414: MANUAL FOB YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



with live bait, secondly, with dead bait, in a way called 

 " snap-fishing ; " and thirdly, Avith the gorge-hook, on prin- 

 ciples similar to those already described. The first and 

 last of these modes require a long and tolerably stiff rod, 

 while snap-fishing must be practised with the top-joints of 

 the rod reduced in length, and of greater stiffness. This 

 will serve to make the following account more intelligible. 

 The angler who is very exigeant in his desires for the 

 most perfect implements of his craft, will perhaps require 

 two separate rods of varying sizes for each purpose, so as 

 to suit broad and narrow rivers, as well as large and small 

 fish ; but the more easily satisfied fisherman will make one 

 rod of the following dimensions serve every purpose. A 

 bamboo rod is the lightest, and is yet strong and stiff 

 enough for any practised fisherman ; it will not, however, 

 bear very rough usage, and for very large pickerel the butt 

 and second joint should be of some light yet tough wood, 

 such as holly, which may be bored for the sake of dimin- 

 ishing its weight, and also to accommodate within its cavity, 

 as in a place of security, the small top joints. Of these 

 it should have three one short and stiff, and two others 

 similar to one another, longer and more elastic than the 

 first. The short one is made entirely of whalebone, and 

 is not more than 12 or 18 inches long; the longer tops are 

 made two thirds of hickory or lancewood, and the remain- 

 der of whalebone. These rods are generally made in five 

 joints of nearly equal length ; the first, second, and last 

 as above described, and the intermediate two joints of 

 bamboo. They are united by the ordinary brass ferules 

 in the usual way, but sometimes other methods are prac- 



