THE ROD 41 



LENGTH AND WEIGHT 



The original casting rods as used in the early part 

 of the last century by the good folks who originated 

 the Kentucky reel were from twelve to fifteen feet in 

 length. Along in the seventies Dr. Henshall, good and 

 true sportsman, brought out the rod bearing his name, 

 which was eight and a quarter feet long. This rod 

 and the Doctor's writings put the black bass on the 

 map. Of course, the Henshall rod, because of its 

 length is used with the under-hand cast with live bait. 



That it possesses some advantage over the shorter 

 rod is obvious. It is unequalled for casting live bait, 

 as the smoother action prevents snapping the minnow 

 from the hook or whipping the life out of a frog and 

 there is no reason why it cannot be used with the light- 

 er artificial baits. It is a general purpose rod, fine for 

 still fishing, trolling, etc. Every fisherman should 

 have one. 



Nevertheless, the short rod possesses merits all its 

 own and it is here to stay. The short rod has had 

 much abuse heaped upon it. Dr. Henshall himself ac- 

 cuses the man who uses one of being a "pot" fisher- 

 man. No doubt the short rod, when the Doctor wrote 

 his excellent book, "The Book of the Black Bass" was 

 a stiff, inartistic affair, but this cannot be said of the 

 short rods as they are made to-day. They are just 

 as fine in their way as are fly rods or bait rods. 



