24 



which results from a too slender butt. This pro- 

 duces a double action in the rod, and prevents a 

 clear satisfactory cast. In England this quality 

 was made a specialty for salmon rods some years 

 ago, it being supposed that it increased the length 

 of the cast. Recent experiences proved this to be 

 a fallacious idea, and such a rod required quite an 

 education to use with any degree of accuracy. 



If a man can throw a minnow thirty yards with 

 any degree of accuracy, he should be well satisfied, 

 as that is more than sufficient for average bass 

 fishing. 



A peculiar, but, I think, mistaken idea is that a 

 rod should be in proportion to a man's size. One 

 can understand this idea in regard to a gun for which 

 a man should be measured as for a coat, but with a 

 rod it is different, and should be made to vary 

 with the type of fishing practised. The differ- 

 ence in weight being only a few ounces exposes the 

 foolishness of this theory. All that matters is the 

 question of balance ; if that is all right, the size or 

 weight matters very little. 



A more important point is, that a cheap rod is 

 always a dear rod, in price alone. As in anything 

 else, work and quality of material go for every- 

 thing, and if a good sound rod is required, a fair 

 price must be paid to some good maker for it. 



The line is a most important item, and it is al- 

 ways best to give a good price for a hand made line 

 turned out by a good firm. The braided line to me 

 is the perfection of excellence. I do not Kke a 



