THE ROD WITHOUT THE GUN. S3 



however, bear a relation to the size of the river and 

 the nature of the expected capture. A trout ing- 

 rod is usually made from 12 to 14 feet in length, 

 though some prefer them of greater extent, as giv- 

 ing more command over lakes and spreading pools. 

 It should be made as light as is consistent with 

 strength and durability, as a heavy rod is cumber- 

 some, fatiguing, and unwieldy; and a light one 

 gives a more ready power in casting under hollow 

 banks, or among trees or bushes. For pike and 

 barbel a proper length is 1 6 feet ; for perch, chub, 

 bream, carp, eels, and tench, a shorter rod may be 

 used ; and 8 or 10 feet is sufficient for dace, gudgeon, 

 ruff, bleak, &c. The portability of a rod depends 

 of course on the number of joints ; but its excellence 

 being almost in the inverse ratio, care must be 

 taken not to sacrifice its goodness merely for the 

 sake of a convenient form. 



According to Mr. Bainbridge, the best rods are 

 made from ash, hickery, and lancewood ; ash for 

 the bottom piece, hickery for the middle, and lance- 

 wood for the top-joints. If real bamboo can be 

 procured of good quality, it is preferable to lance- 

 wood. Rosewood and partridgewood from the 

 Brazils may also be used for the top-pieces. The 

 extreme length of the top-piece is usually composed 

 of a few inches of whalebone. The rings for the 

 reel-line may be made by twisting a piece of soft 

 brass-wire round a tobacco-pipe, and soldering the 

 ends together. They ought to diminish in size as 

 they are made to approach the top, and must form 

 a straight and regular line with each other when 



