224 FLY FISHING AND SPINNING 



the best American ones. Hardy Bros, may be regarded as 

 one of the leading pioneers in the building of split cane 

 rods in England, but during the last six or seven years 

 several other firms have gained public favour in this 

 particular industry, and no one firm can with justice claim 

 any pre-eminence in the production of either good salmon 

 or trout split cane rods. It is to some of our smaller 

 manufacturers that we now owe some of the best and 

 choicest of our rods. Redditch has maintained its old-time 

 superiority in the manufacture and construction of fishing 

 rods, its split cane rod industry being the largest in the 

 world, and it is well for the public to remember that the 

 majority of fishing rod and tackle businesses in London are 

 selling Redditch made rods, and that some of those who 

 profess to build their own rods are, and have been relying 

 for many years, on the excellent cane rods built there. 



THE VIRTUES OR OTHERWISE OF A DRY FLY ROD 



The excellence of a trout rod lies in this that not only 

 should it be capable of conquering the fish you hook, but 

 it should possess such a well-balanced, tempered action 

 and weight that it will, when in use, so blend its action into 

 that of the forearm as to appear, so far as the sense of 

 feeling and touch are concerned, to be but a continuance 

 of the forearm itself. 



There is nothing more certain than that tournament 

 casting must be regarded in the light of a new sport, which 

 while interesting, and maybe useful, so far as records are 

 concerned, tends but little to improve the practice of fishing. 

 The records now made by the best long distance casters 

 have long since passed the limit of usefulness, and especially 

 is this so as regards fly casting. The rods used in casting 

 tournaments, not only in this country but elsewhere, 

 for distance casting, are not rods with which one would 



