fish: their habits and haunts. 31 



rod and a trout -rod for fly-fishing, unless one 

 fishes very wide streams or lakes in open 

 boats ; in such cases a fourteen or sixteen- 

 foot double-handed rod is the best. A sin- 

 gle-handed rod ought to be from twelve to 

 fifteen feet in length, and it should be as 

 elastic as possible. The most beautiful rods 

 are those made of ash and lancewood ; but 

 a good lengthy rod, where it is not too 

 heavy for the single hand, gives the angler 

 a greater command over the water, and en- 

 ables him not only to throw his flies more 

 lightly, but often to reach distant spots, 

 where fine fish are lying, without over reach- 

 ing himself or having recourse to wading. 



That which is commonly called " a general 

 rod" will be found most useful to the trav- 

 eller who has not an opportunity of carrying 

 more than one with him at a time, it being 

 so contrived that it may be used either for 

 fly-fishing, trolling, or bottom-fishing, as the 

 butt of the rod is bored, and contains several 



