APPENDIX

ON

RODS, LINES, HOOKS, AND OTHER TACKLE,

ACCORDING TO THE LATEST AUTHORITIES.

BY H. G. B.

RODS.

THE GENERAL ROD, which is usually from 14 to 18 feet in length with four, five, or six joints, and made of hickory, is a very con venient one for the young practitioner, or for use in places where it is uncertain what fish may present themselves. It is so extensive in its capabilities, that nothing comes amiss to it; and, if it does nothing in the best manner, it will at least act very respectably in most kinds of fishing, except that of throwing the fly, which, notwithstanding its fly-top, it executes very indifferently. In this rod the various tops three, four, or five, are contained in a hollow within the butt or stock, which is closed by a cap, made to receive a spike. The butt has also winch fittings, and the various joints, or pieces, are furnished with rings throughout. In fact, the tyro cannot do better than provide himself with one of these factotum articles, which are made very portable; and it is equally desirable to the traveller who has not an opportunity of carrying more than one rod with him. The Londoners generally use one 18 feet long, made of South Carolina cane. Ephemera says that with a good general rod, having several tops, so that you may shorten or lengthen it as occasion requires, you may successfully angle for any species of river fish; roach perhaps excepted, which require a specific rod. As the aspirant advances, he will find the advantage of providing himself with distinct rods for different kinds of fishing, it being impossible to adapt one rod satisfactorily to all sorts of work.

THE BAG ROD, properly so called, is little more than a light general bottom rod, from 16 to 20, but usually about 19 feet, consisting of six or seven pieces, including spare tops, packed in three cases, and made either of bamboo or cane, the latter being preferable for roach and light fishing, the former where more strength is required. It generally has a strong top that fits into the fifth or sixth joint and forms a trolling rod; and sometimes a whalebone top, about ten inches long, to fit in the small joint (instead of the roach top), for perchfishing and spinning a minnow.

Y

POCKET ROD. This is similar to the bag-rod, but made shorter, in from nine to twelve joints of 18 inches each-compact enough to be carried in an inside coat-pocket, or to pack in a portmanteau. It is well fitted for any fine fishing, as for roach, dace, gudgeons, bleak, &c.

THE WALKING-STICK ROD (a yard long), for bottom fishing, consists of three or four, but sometimes six joints, received within each other, extending in all to 9, 12, 15, or even 18 feet, varying in price from 2s. 6d. to 21. 28. As might be expected, it is not a very efficient article; it, however, promises little, and seldom does a great deal. Walking-stick rods are also made for fly-fishing, and are then more expensive, usually from 17. 18. to 21. 28.

To the professed angler distinct rods are necessary for each kind of fishing, and these we shall now proceed to describe.

THE LIGHT BOTTOM ROD (for bank-fishing), for roach, dace, gudgeon, smelt, and other fine fishing, varies in length according to the extent and nature of the fishing-ground, and ranges from 12 to 16 feet, but with professed roach anglers often extends to 18, 20, and even 21 feet or more. It can be neither too light nor too stiff, that is, must taper stiffly, not be top-heavy, and have just elasticity enough to strike a fish quickly, without the delay which too much play in the top pieces would cause. It is often made either of bamboo or Spanish WHITE CANE (the latter, though rather more expensive at first, being preferable), with a bamboo top. To compensate for its want of strength, it is sometimes ringed throughout, and furnished with a reel and running line; by which means, if a heavy fish should take the bait, the rod will not suffer. A small reel is no encumbrance to a rod; it adds but little to its weight; and when placed on the upper surface of the butt, a very light rod will kill a very heavy fish.

A STRONG ROD for pearch, chub, bream, carp, tench, and eels, and also for minnow-spinning, may be from 12 to 16 and even 18 feet long. Such a rod should be altogether stouter and stiffer than the last, and may be either of hickory or cane; if of cane, the upper joints should be of the very best bamboo. Besides the running line and winch, it should be also furnished with a spike to screw into the butt; indeed, a buttspike may be considered a necessary appendage to every variety of rod beyond the very lightest, and it may even prove useful with that.

THE BARBEL ROD, which may also be used for pike-fishing with live bait, or angling with ledger bait, should be stiff. It is generally made of hickory, and its length 11 to 15 feet, proportioned to the extent of the water fished in; but 12 feet seems to be the favourite length. If it be weak, particularly in the middle joints, a heavy fish will surely distress, and perhaps break it; it should be strong in the top also, and ringed throughout, and should never be used without running tackle.

THE PUNT ROD does not require to be so long as the bank rod, and is usually only 10 or 11, and sometimes 12 feet long, made of hickory, East India cane, or bamboo. Some are made of white cane, with silver mountings, for ladies. They should be strong, and stiff enough to strike from the point, being used principally in the Thames, and adapted for roach and barbel fishing with a float.

THE TROLLING ROD.-There is no kind of rod with which a good

troller will not kill pike. It varies from 10 to 16 feet in length, made of hickory and East India cane. (Ephemera says it should not be longer than 11 feet, Hofland not less than 12.) A strong top in the hands of a good troller may be adjusted to any rod for this purpose, and there is usually such a one to the general rod. A professed trolling rod, of whatever length, should be stiff and straight as an arrow, and so formed as to permit the line to run freely without chance of interruption; its rings should therefore be sufficiently large to allow slight obstacles on the line to pass, and not too numerous; and they must be fixed and motionless, of the improved make, and placed very exactly to secure the easy passage of the line, and to avoid all chance of entangling it.

THE FLY ROD is commonly considered under two varieties, the Salmon rod and the Trout rod; for although the salmon rod might kill a trout, a salmon of ten or twelve pounds would be apt to carry away the whole material of the trout rod. Fly rods are best in four, though sometimes extending to five, and occasionally to six joints, made of hickory, excepting the top joint which should be of solid bamboo, and the butt which should be of ash. The material cannot be too well seasoned. Lance-wood is by some preferred to hickory, but it is heavier and less elastic. Some recommend that the top joint should terminate with about six inches (not more) of whalebone; but if the top be made of fine-grained bamboo, the rod is not so likely to be topheavy. Rennie recommends lance-wood for the top joint in preference to whalebone, but real bamboo of good quality is preferable to either. Others recommend bamboo for the top joint, and lance-wood for the next. Mr. Chitty strongly advocates spliced tops and whalebone tips. In fact, there is such a variety of opinion in respect to the tops of a fly-rod, that we must beg to leave the reader where we found him. The rings should not be too small, and gradually diminish from the butt to the top. Every rod used in fly-fishing should taper regularly from the bottom to the top, except for about 18 to 24 inches of the lower portion or butt-joint, which, in trout rods that are tolerably fine, may be slightly enlarged to give firmness to the grasp. On the regularity of its taper will depend that uniformity of bend, or play, which is required to produce a certain mechanical action on the line, by which the thrower is enabled to deliver it to its fullest extent with precision and lightness. A good fly rod should never be, as some recommend, pliable quite down to the hand, neither should it be overstiff. Its pliability should be barely perceptible till about the middle : but the hand will soon acquire the practice of determining, by waving the rod, what is right. There should be a moveable spike to screw into the ferrule at the base of the butt-end, to fasten in the ground when occasion requires.

The Trout Fly rod should have a fine top, and be more pliant than that used for the salmon, and consist of either three or four joints. When it does not exceed the usual average of 13 feet (a favourite length is 12 feet), and is made moderately light, it can be used with either hand, and will enable the angler to direct the fly to any spot with precision. Bainbridge thinks 12 feet a proper length for use in small

rivers and brooks, and 14 feet the extreme length for the generality of streams. Shipley thinks 13 feet 6 inches should in any case be the utmost length; and Pulman prefers 11 feet as the only size which can be conveniently used in windy weather. Col. Hawker gives the following description of what should constitute a trout rod:•- About 12 feet 3 inches long, and about 14 oz. in weight. It must not be top-heavy, nor have too much play in the lower part; but the play should be just in proportion to the gradual tapering, by which there will be very little spring till after about the third foot of its length. A rod too pliable below is as bad as being too stiff, and from being too small at that part, is of course more liable to be top-heavy, which nine rods in ten are: the consequence is, they tire the hand, and do not drop the fly so neatly." Theophilus South (Ed. Chitty) used a trout rod 14 feet 3 inches, weighing 1 lb. 2 oz., generally throwing from 20 to 30 yards of line, from five in the morning till nine at night, without experiencing fatigue. The Salmon Fly Rod usually ranges between 16 and 18 feet in its length; but some few prefer 20, although unpleasantly heavy and unmanageable, excepting by very tall and strong men. The intermediate length of 17 feet is a favourite size, and suits either grilse, sea-trout, or salmon-fishing. It should be made of the very best materials, well seasoned, and of not more than four joints. "Ours," says Chitty, "is ash for the butt, hickory for the next two joints, and lance-wood and whalebone spliced for the top; but many prefer a bamboo top." It need have no spike, but the extreme end of its butt should be rounded, as in working the fly through the water it is constantly necessary to press the butt-end of the rod against the lower part of the abdomen. Burnt or mottled East India cane is coming into repute for salmon as well as for trolling rods, and is praised by several writers. THE DOUBLE-HANDED ROD is of considerable length and strength, and requires both hands to use it. Such a rod can kill very heavy fish and command a great length and strength of line, which in very wide rivers is certainly a great advantage. It can seldom, however, be used with such precision in throwing the fly as the single-handed rod.

FLY RODS are also made as Spliced rods and Split cane rods.

SPLICED RODS are commonly made in two or three lengths, which fit together with great nicety, and are secured at each extremity of the splice with a broad flat ring, and then well bound round with strong silk line well waxed, or with waxed cord. Such rods are generally kept in fishing-houses and halls where they can be conveniently stowed away without taking to pieces. The advantage of them seems to be admitted by common consent: they are lighter by the weight of the brass ferrules; there is not that stiffness about them which ferrules inevitably cause, and they are stronger in the joints. They may be of any length, and, on account of their lightness, are often 20 feet, though 15 is generally preferred. The splices must be quite plain, without the least notch or groove, and the longer the splice the less liable to shift, but the shorter the stronger. In medio tutissimus ibis. Bainbridge says, "Spliced rods, made of two pieces only, certainly throw a fly in a neater manner than those encumbered with ferrules can possibly do, as the spring from the hand is uninterrupted, consequently more regular; and they are