The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-05-24

1t can also be thlnned down in the same
way, aud more uniformly, by. the rollers at
the plumbers or at tin shop. Having
thinned it, cut it into pieces shaped like a
tapering cylinder, sharp at both ends, and
wind it spirally below and above the knot
where the smell and line join. This simple
sinker, of which one can shear enough in
half an hour to last whole season, is not so
apt to catch cat in stones a, and snags as is the
broken Oft so as to lessen its weight Ii
more weight is needed, an added piece can
be wound on. Finally, it fits the line CLOSELY
plan to prepare several of the smells, lead,
and bit of loose line all rugged together, coil
ed up and put in separate pieces of paper.
If, while fishing, hook or smell is lost or in
jured, cut the line above, the lead and tie on
a new rig, saving the old one to be repaired
at home. This little device saves ever so
much time and vexation when one is fishing
And now a few words regarding rods for
the boys who have brains and but little money.
TO get the simplest rod of all, combined
with homemade reel. ask some hood
farmer who owns oxen where he cuts his
whipstocks. He will tell you the best kind
of wood and where to get it. For not more
than twenty-five or thirty cents you can buy
a large brass tip and four or five ringless gut
tiers; or, IL you have time, they can be fled
from bits Of brass and bored with an awl.
Bind the cutters on with waxed silk or linen
thread. Next whittle out from hickory or
h0rnbeam large spool that can be fasten ed
sideways on the rods butt by long screw
By spending fifteen or twenty cents you can
get a better rod of bamboo, and fit it up in
the same fashion.
To make cheap joint rod, the shaping
and fitting Of which will fill up number Of
winter days. choose for the butt a white
piece, of seasoned ash, say four and a half
feet long. Be sure 1t has fine and firm
grain, as coarse-glained ash is little better
than chestnut, The second joint should be
Of about the same length. and the third.
which is the Tip" Joint, not more
final Joints should be made of the
white part or good-sized hickory grown in
rocky soil apart from other trees, where it is
exposed to the wind 1t should be soaked in
water several weeks before 1t is dried and
seasoned. 1t should season" not less than
year in some indoor place that is always
dry, and should be so weighted as to dry g
straight" The stralghtest and best piece Of
hickory should be chosen for the tip joint.
The second and tip joints should be sawed
out so as. to be of two or three times their
completed size, and work down carefully
with a draw-knife, file, scraper, and sand
paper. Next rub the joints with a fine pow
der like plaster Of Paris. After leaving a
very thin layer Of the powder on the joints,
yarnish or shellac Them. All the brass fit
tings for these three jOints-ferules, reel
rings, cutters, and tip you ought to be
able to get from some rodmaker at price
not exceeding seventy-fve cents, including
postage stamps; and they ought to last life
time. In fitting on the ferules, do not cut
away the ends Of the joints so as to leave q
shoulder. which makes prettler. but much
weaker rod; and do not bother to cut out a
projecting piece below the lower ferule. as
1t is of very doubtful utility If this rod
breaks, and is mended by splicing, the splice
should be not less than eight times the diam
eter Of the rod at the point of fracture.
And now for a closing hint. Nothing is
more timely and useful for a fisherboy oil
fisherman than coil of few yards of pref
ty fine copper wire. 1t will mend temporar,
lily and very quickly almost anything that
J gives way-basket-strap Of bait-box, brok
en- rod, or any kind of break. Boys constant
ly use scoop" nets for catching bait. In
making these nets they should always sew
the net to the hoop with pieces of copper
wire about two feet long and about the size
of common bell wire. 1t does not wear out
against rocks or snags as. does cord, and
when the net tears, as it is ever doing, the
loop can be caught up and secured by thu
| wire in moment. The hint is simple one
| Try it, and see how much time and bother i
|