HINTS TO DRY-FLY FISHERMEN. 127 



only advantage of a double-handed rod is the very 

 small one of having a little more control over a 

 hooked fish, and to my mind this is far outbalanced 

 by the increase of weight he has to carry. For 

 length, ten and a half to eleven feet is sufficient ; 

 or, one of twelve feet made in three joints 

 for choice, can be wielded by an exceptionally 

 powerful man. It should be moderately stiff, 

 and the action true and quick from the hand to 

 the point. The butt should be well set up, and 

 the handle exactly the size to fit the hand ; the 

 middle joint should be springy ; when bent with a 

 heavy strain it should show a fair curve, and when 

 released from that strain, should at once spring 

 back to a straight line. The top joint should not 

 be too slight at the point, or it will suffer when 

 returning a long line. 



As to material, greenheart may be safely re- 

 commended to the majority of Anglers, although 

 personally I prefer six-piece glued-up cane. Do 

 not when buying be misled by any flashy adver- 

 tisements of cheap (?) but usually rubbishing wares. 

 A really good rod, of well-selected materials, tho- 

 roughly seasoned timber, properly fitted, and well 

 finished, will command a fair price. Above all, do 

 not be tempted to purchase a low-priced glued-up 

 cane rod. The American ones are generally too 

 whippy to suit our Hampshire style of fishing. If 

 the cane is of the proper description, if the sections 

 are split (not sawn) out of the solid, and correctly 



