62 ANGLING IN SALT WATER. 



witli a good greenheart, grilse or salmon rod, the length of 

 which must depend on two considerations: first, whether the 

 fishing is principally from the shore or a boat; and, secondly, 

 the strength of the angler. In fishing from the shore, it is 

 desirable to have the rod as long as the angler can easily 

 manage; but for boat fishing, it need not be so long, as 

 the casts are shorter; 16ft. is a very useful length. It 

 is not an impossibility to cast a line with the cane general 

 rod already described (page 5), but the joints should be 

 tied after the manner of fly rods, to prevent them "throwing 

 out." The salmon rod is, however, very desirable; it should 

 be rather stiff, and have, if possible, the snake rings described 

 on page 6 (failing these, large ordinary upright rings), and 

 the revolving top ring mentioned on the same page. None 

 of the fittings should be of steel or iron. Whether the joints 

 are spliced or fixed into one another is immaterial ; but if the 

 latter, the ferrules should be touched with vaseline or soft 

 soap before the rod is put together: this prevents the joints 

 from sticking. A stiff 16ft. fly rod, in three pieces, if fitted 

 with a stiff extra top only 6in. in length, can be converted into 

 an lift, rod, suitable for almost any kind of sea fishing. From 

 the rod we come to the line, and this may be the common 

 eight-plait hemp line used in harbour fishing. If expense is 

 no object, a tapered, silk, salmon line is best suited for the 

 purpose; and though tar or indiarubber dressings have been 

 recommended by two authorities on sea fishing, I must say 

 that, so far as my experience goes, the usual boiled oil dressing 

 commonly used for trolling lines appears to answer as well in 

 salt water as in fresh. An inexpensive line is described on 

 page 8. Bass, as I have indicated, play very strongly, some- 

 times running eighty yards or more of line off the reel; 

 and as nothing is more disappointing than to lose the largest 

 fish, I would advise not less than a hundred yards of line to be 

 provided. An old or rotten line should never be used for this 

 fishing; in fact, hooks, line, and gut casts should all be 

 carefully tested before being used. I always wash my line well 

 in fresh water before leaving the seaside, and dry it carefully. 

 This is a very necessary precaution. A large reel will obviously 



