SHORT ROD FOR PIKE. 83 



perfect action is secured, the lure revolving well, and 

 in a direct line, a great desideratum in bait spinning, 

 especially in the case of the rapacious pike, as he is 

 even more apt than other species to miss the whirling 

 turn-tailed bait. 



A diagram of this very useful metal appendage to 

 the midwater fisher, is given on plate III., fig 4. 



The rod for pike is now made little more than one- 

 half the former dimensions ; the cumbersome tool of 

 from 15 to 20 feet is being rapidly discarded in favour 

 of a more efficient implement of about 9 or 10 feet. 

 The old swing movement for getting out the bait is 

 quite surpassed by what may be termed the spring 

 motion ; the fisherman's right angle is reduced by 

 this change, his general style and comfort vastly 

 improved, and success rendered more sure. To the 

 uninitiated, the idea of reducing the rod would imply 

 a corresponding lessening of the power of the angler ; 

 but this is exactly the reverse of the actual result, for 

 instead of limiting this power over general surround- 

 ings, it largely augments it. In the first instance, his 

 casting powers are greatly increased, he being able to 

 fish a much larger area from a given standing point, 

 the precise limits varying according to the amount 

 of practical skill shown by the operator. Forty yards, 

 or thereabouts, was the possible limit with the old 

 long rods> but since the introduction of the short ones, 

 the cast that fails to exceed fifty yards is concluded 

 nothing extraordinary. Secondly, the angler retains 

 far greater command over the bait with a short rod ; 

 the large size of the upright rings, which are less in 



