JOINING OF THE HOD. 39 



about a foot above the hand ; if intended to be used 

 with both hands, about a foot further up. The 

 facility of casting with a well-balanced rod is very 

 great, as the part of the rod below the hand acts as 

 a lever. 



The reel is usually attached to the rod by rings, 

 which is undoubtedly the most convenient plan, as it 

 can be taken off at pleasure. In a one-handed rod, 

 the reel should be as close to the butt end as possible, 

 as its leverage will be greater there j in a double- 

 handed rod, sufficient room must be left below the 

 reel for the hand. When the weight of the butt end 

 and reel together are not in themselves sufficient to 

 balance a rod, lead should be added till it balance at 

 the proper place. 



Rings are indispensable to a rod in order to 

 convey the line from the reel to the point. A differ- 

 ence of opinion exists as to whether they should be 

 fixed or moveable. For our part, if they could be 

 fixed so as not to move, we would prefer them that 

 way, as they let off the line much more easily \ but 

 they generally have just sufficient stiffness to be 

 troublesome. When they come into contact with 

 anything, they are knocked over and remain so ; and 

 unless the angler notice it, the first fish will break 

 his line. 



When treating of the different branches of ang- 

 ling, we will mention the size and description of rod 

 most suitable for each ; but the size of rod we have 

 advocated for fly-fishing is so much shorter than 



