Fishing Eods. 145 



plans, and the six-section, outside enamel, hexagonal or 

 round, is the only common-sense, practical plan. 



A first-class split-bamboo rod is strong enough for all 

 the emergencies of bait- or fly-fishing if properly handled, 

 but in England a steel wire center is added by one maker, 

 and spiral wire ribbing by another, though the latter is for 

 whole cane rods. In this country, natural bamboo rods 

 have been closely wound with linen thread to add stiffness 

 and strength. The best plan to meet these requirements 

 is that patented by Mr. J. M. Kenyon, of Toledo, Ohio, 

 and consists in closely winding with very fine silk from butt 

 to tip, and using several coats of transparent varnish. The 

 rod when finished is a beautiful object, requiring the aid of 

 a magnifying glass to see the silk wrapping. It is called 

 the " silkien " rod, and is also made by the T. H. Chubb 

 Eod Co., Post Mills, Vt. The first rod made on this prin- 

 ciple that I ever saw was alluded to in the first edition of 

 this book. It was spirally wrapped with fine strips of 

 rattan. In appearance it was a beauty, but in practice a 

 complete failure. 



Black Bass Bait Eods. 



The black bass and its mode of capture, prior to 1870, 

 was altogether too much neglected, if not entirely ignored, 

 by most writers of that period upon the gentle artj either 

 from a lack of interest, or a want of proper information 

 upon the subject. Some works that were held in the 

 highest esteem contained the least information upon black 

 bass angling, and even that little was unreliable and un- 

 satisfactory. As a rule, our old angling authors damned 

 the black bass with faint praise, and gave but the most 

 primitive methods for its capture. 

 10 



