TROUT RODS 105 



the greenheart top above-mentioned made, and of an extra 

 length of some three or four inches, to give increased play. 

 This rod I always fish with in small streams and it works 

 admirably. It is very light and handy, possesses great power, 

 for I can pull a pound and a half trout though weeds on an 

 emergence with it without the slightest injury to the top- 

 thanks to the noble qualities of the greenheart and I can 

 cast a midge fly with it as well as with a single-hand rod. 

 As I am used to it I would not change it for any other. I 

 leave other anglers to please themselves, as they may not 

 approve of the manufacture. My other double rod is of 

 hickory, and was made by Carter, of Pentonville ; it is 15 ft. 

 2 in. long, and is of course somewhat heavier than the last 

 rod. It is a splendid rod for large fish, possessing great power ; 

 for flies of moderate size it is perfection, but it is only fair to 

 say that it is rather severe upon midge flies, and sometimes 

 leaves the stretcher reposing on the grass. I had it made for 

 large trout and sea trout, with the chance now and then of a 

 grilse ; but it answers exceedingly well even on small streams, 

 when the smallest sized flies are not needed ; and with a 

 trout of from three to seven pounds weight, it is delightful to 

 hold such a weapon. I killed four fish with a large palmer fly 

 at Alton during two evenings in the first season I used it that 

 weighed together twenty-two pounds, and the proprietor of 

 the water was so pleased with it that he had one made to the 

 same pattern. Previous to that time he had always used a 

 single-hand rod, but as the fish run very large, even up to 

 nine or ten pounds in his water, he often had great difficulty 

 in landing them. These are the only two double-hand trout 

 rods I ever use, and if my old bamboo ever wears out in my 

 hands I shall certainly order another to match it. 



As hardly anybody makes his own rod nowadays, the 

 best direction I can give is to go to a first-class rod maker, 

 pay him a good price, tell him the sort of rod you want, if 

 you are not equal to choosing one for yourself, and leave it 

 in his hands, and nineteen times in twenty you will have no 

 reason to regret it. 



The gut for the casting line, lash, or point as it is some- 

 times called, should taper from the loop down to the first 

 drop fly, after which it should be as fine as can be obtained. 

 If no drop flies are used, it may taper to within two feet of 

 the fly, whence the gut should be fine. If these directions 

 are properly attended to, they will facilitate straight, light, 



