24 
A HANDY GUIDE TO 
If you have a pliable and springy rod, extremely 
little will be necessary. 
For this easy, springy pliability, so essential to 
comfortable dry-fly fishing, I myself infinitely prefer 
a spliced rod to a ferruled one. 
The hard, inflexible metal, unless very thin, must 
more or less act as a break or check on the unifor- 
mity of the spring. Ferruled rods, no doubt, are 
pleasant luxuries to laziness, but in my opinion they 
have no other virtue. But cha'cun a son gout. 1 
On the subject of dry-fly tackle, 'I must also add 
that in this mode of fishing, the quality of the fly is 
as important as that of the driver. 
The flies of some makers, owing to faulty con- 
struction in regard to the size and pose of the wings, 
the weight of the hook, and the deficiency of the 
hackle — can hardly be made to float at all, even by 
an expert. 
By and by you must study Mr. Halford’s book on 
“ Floating Flies, and Howto Dress Them.” Mean- 
while take this hint : Buy your flies at the best 
makers. Economy in respect to tackle is really the 
folly of a spendthrift. “Cheap and nasty ” applies 
to nothing more truly than to cheap flies. 
The flies of most tackle-shops are too large. 
The Fishing Gazette will sufficiently indicate where 
the best may be procured. It is a pity they are so 
dear — at least, I have said so when I have got 
“ hung up ” many times. 
1 It is but just to add that our best makers turn out such 
scientifically-adjusted ferruled rods that they can hardly be 
surpassed by spliced ones. 
