The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-13
SUGGESTIONS
FOR ANGLERS.
Every Fisherman Should Carry
His Own Repair Shop.
How to Mend Broken Rods. Reels, Flies or
L;nes-About Duplicate Outfits and
Tools-Where Rods Snap.

hCcP up iSPulutioho Luz roOu SdSSHCo ohOuiu
see tina. their rods, lines and everything used
are kept in the best OF order. The following,
from the New York Times, will prove of in
terest TO the many who are often at loss to
know what to do when a break occurs:
AS piscatorial science makes progress the
more choice and expensive become the rod,
the reel and the angling outfit. 1t would now
seem as though the limit had been reached,
and that nothing new could be added to the
apparatus; but, on tine contrary, some new
device or knicknack is constantly being Of
fered at the tackle stores to attract the eye
of the angler who has money. Nowadays
the efforts of manufacturers are not turned
so much 10 finding something new as to Sc
curing improvements and finer finish in
the articles of the outfit.
The reel has been wonderfully improved
in the last half century Beginning with
wooden affairs there was soon a change for
BRASS Nickel plated reels and German sill
yer followed. and then hard rubber became
popular. The Quadruple multiplying reel
was great advance, and really it is very
pretty bit of mechanism. The finest reels
have steel pivOts upon which they turn.
1t is just so with the line. HorSe-hair lines
were once considered the best Then came
waterproof oiled silk, the best of which are
saturated all through with waterproof
mixture. The evolution of the rcd from the
hickory Sapling out in the woods to the split
bamboo of six strips was wonderful indeed,
and now no angler of experience is found
without the latter. Finely polished lance
wood rods are used by many for bait-fshing,
and they are found durable, springy and
satisfactory. Bethabara, an African wood
of hardy fiber. has also been found to make
az atf nun ha
cured for n reasonable sum. As improve
mentS were made IN the material OF rods, so
al,o there has been change as regards their
weight
TWENTY YEARS AGO
The man with ten-ounce rod was looked
upon with wonder. Now a five-ounce rod
is considered the proper thing and is found
to be very popular among hshing-tackle
dealers. Indeed, little light split bombOo
rod of four ounces was used by successful
angler of this city recently In killing eighty
black bass.
a breakdown to the rod is one of the
most annoying accidents that can happen to
an angler, and yet 1t is one of frequent oe-
currence. Old experienced anglers will
often slip and fall on shiny rocks and pitch
the rod from them, when it viii invariably
split or snap off. Sometimes in striking a
miserable little lingering the tip will be
broken. Even butts are smashed by being
stepped upon. In the camp, when the rod
Is not unjOinted, but placed up against a
tent or a tree. sudden blast of wind will
often blow it down, and not infrequently
break Is the result
When patience is most severely tried
however, is when a breakdown occurs on
the stream. 1t is, of course. impossible to
carry around an extra tip on the river or in
wading the stream. aud unless the fisherman
is something of a tinker az such times his
fishing Tor the day will be spoiled. 1t does
not take much of a repairing Outnt to fix up
a rod for use, even though the break APP
pears at first to be serious, and, of course, at
the camp or in his hotel, the fisherman may
have a regular kit of tools for making re-
pairs. Nowadays tools are made so small
and they are SO neatly packed in boxes that
they do not take up much room. They can
easily be carried in the pockets of coat or
in tie trout basket. In starting ont for
days fishing the angler should see that lis
REPAIRING TOOLS
Are in good order. A good sharp blnded
lotket-knife is the basis Of the kit; little
pair of iat-nOsed cutting pliers, a small fiat
file, a spool of silk twist, piece of shoe
makers wax, a pill-bux containing few
rings or guides and one or two Iod tips,
piece of sandpapsr, and a little bottle of
Varnish or cement complete the list of eS-
SentialS.
One of these patent little tool-holders will
often come handy and take up little room in
the wading trousers pocket.
OD lHt SlTSdH only repairs
such as will fit the rod for use throughout
the day are made. AT night, after supper,
however, the rod is oyerhauled and made as
good as new. So that the usual work 10 be
accomplished when the angler breaks his
rod is splicing, or fitting on the ferrule when
the joint has bToken short off When joint
or tip is broken over three inches from the
ferrule it simply becomes matter of splic-
ing The rod is unjointed and the sharp
knife whipped out in moment The two
broken ends are whitfield down so that they
will splice in an even manner, and the fiat
file finishes the splice. A bit of ferrule
cement or glue or varnlsh, if the angler has
it, is put on the fiat side of the spices and
they are Tapped together. They are then
wound carefully and tightly with the waXed
silk.
The wrapping should begin at least an
inch beyond the points of contact of the
spices and continue over the whole splice.
dab OF varnish is then run over the silk
and the splicing is done. Then, the rod
again joinLed. the angler goes on fishing
merrily. About ten minutes has been spent
in the operation.
If the point of the tip breaks off all the
repairing necessary Is to file down the end
of the tip SO that ring can be placed on
it. a drop Of yarniSh viii hold it securely
enough.
more frequent accident is TO have the
joint snap off at the fufrule. Many rods are
especially weak at this point, though now
adays they are building them with more
care as to the ferrules. OF course, the first
obstacle that presents itself is TO remove the
wood from inside the ferrule. If the ierrule
is fastened with pin it will be found au
easy matter to pull out the pin with the
pliers. If the pin has no head it can be
driven in the wood, out of the way. By
starting little fire of few sticks enough
heat can be obtained to expand the metal,
and with smaller stick the wood in the
ferrule can be pushed out and everything
made clear. As long as care is taken no
harm can come from heating the ferrules.
In remounting the ferrule the joint is
simply rounded down by means of the file
and sandDapered till it will just fit the fer
rule. When it is all ready the cement is PVT
on If it is handy; if not the wood is moist
ened so as to swell, end 1t Will be secure
enough for the days fishing A new pin
can also be put in the place of the old one.
SPLIT BAMBOO RODS
Are the hardest to mend, and it is a good
thing that they break SO seldom. Care
should be taken to lose as little enamel as
possible from the wood, as the strength of
the bamboo lies in the enamel. The file,
however, will always conquer, and bamboo
tip or joint can be menjed in strong man
ner, provided the mender exercises patience
and does not hurry in his work
Once in white the reel will break down
on the stream. 1t is then a more serious
matter, as reel-mendng belongs rather to
the repair shop than to the fisherman.
Often, however, the tightening of screws
will make it all right, and that is easily
done by a small screwdriver or the back of a
knife blade. If the reel breaks down be-
yond repair or beyond the ingenuity of the
angler there is only one thing to be done.
aud that is to take off the line. A quantity
of the line should be tied around the butt
and the rod may be used as before. 1t is
much safer to tie the line at the butt than
at the ring at the end of the butt
Accidents to the rod and reel are the only
ones that need embarrass the angler while
on the stream. LIZ a 1y-caster, he should al
ways have a good supply of leaders and
flies in his fly-b book. II bait-fisherman he
will always have at least dozen hooks
with him. If, however. the fish have been
fierce and and have played havoce with his
tackle, it is easy enough work to tie on new
hooks to smell. The waxed silk is all that
necessary. A few rounds of the waxed silk
are made on the shank OF the hook, then the
SMELL is laid on and bound down by careful
wrapping The gut or smell should be
soaked in water for moment before it is
tied on.