RODS Q 



thick tops it does excellently. Salmon rods of the 

 balanced handle variety were at one time almost solely 

 made of this material, but they are generally con- 

 sidered on the heavy side for modern requirements. 



Lancewood is a light, closely-grained wood not 

 unlike beech in appearance; it is useful for light 

 bottom rod tops, but has not the same degree of 

 stiffness or quickness to strike as greenheart. 



Blue mahoe is a greyish rod timber of considerable 

 utility. It has the advantage of being light and fairly 

 stiff, but has not quite the requisite " steeliness," and 

 therefore it is usually built up a little thicker in 

 diameter than would be the case with other woods. 



Ash, beech and hazel are still occasionally used for 

 butts of rods, but home-grown timber does not seem 

 to adapt itself quite so well for angling purposes as 

 the harder South American and tropical growths. 

 Hazel was largely employed by our forefathers, and 

 made very useful rods. The writer once had a hazel 

 salmon rod with the natural bark still intact, which 

 was something of a curiosity. 



The action and qualities of the perfect rod are 

 not easily definable. Not infrequently theories are 

 advanced concerning the point of balance so many 

 inches from the butt end and so on. But these rules 

 do not work out satisfactorily in practice. The 

 balance can only be correctly gauged when the reel 

 and line are on the rod and part of the line is out as in 

 fishing 4 . Then an idea can be gained of the balance 

 and leverage on the wrist. Therefore it is important 

 that the reel should be of suitable weight and the line 

 of such a thickness as will balance the outfit and not 

 throw undue strain upon the rod in casting. 



Mechanical tesjts have been applied from time to 



