SPLIT-BAMBOO BAIT-CASTING RODS 15 



how you ever got along without it. It is far more 

 comfortable to fish with, the upper grip giving you 

 a firmer and easier hold on the rod in reeling in the 

 line, and at the same time eliminating the cramped 

 position of the left hand. If you have never used 

 the double grip, Old Man, treat yourself to a good 

 thing and select that style in your next rod. In the 

 way of material, the solid cork grip, which is really 

 made of a series of cork washers, makes the finest 

 grip in the game and it sure has a soft feel to the 

 hand. As a second choice the canewound grip is 

 alright, but why take a second choice when you can 

 get the real stuff? 



Of course you will want a locking reel seat; the 

 majority of rods have them anyway and who wants 

 to throw his reel into the drink right at the time 

 when he has a chance to hook the big one? Finger- 

 pulls are going a little into the discard, but it is no 

 disgrace to have one on your rod, and at that it 

 assists the short-fingered caster to maintain better 

 control over his casts. If you feel that you will 

 have better control over your rod with the finger 

 pull, get it you're the fellow to suit, not the in- 

 nocent bystander. 



In the matter of guides, the agates have it on the 

 rest of the family. Of course, the ideal rod has a 

 complete set of narrow agate guides with an offset 

 agate tip, but with the first guide gate and the tip 

 of the same material, with the in-between guides of 



