94 TROUT FISHING 



imparting motion to the arrow but many func- 

 tions have to be performed ; not only must the rod 

 bend and with elasticity regain its straight line, 

 but it must bend in one particular manner; increas- 

 ing in amount from the hand to the extreme point, 

 it will be required to bend by force applied at either 

 end, and during its bending, or when it assumes 

 the arc, it must maintain especial qualities of stiff- 

 ness and elasticity, with proportionate degree of 

 power from its finest end to its largest extremity. 

 Again, it must be so tapered and balanced as to 

 assist the fisherman, and not feel to him a dead 

 weight dragging on the muscles of the arm, and 

 constantly tiring him. Now, we shall find great 

 difference in rods, both as to their stiffness, weight, 

 balance, and the arc they assume when a weight 

 is applied to the finest end (as a bunch of keys, 

 for example, suspended to the end of the top joint), 

 and this will constitute a point of the greatest 

 importance. In examining a rod, not only should 

 we carefully scrutinize and observe the amount 

 of bending power the whole rod has, whether 

 it is, as is commonly said, a stiff rod or not, but 

 see clearly wherein and in what part the stiffness 

 exists, whether the whole length of the rod be 

 too stiff or too limber, or whether it be too stiff 

 or too limber in one part only; for we sometimes 

 meet with a stiff rod too pliant in some spot, and 

 a limber rod too stiff in one joint or a portion of 

 it. If a rod is stiff, it must be proportionally 

 stiff throughout ; if limber, proportionally pliant 

 throughout; and this proportional resistance in 



