46 FISHING KITS AND EQUIPMENT 



least satisfactory. It is impossible to make two rods 

 of identical action and balance although the rod 

 measurements and mountings may be the same. Buy- 

 ing a rod by catalogue is, in many respects, a lottery. 

 The angler should know perfectly what he wants be- 

 fore going ahead. If at all possible it is much better 

 to go to the tackle store and select the rod in person. 



Six-strip split-bamboo fly-rods may be had for seven- 

 ty-five cents. They may also be procured for, say 

 forty-five dollars. The question is: 

 How much must you pay for a really 

 good rod; a rod that will last a long time with mod- 

 erately hard use; will have a good appearance so that 

 you can show it to people without apologizing; will 

 have good casting and retrieving power together with 

 perfect action and balance; and, finally, will handle 

 efficiently a weighty trout in a tight place ? Obviously 

 the answer is not seventy-five cents nor is it five dol- 

 lars. 



For from $15 to $20 you can get a real fly-rod if 

 you go about it with discrimination ; and you cannot do 

 it for anything less than that, or if you fail to use dis- 

 crimination. Remember, in this connection, what was 

 said in the chapter on split-bamboo rod construction 

 concerning the manual skill and costly selection of ma- 

 terial required to produce a rod of good quality. The 

 average price of the best rods made by reputable rod 

 makers is $15; and they are good enough fishing rods 

 for anyone. Variations from the standard rod will 



