44 



an arrow, and tapering, with whalebone, as 

 before, of about two feet in length. There 

 is no determining precisely the length of a 

 fly-rod ; but one of fourteen feet is as long as 

 can be well managed with one hand." 



The same commentator, improving on the 

 above instruction, says with much truth, 

 "Here follows a description of such a neat, 

 portable, and useful fly-rod, as no angler that 

 has once tried it will ever be without. Let 

 the joints be four in number, and made of hic- 

 kory, or some such very tough wood, and two 

 feet four inches in length, the largest joint 

 not exceeding half an inch in thickness. 

 The top must be bamboo shaved. And for 

 the stock, let it be of ash, full in the grasp, 

 of an equal length with the other joints; and 

 with a strong ferrule at the smaller end, made 

 to receive the large joint, which must be well 

 shouldered and fitted to it with the utmost 

 exactness." A rod made of the above pro- 

 portions will be about thirteen feet and a 

 half long, full long enough for all the trout 

 and grayling streams of the midland counties. 



Mr. Taylor, who certainly was a good angler, 

 but rather of the old school, says, "Your 

 rod for trout-fishing should be about fourteen 

 feet in length ; the bottom part made of well- 

 seasoned ash or hazel, large enough towards 



