132 CASTING TACKLE AND METHODS 



twine, will repair a broken rod creditably and go on 

 fishing; another individual, with the best and most 

 complete outfit ever conceived, will bother away for 

 half a day and succeed only in spoiling a rod. Do 

 not jump to the erroneous conclusion that only the 

 adept with tools, the natural mechanic, can become 

 a rod-repairer; any rodster with an ounce of gray 

 matter, a modicum of instruction, and an abundance 

 of stick-to-itiveness may in short order become a first 

 aid man worthy the name. I think I have' covered 

 the whole matter in the foregoing sentence. It is 

 the individual's knowledge and not his tools only 

 that count. Consequentially to dismiss the sub- 

 ject with only the question of tools discussed, would 

 be a mechanical sin and a piscatorial misdemeanor; 

 so we must go on to the use of tools, e'en though we 

 repeat much of what has been said in other chapters. 

 Remember, however, never forget for a moment, 

 that the angler must experiment with windings, 

 splices, loose ferrules, etc., etc., before he sets out 

 on his angling expedition if he is to achieve field- 

 repairs of lasting worth. The old saying, worn 

 threadbare by much use, is mightiest truth when 

 applied to the angler's game "Practice makes per- 

 fect." As I have already intimated, this work comes 

 more naturally to some than to others, but what any 

 man has learned to do, the veriest tyro can, with 

 patience and application, also accomplish. 



If experience is the most valuable teacher, then 



