The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-12-03
FISHING RODS.
rIe Varied Assortment Thnt the Devoted
Angler May Accumulate.


A man devoted to angling might
have from 20 to 10 fishing rods.
There arc many men that own as
many as 40, for fresh water fishing
only, which is here alone consider
ed At the outset of his fishing
career a man accumulates rods
with experience. Here is what
might happen in the case of a be-
ginner, to whom the cost of rods
was not matter of importance:
He would start, say, with black
bass, and buy split bamboo rod
weighing seven ounces and 10 feet
in length. Out fishing he would
meet man using six ounce rod,
which seemed to answer the pur-
pose just as well, and very soon he
buys a six ounce rod himself. After
awhile he buys bass minnow cast
ing rod, with light tackle, q rod
weighing four OF five ounces and
measuring feet in length. He
looks forw ard to tho day when he
can attach 1.-Two ininnow to his
hook and cast it 100 OF 125 feet and
not kill the minnow in the cast.
Before lie has reached this degree
of proficiency. however, he is likely
to begin on trout fly rods. And of
these, before very long, he will ac-
cumulate eight or ten, ranging in
weight from threo to eight ounces.
He will have rods for different
kinds of fishing, for fishing from
the bank and for fishing while wad-
ing, and rods adapted to the charac-
ter of the waters fished, as to width
of stream and strength of current,
and so on, and rods adapted to spe-
cial regions and the fishes found in
them. Then the angler begins buy
ing salmon rods. lie is likely to buy
first a, rod II feet in length and
wefg hing 80 to 80 ounces. He finds
that TOD heavy and buys rod 151a
feet long and weighing "a ounces.
Later still he buys salmon rod a. u
feet III length and weighing 10
ounces.
All tho rods the angler has bought
SO far are of split bamboo. Now he
goes il. for collection. He had be-
gun to be especially interested in
rods when he was buying trout rods,
and now he is moro interested than
ever. He goes in for novelties. He
buys, for instance, green heart
salmon rod. Before the introduction
cf the split bamboo rod, which is
now for fresh water fishing displac-
ing all the rods of wood, including
bethabarra and lancewood, the
green heart was the ideal salmon
rod, and it is still used. Green heart
rods were originally turned out, as
they are still, by local makers in
Scotland and Ireland. The most
celebrated of green heart rods, one
of Scotch and the other of Irish
make, are known to all salmon fish
ermen. The angler buys, it may be,
two green heart rods of different
lengths, one of 1516 feet and one Of
II feet. He may prefer to use his
more modern split bamboo rods, but
lie loves the green heart.
Then the angler provides himself
with grilse rods of two lengths, II
and 1879 feet, weighing Is and 1616
ounces. BY this time he has perhaps
Is or 20 rods, may be more, and
gradually he adds to his collection.
Most anglers buy new rods every
two or three seasons; some buy two
or three rods in season. The con-
slant tendency of anglers as they
become more expert is toward light
rods.
There arc men who are lovers of
fire fishing rods and buy them
though tEey may never use them.
They may be noted anglers who
are prevented by circumstances
from fishing, but, Oh seeing fine
rods bay thom just because they
llko tAeA. Ihey may be men who
never fish. There is, for instance, a
man il this city who never fishes,
thouSl lie belongs to a fishing club
and has 80 fishing rods of the finest
Geacri ption, perfect outfit. He
never shoots, but he has fine col
lection of guns. He buys these
things because they are beautiful
and perfect and because they are of
interest to friends who como to see
him.
OF rods used in fresh water an
Cling, bass and trout fly rods of split
bamboo cost 81 to S75 each. The rod
for $'5 would owe its cost not to ex-
pensive ipountings, but to the ma
terial and workmanship, which
would be OF the best. There are rods
with costly mountings that are sold
at far higher prices, but these are
made usually for presentation.
Salmon rods of split bamboo sell at
$40 TO SIS and grilse rods for s5 less
than salmon rods. New York Sun.