Rods and Rod Material. 



117 



in diameter. It is very stiff, strong, and elastic. Its 

 quality can be quite well judged by its color, that of a 

 bright yellow being the best. It works in a kindly man- 

 ner under a keen plane, and altogether is an excellent 

 material, and the Only one, except bamboo, fit for tips in 

 single-handed rods. The Cuban lancewood is the best. 



The ash and lancewood rod has gone out of fashion of 

 late years, and has fallen in general estimation to a posi- 

 tion by no means commensurate with its merits. Some 

 still think that, take it all in all, this combination makes 

 the best of wooden rods, and it seems to me they are 

 not very far wrong. 



I have seen an ash and lancewood rod do the most 

 surprising work. 



I was fishing from a boat in Rangely Lake a few years 

 since. Just beyond reach of my cast another boat was 

 anchored, containing an old gentleman using about a nine- 

 ounce rod of this description and a liberal " gob " of 

 worms. 



The bottom was plainly visible, and from time to time 

 large trout of five pounds and upward lazily swam into 

 sight, cruising slowly about in utter indifference to every- 

 thing except their own private pursuits. Six and seven 

 pounders were common, while one leviathan was a fre- 

 quent visitor, which I could not place at less than ten 

 pounds. Oh, how my heart went out to him ! 



I was attending to my own affairs, in that frantic 

 condition of mind incident to an occasion when such 

 trout are rising freely, but positively decline to acknowl- 

 edge the slightest acquaintance with such an insect as 

 the fly. Again and again my fly would settle in a swirl 

 like that made by the blade of an oar, and that too be- 

 fore the fish could have been three feet from the spot. 



