THE BOTTOM-FISHER'S ROD. 221 



the different varieties of which form the principal 

 prey the bait-fisher pursues. 



The bottom-fisher's rod must be strong and 

 light, not by any means so springy as that of the 

 fly-fisher. It must taper stiffly, not be top heavy, 

 and have just elasticity enough to strike his fish 

 quickly without the delay too much elasticity in 

 the top pieces would cause. It must be supple, 

 so that pressure will equalise itself from top to 

 butt. Though its pieces be not so fine or so limber 

 as those of the fly-rod, it must taper with equal 

 precision. The lengths of bottom-fishing rods 

 differ very widely. Those that are used for bank- 

 fishing in wide rivers are sometimes twenty-four 

 feet long ; whilst those for angling from punts 

 are frequently as short as ten feet. They also 

 vary in strength according to the fish one angles 

 for. The average length of a bank-rod should be 

 seventeen feet, that of a punt or boat-rod twelve. 

 In concluding the subject of bottom-fishing, I shall 

 give a precise list of all the rods necessary for it, 

 and for other modes of angling. With a good 

 general rod, having several tops, which you may 

 shorten or lengthen as occasion requires, you may 

 successfully bottom-angle for any species of river 

 fish, roach, perhaps, excepted, which require a 

 specific rod, to be described hereafter. 



The bottom-lines for bait-fishing should be 

 made of good gut, as fine as is consistent with 



