38 ANGLER'S EQUIPMENT. 



rod also bends most equally throughout ; and no 

 angler will deny that it is the most agreeable to use. 

 The great objection, however, to brass joints is, that, 

 in order to bear their weight, the rod requires to be 

 made so much thicker throughout. A rod of twelve 

 feet, without brass joints, should weigh about four- 

 teen ounces ; with brass joints, it will weigh about 

 a pound and a half, nearly double the weight, which 

 tells fearfully upon the angler's arm in fly-fishing. 

 "When the tie system is adopted, the splices should 

 be well waxed, as also the thread with which they 

 are tied, otherwise they will be constantly slipping. 

 This mode of joining is objected to by some on the 

 ground that there is a good deal of time spent in 

 putting the rod up ; but we think much more time 

 will be lost by using a rod with the additional weight 

 necessary to stand brass joints. 



If the angler cannot be troubled to tie the pieces 

 of his rod together, joints of some kind are indispen- 

 sable. The old mode of joining was by screw joints ; 

 but they do not last, and the plain slip joint has 

 entirely superseded them, and is undoubtedly the 

 most convenient and lasting method of putting a rod 

 together. The pieces are the better of being tied 

 together, as, if they are not, they may slip. For 

 this purpose, small wire catches should be put at 

 the bottom and top of each piece. 



A well-made rod, when put up, should yield 

 slightly from a little above the hand to the top, and 

 if intended to be used with one hand should balance 



