CASTING POWERS OF RODS. 103 



be very nearly in the proportion of twenty-five to 

 thirty- five. 



We are thus particular, in order to show anglers 

 that the additional power of casting is proportion- 

 ally less with every foot added, and that a ten-foot 

 rod is really a very serviceable weapon. Even with 

 a rod of nine feet we very rarely have occasion to 

 exert its casting powers to their full extent. Fly- 

 fishing, if properly and quickly done, is hard work ; 

 and the angler must on no account use a rod in 

 the least degree heavier or longer than he can 

 thoroughly manage with one hand. 



The great essential, however, for the fly-rod is 

 stiffness. We have already, when treating of rods, 

 mentioned the advantages a stiff rod possesses over a 

 supple one ; and we may perhaps startle some of our 

 readers, who are accustomed to consider a pliant rod 

 indispensable for fly-fishing, by saying that a much 

 stifFer rod is necessary for this branch of the art than 

 any other. For reasons which will be afterwards 

 shown, the flies should first fall on the water, and as 

 little of the line with them as possible. To accom- 

 plish this, considerable force must be employed in 

 casting, and the rod must be stopped pretty sud- 

 denly. If this is attempted with a supple rod, it 

 would bend till it almost touched the water, and 

 then recoil, throwing the line only a short distance. 

 A supple rod may answer tolerably for fishing down 

 with the wind, but for fishing up, or fishing any 

 way either against or sideways to the wind, it is 

 perfectly useless. 



