82 ELEMENTS OF ANGLING. 



though for the last most men prefer a rod which is 

 very stiff. I can use most of my rods both for one 

 and the other, which argues a certain advantage in 

 the supple action ; a very stiff rod is not well suited 

 to wet-fly fishing. But it is a matter of taste, and 

 the novice should get some angling friend to help 

 him in making a choice, or he might tell the tackle, 

 maker that he wants a rod to be generally useful, 

 and not consecrated solely to either wet or 

 dry fly, a rod of " medium action." When trying 

 it in the shop he should make sure that the action 

 is continued rigH down to the butt, that is to say, 

 that when the rod is swung up and down the 

 spring should not cease with the second joint; the 

 butt should not bend much, but it should bend per- 

 ceptibly. A rod of good action ought to feel like a 

 live thing, working right down to the hand, but it 

 should not be top-heavy and weak in the lower 

 joints. 



As with a bottom-fishing rod so with a fly-rod a 

 suitable reel should be attached to the butt in 

 trying the action. A good reel is rather expensive, 

 but cheap reels can, of course, be obtained. The 

 pattern I prefer is a reel made partly of aluminium, 

 3in. in diameter, and about lin. in width of barrel; 

 it weighs about 6ioz., carries about sixty yards of 

 line, and costs about i6s. Many fly-fishers use a 



