Trout, Rods and Tackle. 



53 



or four turns the waste is cut off 

 and the coiling is continued. The 

 photograph shows the end pro- 

 jecting, before finishing off. The 

 last three or four coils are rolled 

 over a loop of gut or fine wire, 

 then the end is passed through 

 the loop, and by means of it 

 drawn underneath and out be- 

 tween the coils. Cut off the 

 loose ends close to the wrappings. 

 The silk used for this purpose 

 must be of good quality, and 

 rubbed over with colourless wax. 

 Scarlet is the best colour for rods. 

 The top joints require finer silk 

 than the butt and middle. The 

 wrappings are afterwards var- 

 nished. The top ring is whipped 

 on with fine copper wire and 

 finished off with silk. The sides 

 are filed or planed so as to make 

 the ring fit closely. 



Patent lock-fast ferrules require 

 no hitches. When the former 

 cannot be obtained, the hitches 

 are whipped on with wire and 

 silk like the top ring. The winch 

 fittings should be sweated on or 

 riveted and made to fit exactly. 

 In these simple instructions and 

 illustrations will be found the art 

 of amateur rod-making. A handy 

 man will have no difficulty in 

 applying them, and producing a 

 useful and well-finished rod. 



Split cane rods have obtained 

 well-deserved popularity. They 

 are dainty but costly weapons ; 

 like forbidden fruit, they are 

 " pleasant to the eye," and sooner 

 or later every angler falls a prey 

 to their irresistible beguilements. 

 The method of their manufacture 

 is expensive, but it must be said 

 of them that a good sample need 

 not be repeated in a life-time. 

 From the soundest portion of 

 whole canes sections are cut 

 hexagonal, octagonal, and non- 

 agonal, as the case may demand, 

 and cemented together. The 

 strength of the combination is 



very great, and, given fair play, 

 practicably unbreakable. It is 

 delightful to handle a good make. 

 I am the possessor of a Hardy 

 Bros.' " Houghton," which I use 

 for wet and dry fly, on river and 

 lake ; it is TO ft. long, weight 

 9 oz., of quick and powerful 

 action. The way it gets out a 

 line against the wind and drops 

 a fly with accuracy is unequalled 

 by any rod I have ever used. 



The makes of trout reels are 

 legion. The essential thing is 

 to procure one of good material, 

 and as light as possible. Great 

 improvements have been effected 

 of late years in workmanship. 

 The old reel of numerous screws 

 and heavy metal has had its day, 

 and is replaced by one of few 

 screws, ball bearings, and lightest 

 material. The danger of getting 

 out of order is reduced to a 

 minimum. My favourite is a 

 Hardy Bros.' " Perfect," of which 

 I give illustrations. It is made 

 of an aluminium alloy, with ball 

 bearings, 3f in. in diameter. It 

 carries 35 yards of heavy line, 

 backed by 50 yards of lighter 

 material, and only weighs 6 oz. 

 The check is regulated by a 

 screw on the rim. A great ad- 

 vantage is the facility with which 

 it can be taken to pieces, oiled, 

 and kept in order. A turn of a 

 screw with a coin effects this. 



For wet fly-fishing a plaited 

 silk line is the best make, varying 

 in thickness, according to the lift- 

 ing power of the rod. Too light 

 a make cannot be got out against 

 the wind, nor ensure accuracy in 

 casting. 



The tapered make is the most 

 suitable for dry fly-fishing. It is 

 specially oil dressed, so as to 

 float well and keep the fly up as 

 long as possible. The Houghton 

 line, specially made for the rod of 

 the same name, I have found in 

 every way suitable. 



