76 SALMON AND TROUT. 



to make the split-cane rods with a steel centre to each joint, so 

 as to increase their ' stiff springiness,' so to speak. The little 

 dark mark in the middle of fig. 4 exhibits this steel centre or 

 core. The spring is first tapered and then tempered in the 

 same manner that the main spring of a watch 

 would be. After this it is coated with a water- 

 proof and finally built up into the centre of 

 the rod. 



I have a light salmon rod made for me on 

 FIG. 4. ^^^^ principle by Messrs. Hardy with which I 



find I can get plenty of power, whether the 

 wind is high or low, and from whatever direction it blows. 

 In the case of a strong head wand especially, I am disposed 

 to think I can make better casting with this rod than with 

 any I ever used, and it is withal a very handy and fairly light 

 weapon, but quite stiff enough for any ordinary fishing. Its 

 length is fourteen feet. I find that on a calm day I can cast, 

 with heavy salmon line, over thirty measured yards on the level 

 grass, and this, in my opinion, represents as much as is often 

 wanted to be done in practice ; in fact, most casts with the 

 salmon fly will, if measured, be found, I am satisfied, nearer 

 twenty than thirty yards. ^ Of course, I am aware that there are 

 some rivers and, perhaps, some casts here and there on most 

 salmon rivers, in which a longer rod would enable the fisherman 

 to reach some favourable point otherwise inaccessible, but when 

 this cannot be done by wading I am content to put up with the 

 loss of an occasional good cast in exchange for the constant 

 comfort and convenience which I find in a rod of the propor- 

 tions indicated. 



It is all very well to talk lightly of casting forty yards, and 

 so forth, with a twenty-foot Castle Connell, but the man who 

 wishes to do it, and to go on doing it all day, must be of 

 stronger mould or greater height than the ordinary run of 

 mortals. In my opinion a twenty-foot rod requires a seven- 



' I fully agree. An ordinary fly fisher seldom casts more than twenty yards 

 j>roperly. —Ed. 



