TACKLE 39 



hard. Furthermore, bass flies are bulkier and take up 

 more water than trout flies and the bass fly fisherman 

 is more often called upon to use spinner, cork bodied 

 flies and other heavy lures. Finally, the bass averages 

 much more in weight than do the trout of most waters 

 and like the trout he is often caught in . cluttered-up 

 places where he cannot always be given his head. Such 

 a rod, if of fair weight and length, naturally is not an 

 easy one to use all day and any modifications of it 

 should be along the lines of making it slightly more 

 pliant for ease of casting but the angler should remem- 

 ber that the farther he goes in this direction the farther 

 he gets away from the ideal rod from the standpoint of 

 bass fishing efficiency. 



LENGTH AND WEIGHT 



The rods commonly used for bass fly fishing range 

 from 9 to lO 1 /^ ^ eet both inclusive, the 9, 9% an d IO 

 foot lengths being the most popular. Just what length 

 to select depends on the preference and the physique 

 of the man that intends to use it. By this I do not 

 mean that I subscribe to the fine drawn theory that 

 one's rod should be arbitrarily gauged by one's height 

 but a man of slight stature would derive more satisfac- 

 tion by fishing with a nine foot rod than one of greater 

 length, since the ideal bass rod is not an easy one to 

 " swing " for long periods. 



A rod of American manufacture of the correct ac- 

 tion should weigh from 4% to 5J4 ounces in the 9 

 foot length; 5% to 5% in the 9 1 /2 foot and 6 to 6 l /% 



