Trout, Rods and Tackle. 



49 



now to meet an angler by the 

 river-side using a rod that exceeds 

 10 ft. 6 in. For lough-fishing, 

 where flies and tackle are on a 

 larger scale, the length used is 

 from ii to 12 ft. There is really 

 no reason why a lake rod should 

 be longer and heavier, except that 

 it is often required to do double 

 duty, trolling phantoms, minnows, 

 &c., as well as casting the fly. A 

 proper equipment should include 

 a special rod for this kind of work. 



When the breeze is light, the 

 blow line is not carried forward 

 sufficiently by a shorter rod, and 

 the fish are consequently scared. 



Trout rods may be further 

 classified according to the make. 

 Greenheart, ash, hickory, and 

 other solid woods form one class ; 

 split cane another. Greenheart is 

 the best of the hard woods used 

 in the manufacture of rods. 

 One must go to a first-class 

 maker, however, to obtain reliable 



AMATEUR ROD-MAKING. 



Quadrilateral section. Octagonal section. 



Round section. 



The stiffening and the increased 

 weight are decided drawbacks in 

 a fly-casting weapon. 



A trolling or spinning rod is 

 usually 9 to 10 ft. long ; the 

 action is stiff enough to hook a 

 fish that takes a minnow or 

 phantom trolled behind a boat. 

 The speciality of a dapping rod 

 consists in its length, 14 to 15 ft. 

 long is by no means unusual. 

 The object is to keep the dap 

 well in front of the drifting boat. 



quality. The timber is either very 



food or very bad. Absolutely 

 awless lengths and long in the 

 grain alone give satisfaction. It 

 is not easy for the most expert to 

 tell good timber from bad in a 

 finished rod. Polish has always 

 been a' deceiver, and silk wrap- 

 pings cover a multitude of sins ! 

 One is therefore at the mercy of 

 the vendor. I would advise going 

 to the best makers and purchas- 

 ing a rod of the first quality, 



