THE SIXGLE-HAXD FLY EOD. 141 



months of February and March. No doubt the trout being- 

 hungry feed better then, but they can hardly be said to be 

 in such condition as the angler loves to see. In Devon, 

 the trout do not, to my thinking, get into anything like- 

 good fettle until they have had a gorge upon that excellent 

 and valuable insect the March brown. In many rivers 

 the trout are hardly in fair condition in May, and often 

 not until June, when they have fed upon the May fly. 

 After this they are in the primest order, and require all 

 the angler's skill to take them ; but they will then repay 

 him for his trouble. 



To commence at the beginning, I will suppose that 

 the angler is a novice, and intends to try his hand with a. 

 single-handed rod. This should not be less than eleven,, 

 nor more than thirteen, feet in length ; between these ex- 

 tremes he may suit his reqiiirements and strength. I say 

 strength, because the angler should never over-burthen 

 himself : an ounce or two too much in a rod is apparently no- 

 great matter, but when the same set of muscles have to lift 

 that ounce some two feet from five hundred to a thousand 

 times in the day, it will be seen that it must tell heavily. 

 The angler will, perhaps, be surprised to hear how little 

 difference there is usually in the weight of single-handed 

 trout rods. Here are the dimensions and weights of four, 

 by four different makers, which I selected at random from 

 my stock : 



Gould. A hollow cane rod, with ash but, twelve feet 

 eight inches long; weight, thirteen ounces twelve drams.. 

 Cheek. A common hickory rod, of the usual makej, 

 rather stout in the but, but very handy and well balanced, 

 eleven feet seven inches long ; weight, fourteen ounces six 

 drams. 



Bownezs. Ordinary hickory rod, rather light and 

 whippy, eleven feet eight inches long ; weight, thirteen 

 ounces four drams. 



