TACKLE AND FISHING GEAR. 71 



I see no advantage in a single-handed rod much over this 

 length, or say, at the outside, eleven feet and a half, as it gene- 

 rally results, in my experience, in both hands being sooner 01 

 later called into requisition. If the size of the water demands 

 a larger rod, then I should advise a double-handed rod at once. 

 Such a rod need not exceed fourteen feet, or fifteen feet and a 

 half at the outside, nor weigh more than one pound and a half. 

 The longest and heaviest of my own double-handed rods 

 greenheart, with a very much swelled butt, three joints and fer- 

 rulesis an ounce under that weight, and measures fourteen 

 feet three inches. It was built by Messrs. Anderson, of Edin- 

 burgh, and is in every respect admirable, as well for lake trout 

 fishing, as for heavy stream work. 



Ladies' rods can hardly be too light for real pleasure, as 

 not only their wrists are weaker and their muscles softer than 

 ours, but they have seldom acquired the knowledge of using 

 what physical powers they do possess to the best advantage. 

 This is half the battle, as anyone knows who has tried to lift 

 a trunk that some diminutive porter, perhaps, has just been 

 carrying about in a light and airy fashion as if it were a mere 

 feather-weight. Eight feet and a half, or so, is ample for a 

 lady's single-handed fly rod, and such a rod need not exceed 

 eight ounces in weight. These are the measurements of a 

 rod belonging to a lady of my acquaintance ; which is as 

 serviceable and handy a little ' tandem lasher ' as a trout can 

 wish to be coaxed with. It was made by Mr. Jas. Ogden, 

 of Cheltenham, who makes these ladies' rods one of his 

 specialities. . . . 



In thus describing my four favourite fly rods, I have indi- 

 cated in the most practical manner I can the description of rod 

 I have found in practice to afford, on the whole, the best com- 

 bination of qualities for the different descriptions of fly fishing. 

 The rods suitable for lake trolling, worm fishing, salmon spin- 

 ning, c., &c. will be referred to under the separate chapters 

 dealing with those subjects. 



A table is appended of the comparative weights of rod woods, 



