THE BAIT-CASTING ROD 5 



The rod was a revelation in those days, as the usual 

 lengths of rods was 10^ feet. I fought the point and 

 won out. To-day my banner rod is 5 feet, 6 inches." 



At any rate, the short rod is a product of the 

 West, and through sheer merit alone is making head 

 even in the East. However, it is not uncommon to 

 read articles even to-day urging the 6 foot, 6 inch 

 caster. Such a rod is not, and from the very nature 

 of the case, can not be a good caster of heavy 

 "plugs." The short rod was born of necessity, not, 

 as has been asserted, because of peculiar fishing 

 conditions in the Middle West, but because it is the 

 logical, natural tool for handling modern lures. As 

 it is the "natural tool" it is bound to make head 

 wherever familiar fish are to be won with a cast 

 lure. However, we must not forget to mention Mr. 

 James A. Henshall, u the father of the black bass," 

 for to him we owe the modern rod, though so far 

 as I know, he nowhere recommends the short caster; 

 the "Henshall pattern" is a rod 8^4 feet long, and 

 therefore is not adapted to handling lures with the 

 overhead cast. As evolved by the Doctor, the tool 

 was intended for casting live bait and will be treated 

 in another volume dealing with that branch of ang- 

 ling. I mention Henshall's rod here because it was 

 the first real "casting rod," the fore-runner of all 

 modern casters. 



As I have already said or intimated, the short rod 

 is the best and coming tool. I was one of the last of 



