48 PRACTICAL BAIT CASTING 



is not used just as it comes from the jungle. Only the 

 best pieces can be put in good rods, and these are first 

 split and glued together to reduce the diameter and 

 at the same time utilize the strength of the hard 

 outer surface or enamel hence the term split bamboo. 

 Usually the six strip construction is employed, which 

 no doubt is to be preferred since most good rods are 

 made that way. The wood is split and then fitted to- 

 gether very similar to the way the sections of a peeled 

 orange fit. 



A few high grade rods are made in the eight strip 

 style, and their makers claim for them superior action 

 owing to the rod being nearer a true cylinder, but the 

 difference is too small to be of any consequence, while 

 the tips may be poor because of the amount of glue 

 necessary to hold the slender pieces together. How- 

 ever, if you want a round rod get the eight strip be- 

 ware of the six strip planed down as this trimming is 

 likely to weaken the rod. 



There are several varieties of bamboo, but all of 

 them cannot be used in making good split rods. The 

 Chinese and Japanese canes are strong and resilient, 

 but the joints are too short and they are therefore used 

 only in the natural state for the common "cane poles." 



Calcutta is no doubt the best bamboo, but Calcutta 

 is almost impossible to obtain. In fact, according to 

 Perry Frazer, a recognized authority, it is so rare 

 that we may as well forget it. Calcutta comes in two 

 varities, female and male, and the latter is preferable 

 because the female of the species is weaker than the 



