CHOICE AND USE OF FLY-ROD 41 



own idea as to a reasonable limitation of his invest- 

 ment in tackle, but it is a matter that all of us are 

 bound to keep in mind. 



In the tackle stores you will find rods running from 

 8 to 11^2 feet. In weight they vary from, as a rule, 

 3/4 to 9j4 ounces. These rods are in _ - 

 split-bamboo. It is quite evident that anc j 

 here is a large variety from which to se- Weight 

 lect, and that if your rod is to prove the * Rod- 

 right one, your selection must be the result of very 

 judicious elimination. Solid wood rods average heav- 

 ier to the foot, and since, for fly-casting, they are not 

 the equals of the split-bamboo, we will not complicate 

 matters by including them. The first thing to do is to 

 pass over any rod exceeding ten feet, that is for actual 

 trout fishing. These rods are concessions to the Eng- 

 lish trade and for the long-distance tournament fly- 

 casters. Although it is possible to imagine circum- 

 stances under which one could use a rod of this sort 

 to advantage on some particular occasion, for ordi- 

 nary use it is quite out of the question. The choice 

 of the rod should be made not only with regard to 

 giving the fish a show, but also with due regard to the 

 comfort of the angler. By way of experiment the 

 writer once put in a day's fishing with an 11^2 foot 

 rod. This was on a stream that could truly be called 

 typical of our American trout waters. Morally the 

 experiment was costly. By sunset the rod had at- 

 tained a length of, approximately, one mile, and a 

 duly proportionate weight. When going through 



