34 ANGLER'S EQUIPMENT. 



that it is unnecessary to give any instructions for 

 the mechanical part of rod-making, and we shall 

 merely mention what a good rod should be made of, 

 and the qualities it should possess. The two great 

 requisites in a rod we consider to be stiffness and 

 lightness, two qualities exceedingly difficult to com- 

 bine. The amount of stiffness should be such that, 

 when casting, the forward motion of the rod may be 

 stopped pretty quickly without any recoil of the 

 point taking place. Most of the rods that are to be 

 had ready made in Edinburgh are useless from their 

 excessive pliability, and from what we have seen of 

 English and Irish rods they are still worse. This is 

 not the fault of the rod-makers who require to suit 

 the public taste, but the fault of anglers who will 

 have their rods made in that manner. We know of 

 no place where a better rod can be made than in 

 Edinburgh, if the angler only says that he wishes it 

 stiff. In casting with a supple rod, after propelling 

 the line forward, and stopping the forward motion 

 of the hand, a recoil of the point takes place, which, 

 to a considerable extent, interferes with the forward 

 motion of the line. 



The advantages of a stiff rod are its great supe- 

 riority in casting; it will throw a longer and a 

 lighter line, and with greater certainty, to any spot 

 the angler wishes. Its advantages, in these respects, 

 are particularly apparent in a windy day, when it is 

 necessary to cast against the wind, or even sideways 

 to it. With a supple rod, in such circumstances, 



