CHOICE AND USE OF FLY-ROD 47 



usually bring the price up to $17 or $18. The large 

 tackle firms of New York, Boston and other cities 

 furnish two classes of rods in addition to their cheap 

 stuff. The best rod sold by them usually costs about 

 $30; and a " medium price " rod is carried which sells 

 for something between $15 and $20. There is a vast 

 difference in the style and quality of these medium 

 priced rods. While they are all of them pretty fair 

 rods some of them are very much better than others. 

 Select the rod carefully. Compare the different rods 

 as regards their dimensions and mountings, their 

 weights, etc. Within the last few years a fly-rod has 

 been developed which differs considerably, when a num- 

 ber of small variations from the rod of a few years 

 ago are added together, from what may be called the 

 " old-fashioned " rod. The new rod may, perhaps, 

 best be described, as being of " tournament style." 

 And that is the sort of rod you want. 



And now as to the unquestionably high grade split- 

 bamboo rods. These rods may be had for from $25 

 to $45, in the three-joint-extra-tip style, with an aver- 

 age price of $30. Do not think they are not worth 

 it. While for various reasons it is not advisable for 

 one to spend that amount for a beginner's rod, it is cer- 

 tain that the fairly well advanced angler who can af- 

 ford it should not hesitate to avail himself of the many 

 undoubted advantages they offer. Although the va- 

 riation in desirability of these rods is not, for general 

 purposes, as large as in the case of those of medium 



