FISHING-RODS. 221 



right to no one. I have no patience or sympathy with 

 those visionary book-anglers, who talk or write such ridic- 

 ulous nonsense, or spin such fine-drawn theories. 



A HOME-MADE BLACK BASS ROD. 



As the Black Bass anglers of Ohio, Kentucky, Ten- 

 nessee, Northern Alabama, and the South-west generally 

 are extremely partial to a natural cane or bamboo rod, I 

 desire to tell them how to make a good one of this ma-* 

 terial at little cost, and which, though not a "thing of- 

 beauty," will prove itself a' "joy forever," in comparison 

 with the cane-rod, as generally used. After using such a 

 rod as I am about to describe for one season, the angler 

 will be ready to advance another step, and adopt a good 

 ash and lancewood rod, which contingency, I am free to 

 admit, is the principal motive for this information. 



A natural bamboo-cane, as it is procured at the tackle 

 stores, is from fifteen to twenty feet in length ; and it is 

 the custom, in the localities named, to use from ten to 

 twelve feet of the smaller or upper end of such a cane for 

 a Black Bass rod, after attaching standing' guides and a reel 

 fastening. While such a rod is strong and light, with a 

 moderate degree of pliancy and elasticity, it entirely lacks 

 the great desideratum, balance, being decidedly top-heavy, 

 and is too small at the butt to allow of a firm grasp of the 

 hand, generally necessitating the use of both hands to hold 

 it. Now, to obtain the greatest amount of good and pleas- 

 ure from a rod of this character, proceed as follows : 



Select a genuine Calcutta bamboo-cane, which may be 

 known by its dark, mottled markings, caused by its having 

 been burnt about the leaf-ridges, or knots. Select one that 



