RODS. 31 



tation. A joint in a rod either weakens it there or makes 

 a stiff and inactive place, but when it comes to choice of 

 the two evils the sensible person always chooses the lesser, 

 and in this case it is the joints. A rod that is made in 

 two pieces has a joint at the part where the greatest strain 

 comes, providing that the joint is in the middle of the rod, 

 but the best two-piece rods have the joint below the middle 

 so that the tip section is considerably longer than the butt 

 section and these are almost equal to a one-piece rod in action. 

 Perhaps the most convenient of all is the three-piece rod, 

 and all things considered, it is to be preferred by the aver- 

 age fisherman. 



A bait-casting rod may have any kind of handle desired 

 and of any material, but solid cork is probably best as it is 

 soft and light, gives a good grip without tiring the hand, 

 and is durable. Beware of the cork handle that has a sheet 

 of cork veneered on the outside of a wood core ; it will loosen 

 and come off in time. Such a grip may be improved by wind- 

 ing it closely with hard twine or fishing line. The shape of 

 the handle may be as you like, and the rod may have a single 

 or double grasp, whichever you prefer. 



On a bait-casting rod the reel seat is above the grasp, or 

 between them if it has a double grasp. It is well if the reel 

 band has some method of locking in place so that it cannot 

 slip, for in bait-casting the regular reel band of the live bait 

 or fly rod is likely to slip, because of the different way ot 

 casting. Some makers attach a finger hook to the reel band 

 but this, while used universally a few years ago, is now going 

 out of use. 



The line guides and tip should be of agate, anyway of 

 very hard metal, and of fair size so that there is no ten- 

 dency to bind, but it is doubtful whether the very large guides 

 and tips are the best, as they offer more chance for the line 

 to become entangled in them. They should stand up away 

 irom the rod so that the wet line will not cling to it. 



