TROUT FISHING. 413 



TROUT-FISHING. 



THE IMPLEMENTS. 



WITH regard to the rod, as described on page 254, I have little or 

 no more to say. 



Different persons approve of different degrees of pliancy in rods, 

 Irish anglers generally using one much more pliant than their English 

 brethren. 



My correspondent referred to .above, writes to me in reference to 

 my description, thus : and his theory and practice are both so good, 

 that I cannot do better than again quote him, as I agree fully with 

 every word. 



THE TROUT-ROD. 



"A PLIANT Trout-rod, in the hand of a fly -fisher, is a comfort. Per- 

 sons who use spliced rods can handle a very pliant one, but the great 

 majority of anglers, as you are aware, use the jointed rods ; and it is 

 almost impossible for ' an old hand,' who has for years used a spliced 

 rod, to procure one sufficiently pliant. 



A rod can, however, be too pliant, even in the hand of the most ex- 

 perienced. Every man who has used a very pliant rod, knows that 

 when preparing for a fresh cast, the line will catch before it can be 

 carried sufficiently back to make the forward movement ; and the effect 

 is, that in the effort to obviate the threatened difficulty, a fly will crack 

 off. Now, I use a very pliant rod ; but I am an Irishman, and learned 

 my trade in that land of lake and river. You are an Englishman, 

 and I suppose became master of your trade there. The English use 

 comparatively stiff rods. A rod should not be pliant below the second 

 joint It is no easy matter to describe one. Your length, twelve 



