TROUT RODS 103 



throw one hundred yards of line. I like plenty of substance 

 in the butt to grasp, and then I am sure that any weight in 

 reason which may be thrown into the upper joints will be 

 carried comfortably. 



To get at a fair medium size for a single-handed rod, I 

 would say that probably a rod of twelve feet, or thereabouts, 

 will suit the generality of anglers sufficiently well. Then 

 comes the question of pliability. Some anglers prefer a very 

 pliable rod, others a very stiff one ; some a heavy rod and 

 some a light one. For very light flies, delicate casting, and 

 horsehair points, or casting lines, it is better to err on the side 

 of pliability than the reverse, but when the trout run above 

 half a pound in weight, and the stream is rough or otherwise 

 dangerous, it will be as well to eschew horsehair. The novice 

 certainly should commence with gut, if he would save himself 

 endless breakages, losses of fish and flies, and interminable 

 vexations. When he is au fait with that, if he chooses he can 

 come to hair. A very stiff rod is useful under some circum- 

 stances, but is very apt to snap off flies, and, though desirable 

 in windy weather, in moderate weather it will not cast so 

 long or light a line as a fairly pliable rod. I like a rod which 

 is neither too stiff nor too whippy, but of moderate pliability, 

 so that it will cast comfortably a midge fly for a long throw 

 without danger of flicking it off, or will lift a pound trout over 

 a run of weeds when you want to get out of difficulties. It 

 must be remembered here that the play of a rod is acted upon 

 more or less by the weight of the line, and a stiff rod may be 

 made more pliable by a heavier line ; as a rule, however, 

 these two important articles should be carefully adapted 

 to each other, for no rod will carry a line which bends it 

 too much for any length of time without straining and warping 

 irretrievably. 



I have, however, after long experience, given up using 

 single-hand rods altogether, for there is nothing which you 

 can do with the single-hand rod which you cannot do with 

 a double-hand one, and there are many things which you can 

 do with the double-hand rod which you cannot do with the 

 single. In the first place, you have much greater power in a 

 double rod, and if you get hold of a large fish you can kill 

 him with more certainty and less loss of time. You can also 

 play a fish with more ease and lift your line over distant weeds, 

 or bushes on the bank, which would often be fatal to the 

 single rod. When the grass and weeds are high, or, as is often 



