A BAMBOO FLY EOD. 145 



will come to the same conclusion that I have. I have 

 made many converts by inducing single-hand rod fishers 

 to try one of my doubles for a day. Many anglers now take 

 out both with them letting their attendant carry the one 

 not in use. 



The ordinary length of a double rod is from about 14 ft. 

 to 14 ft. 6 in. I, however, like a long rod, and I usually 

 prefer one of 14 ft. 6 in. Such a rod should be tolerably 

 pliable, while the selection of the wood may be left to 

 the tackle-maker. 



I will, however, describe two rods which I use, and with 

 which I am quite content. The rod I generally fish with 

 is three-jointed, the two lower joints being of bamboo and 

 the top of a single splinter of greenheart ; it has upright 

 rings. This rod, however, is rather stiff in the two lower 

 joints, but as there is plenty of flexibility in the top, a 

 little care enables me to throw not only a very long line, 

 but small flies, without much danger. I had it made to 

 pattern by Ogden of Cheltenham ; and originally the top 

 was spliced, and was some three or four inches shorter, 

 and the reason for this was as follows. A season on the 

 Border had shown me that when fishing the streams in 

 that part of the kingdom the angler cannot tell, when he 

 starts, whether before the day is over he may have to 

 use fly, worm, or minnow: and to carry a rod with a 

 spare top for these purposes, and to be changing the top 

 now and then, is inconvenient, and therefore I had a 

 rod made which might answer without alteration for all 

 these purposes, and I found that it answered very well 

 indeed ; but not requiring it for that work, and needing 

 it more particularly for a fly rod, I discarded the spliced 

 tops, finding that as all the work in fly-fishing rested with 

 the top, the splices suffered, and I had the greenheart top 

 above mentioned made, and of an extra length of some 

 1 three or four inches, to give increased play. This rod I 



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