Rod a/id Tat&fa \ \ . \\. 



The Irish rods, with splices instead of ferrules, play the best from 

 end to end, it" you \\ill be troubled with putting them together, and if 

 you will also do so thoroughly tightly, so that they are like one pic 

 but most fishermen will not be so bothered in spite of their proverbial 

 patience, nor would I advise them to it. 



On no account buy a rod with a screw inside the ferrule; the screw 

 always -wears, and then the rings do not come in line, and the joints 

 always stiff and unbending. 



An ordinary ferraled rod is the general favourite, and though glue 

 dissolves in the damp, and wood shrinks in the drought, of a climate 

 which runs to extremes, still, if the ferrules are all riveted inside and 

 outside, as a good rod should be, they will stand. Mine have 1 . 

 pretty lively experience, in as much as 135 inches of rainfall in two 

 months, and have consequently had a constant glue-melt ing atmosphere, 

 besides a very bone-drying one at other times. 



But be very careful how you choose your rod, for it is to be your 

 best friend in Mahseer fishing. On no account buy one of those stiff, 

 almost pike, rods ordinarily advertised as Mahseer rods. I know there 

 are those who commend them, and that it is on that account that they 

 are so made and so styled. I suppose, also, that the commenders 

 thereof are held to be law-givers in the matter of rods, or the u. 

 would not follow them, or perhaps I might say were held to be law- 

 givers, for I think their day is over, and the old idea of a barge pole 

 for Mahseer fishing is now sufficiently exploded for me to spare my 

 readers four pages of opposing views, and simply refer them to 

 PP- 63, 65 supra. 



In brief, then, let the Mahseer rod be an ordinary pliable light 

 salmon fly rod of 16 feet, not necessarily top-heavy, as a Castle Connel 

 rod inclines to be for the purpose of aiding the cast, but essentially 

 pliable. On no account have a short stiff spinning top with it. as that 

 would only serve to lure you to your ruin. Have an extra tly top if 

 you like, lest one get strained or broken. 



If you are a light spare man lighten your rod accordingly, and on 

 no account fish with a rod beyond your strength. Some good fisher- 

 men, but they have to be very good, use a 14 feet rod, and no doubt 

 those who can use such a rod magnify their sport by minimi/ing their 

 weapons. But it is not the best implement, the best is 16 feet, and most 

 men can use it comfortably, but a specially weak man may reduce it 



