86 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 



Among anglers there are many varied opinions, 

 or, more properly speaking, prefei'ences as to what 

 particular tackle is best. Under such conditions it 

 is better to refer to the various kinds, all of which 

 are good, and to give individual reasons why any 

 particular one is preferred. There is one thing that 

 all fishermen will agree iipon, and that is that the 

 beginner should start in with good but inexpensive 

 rods. It is much better and easier to replace a low- 

 priced rod, broken through inexperience, than an 

 expensive one that only an experienced hand should 

 use. On the other hand, inexperience requires just 

 as fine qualities of lines, leaders, hooks, and reels as 

 does experience. When a rod is broken a fish does 

 not necessarily get away, but ^vhen a line or hook 

 breaks, it does. With tackle, as with all other 

 things, the best is the cheapest in the end, excejDt 

 in the case of delicate, expensive rods, A\'hich sliould 

 only be used when practice has made perfect. 



Naturally the subject of rods is of the gi-eatest 

 importance, and therefore should be mentioned first. 

 The sizes, weights, and varieties are innumerable, 

 and, in reality, wortliy of a chapter to themselves. 

 In sdine respects, especially in salmon and heavv 

 trout rods, the English makers excel Americans, 

 but for light- or medium-weight delicate creations, 

 they can not e\cu approach us. The woods best 



