168 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



fly -fishing lies at their own threshold can afford to exper- 

 iment with cheap fishing tackle. 



Some years ago a vessel from the East Indies dis- 

 charged a cargo of sugar at this port. For dunnage to 

 the cargo, which was in mats, large bamboos, some even 

 six inches through, had been used. When the vessel had 

 discharged, these were thrown out upon the dock. A 

 friend secured two or three pieces, and gave me one. It 

 was the toughest and most elastic bamboo I have ever 

 seen. I made one rod from it, placing the rind inside, 

 and was so pleased with it that the temptation to make 

 one more, and exhaust on it all the skill I possessed, was 

 irresistible. Every knot was cut out and the strips 

 spliced, so as to secure absolute uniformity of action, 

 and when the rod was complete I was satisfied with my 

 work. That rod became the bane of my existence. For 

 three seasons I stuck to it, uniting the splices again and 

 again. Every adhesive substance I could hear of was 

 tried ; the splices were carefully wrapped with unwaxed 

 silk, and then varnished so as to paste the silk down, 

 and at the same time swell it and increase the firmnese of 

 its embrace upon the bamboo. But it was all useles*. 

 The first fish struck would start some splice, and the rod 

 was worthless. Again and again have I spliced bamboo 

 joints for friends where accident has occurred at a dis- 

 tance from the repair shop, using that most adhesive of 

 all glues, " Russian isinglass," but they never stood, nor 

 do I think they can be made to stand, for any length of 

 time. Bamboo tips, however, may be successfully re- 

 paired without difficulty. 



Notwithstanding this, if you once become possessed of 

 a really good bamboo rod, you have the best there is 

 something superior to any wooden rod that can be made. 



