414 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 
with live bait, secondly, with dead bait, in a way called 
“ snap-fishing ; ” and thirdly, with 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 thie 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- 
