TACKLE 37 



ally put on in clusters and the color is a matter of 

 taste. There is nothing in metal windings that recom- 

 mends their use on a fly rod. 



FINISH 



The usual finish 'of a fly rod is a number of coats 

 of good varnish. Some anglers prefer their bamboo 

 rods to be stained dark green or brown to harmonize 

 with stream-side surroundings on the theory that such 

 a finish is less likely to scare a shy fish. I do not be- 

 lieve that the finish of a rod or its fittings have much 

 to do with its visibility to the fish but these dark rods, 

 wound with " contrasty " silk and finished oxidized 

 are certainly very handsome and if an angler has an 

 artistic craving for such things and wishes to use a 

 shy fish for an excuse I, for one, will not argue the 

 question with him. 



ESSENTIALS 



Several American angling writers once had a contro- 

 versy as to whether the chief end of a fishing rod is 

 its ability to cast well or to hook and play a fish prop- 

 erly. To me it seemed like arguing on the relative 

 merits of one's right and left leg since a good rod must 

 do both well. 



To meet these requirements a rod must possess 

 strength and power combined with lightness and bal- 

 ance, pliancy (bend) combined with resiliency (spring), 

 and these so related as to cast a reasonably long line 

 straight and true with the minimum of effort on the 



