CHOICE AND USE OF FLY-ROD 49 



right from the handgrasp to the tip-end. Make sure 

 that the balance and weight suit you, and that the rod 

 feels full of life and speed. When testing the rod 

 for balance, weight and action it should be rigged 

 with the size and sort of reel you intend to use with 

 it, as this may make a very great difference in the 

 feel of the rod. Be sure that the rod does not feel 

 heavy out-of-hand, for if it does it is top-heavy; while 

 top-heavy rods are sometimes very strong casters they 

 are unpleasant and very tiring rods to use. One of 

 the tests of the good shotgun or rifle is the absolute 

 exactness of fit or jointure of every part. This must 

 also be required of the fly-rod. See that every part 

 fits every adjacent part with nicety, especially with ror 

 gard to the joints of the strips of cane. In cheap 

 rods you will find places where the strips of cane lie 

 open like gaps in the planking of a leaky skiff. 



If you hold the rod straight out in front of you, 

 you will notice that it bends down slightly if the 

 bend is more than slight, discard the rod, it is too 

 whippy and the bend should be graceful and even. 

 Still holding the rod in this manner, rotate .the rod 

 on its axis, and during the entire period of rotation 

 see that the bend or " dip " remains constant. If at 

 some time during the rotation the point of the tip 

 moves upward, it denotes a sufficient fault of construc- 

 tion or material to warrant setting the rod aside. If 

 the rod successfully passes the tests suggested, then fit 

 it with a suitable reel and line, reeving the line through 



