foot-line to about three yards. Put on your 



