132 Book of the Black Bass. 



The first radical departure in tlie manufacture of fishing 

 rods was the introduction of the " Henshall rod " for black 

 bass bait-fishing, more than a quarter of a. century ago. 

 After its superiority to old style long and heavy rods was 

 demonstrated, it became an easy matter to apply the same 

 principles to all other rods. 



Perhaps it would be too egotistic to say that this short- 

 , ening and lightening of ro^s in general was induced, alto- 

 gether, by the introduction of the Henshall black bass rod, 

 but I am assured by some of the most candid rod manu- 

 facturers, and by many anglers, that this result is in a 

 great measure to be attributed directly to the superior 

 excellence of this short, light, and elegant rod, and to the 

 fact that it subserves all the purposes, and promotes the 

 pleasures of black bass angling in a much greater degree 

 than the old-fashioned long and heavy rods. I am very 

 much gratified to think that this may be the case. 



One of the largest manufacturers of fishing rods in the 

 world has this to say : 



" More than twenty years ago Dr. James A. Henshall, an au- 

 thority on black bass, and at present an attache of the United 

 States Department of Fisheries, declared that the black bass would 

 eventually become the leading game fish of America; also that the 

 invention of the necessary tackle would place such fishing in the 

 very forefront of angling eflFort. At that time the statement im- 

 pressed most sportsmen as a very rash prediction; for no indica- 

 tions of such an outcome were visible to them. Thus, as so 

 frequently happens, the prophecy was looked upon as the mere 

 fancy of an enthusiast. 



But time, that demonstrator of all propositions, evidently en- 

 listed on the side of Dr. Henshall, so that to-day we marvel at 

 the accuracy of the forecast. At that time, tackle designed es- 

 pecially for black bass was scarcely known, whereas to-day it 

 forms a large portion of the entire amount made in this country. 

 Naturally the one who foresaw the tide of events, and who was 



