28 AMATEUR RODMAKING 



on each one of the six. The method is highly 

 spoken of by anglers, and I myself have used 

 such a rod with pleasure and satisfaction. At 

 one time I tested two fly-rods that were exactly 

 alike in length, caliber, and weight, one spiral, 

 the other plain six-strip. They were held on a 

 table side by side while a half-ounce weight was 

 suspended from each tip. The spiral rod 

 sagged very little, whereas the other drooped 

 four inches lower. 



The steel rod, that has become so popular in 

 the Middle West and South for hard use, is 

 now often employed in bait-casting. 



On salt water bethabara, ash and lancewood, 

 dagama, lancewood and greenheart are the fa- 

 vorite materials, although, as stated above, split 

 bamboo is coming into more general use. 



In fly-casting there has been very little change 

 in types of rods during recent years, but in 

 bait-casting a complete change has taken place, 

 and to-day the bait-caster's methods are more 

 nearly like those of the fly-caster's than ever 

 before, in that both use artificial lures in prefer- 

 ence to live bait wherever success is at all pos- 

 sible. Both are working toward finer tackle 

 and are following more sportsmanlike methods 

 in fishing as a pastime. 



Until quite recently angling for game fish in 



