Tackle for Norway. 109 



be soft and balmy, then, with little warning, it may chop 

 round and bring an icy blast from snow-covered mountains, 

 a change unwelcome and even dangerous. The natives 

 well appreciate the sudden changes of climate, and rarely 

 are unprovided with warm neck and chest clothing while 

 engaged in fishing — or even while following ordinary 

 occupations. This steady and continuous draught is far 

 more trying than an ordinary open breeze, and whether it 

 course up or down stream, opposes with much force the 

 angler's Hue, and a powerful rod is absolutely necessary to 

 make a good cast. 



The Rod. — The question of the make, length, and 

 weight of the rod in fly-fishing for salmon must be left 

 to the taste of the angler, who should best know his own 

 capabilities. He generally thinks he knows his own 

 abilities, but in my humble opinion he frequently under- 

 rates them. 



For the purpose of illustration, my height is 5 feet 

 9^ inches, and weight 11 stone, and I use a 20-ft. Castle- 

 connell all day long without the slightest inconvenience. 

 I am inclined to think that it is not so much the rod that 

 tires the angler as the want of knowledge and method of 

 wielding it. 



Many anglers want to do all the work themselves, 

 whereas I am sure that if they would only give the rod 

 a chance we should hear less of those heavy 18-ft. rods, etc. 



