FISHING-RODS. 211 



would not suffer by a comparison with other game fishes. 

 The seed of these articles was sown in good ground, and 

 yielded abundantly. I received letters from hundreds of 

 Black Bass anglers, in all parts of the country, thanking 

 and complimenting me for the ideas suggested, and for 

 espousing the cause of their favorite fish, the Black Bass. 

 The result proved far beyond my most hopeful anticipa- 

 tions, and I have the satisfaction of knowing that to-day 

 there is no game fish more eagerly sought for, and none 

 that is being more rapidly introduced into new, inland 

 waters by the advocates and admirers of this truly game 

 fish. 



In February, 1875, I published an article, entitled, 

 "The Coming Black Bass Rod/ 7 in Forest and Stream, 

 which gave a description of my idea of* a proper rod for 

 Black Bass angling, founded on many years experience, 

 and the use of many different rods for this purpose. Mr. 

 0. F. Orvis, of Manchester, Vermont, an expert angler, 

 as well as a maker of fine fishing-rods, at once began the 

 manufacture of a Black Bass rod from those suggestions, 

 and they are to-day to be found in all parts of the country, 

 he having been remarkably successful in introducing them, 

 for they supplied a want long felt. 



Other manufacturers, seeing the necessity for a new de- 

 parture from the old beaten path, soon began to make 

 short and light Black Bass rods, more in accordance with 

 the spirit of the age, and the demands of their customers, 

 which they called the " Forest and Stream " Black Bass 

 rod, thus honoring and doing justice to the admirable 

 journal to whose columns are due the credit of completely 

 reconstructing the Black Bass rod, and of replacing the 

 former long, heavy and clumsy affair, by the elegant, 



