i 4 o FISHING KITS AND EQUIPMENT 



a gaff into the woods. Gaffs, complete and very well- 

 made, with take-down handles, may also be had. 



The present day tendency of anglers is very strongly 



toward the use of light tackle. The fresh-water 



angler who has followed the achieve- 



Tackle for ments of sea anglers in the use of light 



Mascalonge tackle and marked their success with 

 and Others 



the tarpon, tuna, and other large salt- 

 water game fishes, logically concludes that even for 

 the largest fresh water fish it is not necessary or 

 sportsmanlike to use very heavy tackle. This, of 

 course, is exactly as it should be. The sporting quali- 

 ties of any game fish depend very largely upon the 

 tackle used. It is far more sport and certainly far 

 more sportsmanlike to land one good fish on light 

 tackle than a dozen on heavy. But extremely light 

 tackle is not advised for the beginner. Assuredly the 

 expert who kills his twenty-five pound mascalonge on 

 a little, five-ounce bait-casting rod, using a small, light 

 reel and line, deserves to be ranked among the elect. 

 With equal certainty the man of no experience who 

 tries this on may properly be ranked among the foolish. 

 As good a rod as any for mascalonge fishing, either 

 casting or trolling, is the Henshall casting rod above 

 described. A rod of this sort, if handled with average 

 skill, will answer all requirements. It should weigh 

 8 or 9 ounces, and should be fairly stiff. Any sturdy 

 bait-casting rod, not less than six feet in length 

 steel rods are used to some extent will do. An 



