Rod-making. 161 



could not considerably surpass that distance, but the 

 effort would have been purposeless and was not made. 

 But this is a digression. Let us return to rod-making. 



Give your rod nerve backbone so that when you 

 take it in hand it feels as if the tip were absolutely under 

 command, even when weighted with forty feet of the 

 line it is proposed to use. It should be pliable, and 

 when swung horizontally, holding the handle quite still, 

 it should work evenly from the butt, and with a constant 

 and even increase of uniform action quite to the tip. 

 Look first to this, then give it as much lightness as the 

 material you use will permit. Should you by accident 

 or mistake carry the latter so far as to impair the former, 

 shorten the middle joint at the smaller end. An inch 

 or two will make a wonderful difference in this respect. 

 Every way better and more efficient is a rod of nine feet 

 six inches, of just proportion and true action, than a 

 faulty one of ten feet six. 



Now let us lay out our rod. It will be noticed I give 

 no sizes for ferrules. Almost any size within reason 

 may be used, depending solely on where you place them. 

 But one direction in this respect is of any practical 

 value; all else will determine itself. Begin the taper 

 of the rod as near the handle as possible, that with the 

 length you have determined on, you may make the 

 greatest possible proportion of that length efficient. 

 Through neglect of this, many a rod which actually 

 measures a good eleven feet, is practically the inferior 

 of one of six inches or even a foot less. It is the part 

 that springs the part that works that does the business; 

 therefore make your handle short, and give as much action 

 to the butt joint as you can, but always retaining perfect 

 command of the upper portion of the rod. 



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