The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-18
FISHR0D EVOLUTION.
FROM THE HICKORY sAPLING TO
THE POLISHED BAMBOO.

How the Disciples of Izaak Walton Have
Improved Upon his MethOds-oId Time
DimcuIties-Now Close to the Limit of
Lightness.
If Izaak Walton, who is pretty generally
regarded as the father Of artistic angling is
accustomed to wander in the spirit over the
trout streams, what an itching must possess
him to seize a modern rod from the hands Of
a modern fisherman and have castl Izsak
was accustomed to use worms and bugs and
other shiny and creepy things for bait, but
be used them with such success that he has
been rightly rendered the honor Of having
been the founder of the line Of aesthetic disci-
pies whose skill and proves have continued
to increase.
The primitive rod in this country was the
sapling cut in the woods. Hickory was
chosen by the settlers TO do their fishing with
on account Of its pliability and strength.
Boys brought up in the forest use hickory
vet. while the indians before them knew Of
its worth.
THE BOY AND THE EXPERT.
How often the angler visiting fine, broad
trout stream among the hills has been sur
prised to meet an urchin, with his trousers
rolled up as high as they could go, lazily wad-
ing down the stream, swing a light hickory
wand over his head as be cast his hook
well baited with two or three fat angle
wormsi Perhaps it's an Off day for fly fish
ing, and all the combinations of color and
soft sillen hackles or feathers will not tempt
the spotted beauties in the pools. Then how
meager, how insignificant the well equipped
angler, with his forty dollar split bamboo,
his handsome wading stockings, his oiled silk
line, and his fine plated trout creel, feels as
the youth with grin lifts out q pound fish
from the bubbling foam, and ''rubs it in SO
TO speak, by offering to sell it for half dol
larl With bait, the chances are that the
country boy would beat the artistic angler
every time
But sometimes the tables are changed and
the expert caster will take the pound trout
on his dainty artificial fly by casting right
over the bait fishers line These hickory
sapling anglers are not to be laughed at
Birch sticks have also served many a fisher
man caught in a fine trouting locality with
out his rod.
From these crude beginnings the handsome
tackle Of the present angler was gradually
evolved. The first Improvement on the old
bent bone or prOnged hook was the pin,
which was bent up in the middle. Without
any barb on the hook, of course the fish had
every chance to work off; but some big stories
Of angling with pin hooks are banded down
from the early fishing times in this country.
Five pound pike are claimed to have been
secured in Lake Ontario by so simple a de-
vice. Horse hair lines succeeded the bark
fbers and vines. The hairs were twisted
neatly and proved strong 1t is not so long
ago that horse hair lines could be bought
Mares tail hair was said to be the luckiest-
why has never been satisfactorily explained
by the experts
A reel was not used by salmon fishers Of
the olden days, because they had not studied
out the device. Imagine hooking big sal
mon with no reel and with the line tied to
the butt. There was only one thing to be
done when the fish made up his mind to travel
down stream; that was TO throw the rod or
pole into the river and follow on.
Some one found out that it was a good plan
to carry the line wound on a spool, or winch,
as it was called. This was attached to belt
around the waist. BY this arrangement a
salmon could be played in pretty much the
same manner that kite is played by boy.
THE SPLIT BAMBOO.
As the art of angling grew a search was
made for new woods, and lance wood was
soon hit upon as en- excellent substitute for
the old tips, which were of whalebone fast
ened to the hickory main joint of the rod.
Then pretty much all the rod was made of
lance wood. Then greenheart was found to
be an improvement upon the lance wood, and
many fine rods have been made Of it. Now
noib wood is the rage next TO the split bamboo.
Noib is an African wood, very tough and Of
finer grain than the greenheart. So far, it
has given general satisfaction when used.
Split bamboo for tips and joints has never
been improved upon. It is light, springy and
strong, and is capable of good deal of wear
and tear.
The split bamboo rods now turned out are
marvels Of workmanship Made by machin-
cry, their price has come down SO as to be
within the means Of almost every fisherman,
and if properly taken care of they will last
for several years Those made by hand are,
of course, more expensive and more careful
~ put together.
For trout fishing, as neat a fly rod as could
be desired is now made, weighing ~ ounces
1t is little over eight feet long. The tips
are made Of eight strips Of bamboo. Many
visitors TO the rodnallers viii not believe in
the eight strips of bamboo till piece is cut
through transversely and shown them. The
little splinters are not as thick as a darning
needle, yet when glued and spliced they make
the strongest kind of a tip. Ferules on the
rod are Of genuine silver, and SO are the
guides or rings. A handsome piece Of highly
polished locust wood or hard rubber forms
the swell of the butt, where it is grasped in
casting.
The hand made split bamboo trout rods of
fine finish are priced as high as S45, includ-
ing an extra joint and two tips. Cheaper
rods of just as good material, but lacking the
fan finish, viii be found as desirable on the
water. Extra fine salmon rods of twenty
feet cost as much as 500 il one cares TO ex-
pend that
From the big, heavy twelve foot rod Of
Izaak Walton to the modern Al ounce split
bamboois certainly 4 wonderful step. Every
Ga&son some new device has bean found to i'm
prove the workmanship and action, till now
the trout rod seems almost perfect.-Nev
York Times.
No Crying Tolerated.
Indian babies are not allowed to cry. When