202 SCIENCE OF FISHING. 



wood is preferred by the majority of those who use solid 

 wood rods. Bethabara is better than either in the opinion 

 of most of those who have given the subject study, but rods 

 of this material are more costly than those of lancewood or 

 greenheart, therefore comparatively few bethabara rods are 

 sold, but when buying wood from which to make a rod, 

 the difference in cost is so little that there is no good 

 excuse for taking anything inferior. 



While I don't know what particular style of rod you are 

 interested in, I take it that the majority would prefer to 

 make a bait rod for the first, as it is more generally useful 

 than any other kind, therefore I have drawn a diagram show- 

 ing the measurements for a three piece bait rod which when 

 jointed will measure about eight feet two inches. The dimen- 

 sions of this rod make it very nice for all-around use. This 

 diagram shows the three pieces in correct diameter, but very 

 much shortened. To know how much it is shortened it is 

 enough to state that the wood for the butt joint (A) is thirty- 

 two inches long and an allowance of one and a half inches 

 for ferrule (the wood only goes to the middle of the female 

 ferrule), will make this section measure 33 inches over all. 

 The second joint (B) measures 3>2f inches, and when ferrules 

 are fitted will measure the same over all as the butt piece. 

 It will be understood that the smaller caliber ferrules are also 

 shorter, hence the difference in length of wood. The tip 

 joint (C) measures 33 inches, which allows of one-half inch 

 for the agate tip, but when finished each piece is the same 

 length as the others. 



On the butt joint I have shown the diameter in fractions 

 of an inch, and the spaces between measurements are four 

 inches each. This makes the stick sixteen inches from the 

 small end to the place where the swell of the handle begins. 

 A-l shows the handle proper, 7 inches long by 1 inch thick 

 at its greatest diameter. Below this is a section lxf inch 

 for a butt cap. A-2 is the space allotted for the reel bed. 



