48 PRACTICAL FLY FISHING 



yourself. Frayed windings, and sometimes all of them, 

 should be renewed, shaky ferrules reset and the rod 

 given several coats of good varnish applied with a 

 camel hair brush in a warm room and dried where 

 dust cannot get at it. In fact frequent varnishing is 

 " heap good medicine " for wood and bamboo rods 

 and one could pervert a proverb in this connection: 

 Spare the varnish and spoil the rod. If the tips have 

 developed a tendency toward " softness " renew the 

 windings at closer intervals. If you must keep your 

 rod on its form be careful not to tie the strings too 

 tightly. 



When going on a fishing trip far from home it is 

 advisable to carry one of the repair kits sold by the 

 tackle dealer. I hope you will never have to use it 

 but you will feel better if you have one along. 



CASES 



A rod case is a good investment. Rods carried on 

 forms in a light canvas bag are likely to get smashed. 

 The cases of sole leather are best but expensive. The 

 stiffened, leather covered cases are sold at a low price 

 and do nicely. A cloth roll of many partitions one 

 piece of a rod to a pocket to go into the case econo- 

 mizes on space and enables one to carry a number of 

 rods or several rods and a landing net frame and 

 handle. 



