24 SCIENCE OF FISHING. 



For fresh water fishing there are two distinct types of 

 rod, namely, the bait rod and the fly rod. Their difference 

 is in length and weight and the position of the reel seat. 

 Bait rods are shorter, stiffer, and heavier than fly rods, and 

 have the reel seat above the handle where the spool of the 

 reel can be controlled in casting, for bait-casting is done 

 from the reel, that is, the weight of the bait or its momentum, 

 draws the line from the reel. The fly rod has the reel seat 

 below the hand grasp, for in fly-casting the line is not cast 

 from the reel but is drawn off and controlled by hand. With 

 the reel below the hand the rod balances nicer and is less 

 tiring. 



Bait and fly rods usually consist of three sections. The 

 first is called the butt section, the next the second joint, and 

 the smallest piece is usually called the tip, but as there is a 

 line guide on the end of this piece called a tip also this is 

 likely to cause confusion. The English people call the small- 

 est section the "top." 



These sections are fitted with ferrules so that they may be 

 fastened together. These are of two pieces known respec- 

 tively as the male and female ferrules. The male ferrule is 

 the smaller and fits into the other. The end of the male 

 ferrule is solid so that water cannot reach the wood, and 

 the female ferrule, at the bottom, has a metal floor for the 

 same purpose. Some rods have tapered dowels in the ferrules 

 but this is not generally considered a good idea and is going 

 out of use. The ferrules are made of brass, usually nickel 

 plated, or of German silver. The English give the ferrules 

 a dark color by oxidizing, which is a good idea. In a well 

 made rod the ferrules should fit over the wood which should 

 not be cut down for the purpose, and they should be cemented 

 to the wood but not pinned, as they are sometimes. The base 

 of the ferrule is wound with silk thread and the most im- 

 proved styles are split at the base (split ferrules) or cut 

 into long points (serrated ferrules), and the wrapping is put 



