The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-03
The aaehta ny EAGLE aednesdau orng September
POINTS AS TO TACKLE.
ALFRED BALcH WRITES A LETTER
INTERESTING TO FISHERMEN.
It's Nice to Have Just the Tackle You
Want, but il You Haven't n Lot of
Money You Must Begin Modestly and
Gradually Grow to 1t.
special Correspondence

special Correspondence
NEW YORK, Aug. 25-Just as there are
| few men who do not care for fishing or
| shooting, or both, so to those who love the
| former no delight is greater than that Of
overhauling tackle and the hundred and
one things that the ingenuity of the manu-
| facturers has produced, which, indeed, often
| vile away from US dollars which can be
lily spared. There be those who denounce
the expensive outfits and who speak in
terms of high praise of the home made rod
which once was good enough for US, and
I with which we certainly did contrive 10
have great sport. OF these carping cynics,
who would have US believe the tackle of
our boyhood the best of all tackle am
not one. I never made q rod in my life
| which was as good as that which own now,
] and although could-and can, | believe
make my hair line, using tbs three or four
quilts, it would be folly were l to claim the
| result as well worth having as q manu-
featured line. / never made q reel; my line
was fastened to the butt of my fishing pole
and the pole was strong enough to simply
! lift the fish out of the water. But in truth
/ like the present way better, and | think
| there is more fun to be obtained from play
ing the fish, from pitting my skill against
his struggles, than ever there was when
my strength simply overcame his weight
| Modern outfits increase the pleasure of the
| sport, and if they cost more the additional
money may be safely set down to balance
the greater fun.
If a man have $3.50 to 5000 in his pocket
which he can afford to spend on a fishing
outfit then he is to be honestly envied
For him are the most beautiful rods-tri-
umphs of art, with the strength of steel
and that delicacy of play which marks the
waving grain. For him are reels and lines
and leaders, flies which might be claimed
as kindred by their living prototypes, com
Portable creels and scales which rudely de-
/ stroy many pleasant dreams of weights.
He can rig himself up in clothes which
will make him look like fisherman, even
if he catch no fish, clothes that will COM
fort him, and he can wear boots that will
before the day is over make him wish he
had left them behind. And above all he
can luxuriate in his fly book. IL matters
little that hewill not use one fly in ten
the pleasure of looking at them will still
be his. For this sum the shop is open to
him.
But if a man has only s15 to spend he
must take due thought to himself before
he spends it, or, of truth, he will not have
that which he will require. Many of US
cannot afford much more than this, and
our fishing outfits must grow from year to
year 1 am not certain that this is, after ALL
the poorest way of getting them. Before
you buy you think carefully, and when you
buy you know exactly what the thing
bought will do for you. There is the full
pleasure of anticipation, there is the plan
ming and contriving beforehand which is so
delightful And then, too, after the pur-
chase you take far more pleasure in II than
you would otherwise. The reel which you
have looked at once a month for year be-
fore you could afford TO buy it clicks far
more musically when bought than it would
had you never seen it before becoming it's
owner.
The best way for the man who has but
little money to put out is to buy good rod
to begin WITH, say at an expense of $40, and
content himself during the first year with
the best he can afford to get of other things.
The second year he can take in good reel,
and as the seasons come and 20 gradually
supply himself with what he needs. In
this way his outfit will be of the best, al
though it will not be complete for some
years.
But many a man wants to know what
he can do this year without much refer
ence to next, and the answer to the ques-
ton is not an easy one to give. The list OF
things he should have mist be weeded I'M
til only those that are necessary remain
First he must buy a rod and these vary in
price from, q quarter Of dollar TO any
H.a lfvrH 20, nj
versal consent the split bamboo rods are
the best now made; but i should like 70
impress on my reader that good lance
wood rod is much better than poor bam-
boo In the days when split bamboo was
unknown lancewood furnished rods which
were able 10 stand almost any strain and
to do good work under almost any circum-
stances, and although the fashion has now
run TO the bamboo the lsnoewoOd is as
good as ever. Being no longer fashionable
it can be bought for less money, and 8 is
enough to purchase a fairly good one.
Nickle guide rings and ferrules are best be-
cause they will not rust but braSs are Just
as good if you will take the trouble 20 keep
them clean and well oiled. Remember
that q rod must be looked after If you
wish 70 get any service from it. 1t should
oiled carefully Do not be persuaded into
buying one Of these 50 called trunk" rods.
They are made in short pieces TO GO into
trunks, and they generally break. Every
time ferrule is put into rod the rod IL
weakened, for, as there is no spring 70
ferrule, 10 makes "a dead point" The
shorter the pieces the more dead points and
the greater liability 10 breaking strain.
II you give 8 for your rod for the
first year a wooden reel, one OF those or
dinarily called bass reels. should be good
enough. These are cheap. The best may
be bought for %; and they are really
thoroughly well made and answer the pur-
pose admirably OF course in your second
year you may give n 50 60 SO for a null
tiplying reel. which viii give you ten or
fifteen years Of service IL properly cared
for. Assuming. then, that yeu pay tl.Z5
for the reel the next thing to buy Is the
line In this economy Is out Of place. the
best line "a the cheapest. IL you purchass
100 yards-aad less would be insufficient
for trout hshing--o4 braided silk you will
pay about - This leaves q balances Of
q 80 out Of f1S which - little enough
when one thinks Of what has Jet - be
bought II Is far too small 20 allow the
purchase Of a crsel In place Of this make
a good strong bag - ticking or Jan, with
q wide strap Of the same st1H, doubled and
theron Khly sewn. by which you carry 10.
This bag Will carry your hsh for you, and
IL washed sometimes viii Ios b offensive
Leaders must be Of the best. You will
need a. least two singles, each two yards
long, and these will cost thirty cents You