46 Selecting a Fly-rod. 



that the Fly-rod should be pliant, it is not meant that it 

 should have the pliancy either of a willow or a cart- whip. 

 The proper method of making a Rod will be found under 

 the description of the Worm-rod, the only difference be- 

 tween a Fly and Worm rod being the greater delicacy and 

 fineness required in the former. Its pliancy should com- 

 mence, as I said before, about a yard and a half from the 

 butt, and continue to the point. * By no means have that 

 lob-ended appendage of whalebone at the point of any of 

 your Rods, for it considerably deadens the spring of any 

 to which it may be applied. Bamboo, if you can procure 

 it good, perhaps makes a lighter top for your Fly-rod 

 than lancewood, and is held in equal estimation as regards 

 its other qualities. 



A two-pieced splice-rod, having a nice clean straight- 

 grained piece of fir for the butt, and the top of either 

 lancewood or bamboo, is equally as good as the three- 

 pieced, and it has this advantage, that there is only one 

 splice to tie, and only one risk to run of its working 

 loose while angling. On the ground of inconvenience in 

 carriage there can be no objection ; supposing the Angler 

 to use a landing-net, whose shaft is six or seven feet 

 long : in that case he can easily tie or strap his rod to 

 it, which is thus more easily carried and better protected. 



