The Ravalli Republican., 1898-08-24
FISHING RODS.
The Varied Assortment That the Devoted
Angler May Accumulate.

The Varied Assortrl ent 'Tl!at the Devoted
Angler May Accumulate.
A man devoted to angling might
have from 20 to 20 fishing rods.
There are 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 be-
ginner, to whom the cost OF rods
was not matter Of Importance:
He would start, say, with black
bass, and buy q split bamboo rod
Weighing seven ounces and 10 feet
in length. Out fishing he would
lreet q man using a six ounce rod,
which seemed to answer the pur-
pose Just as we'll, and very soon he
buys q six ounce rod himself. After
awhile he buys bass minnow cast
ing rod, with light tackle, a rod
weighing four OF five ounces and
measuring feet in length. He
looks forward to the day when he
can attach live minnow to his
hook and cast it 100 OF 1875 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-
II ,,f,1,+ 1ofr11 n ~
weight from three 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 eharac-
ter of the waters fshed, 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. He is likely to buy
first a rod II feet in length and
wei hing 80 to 80 ounces. He finds
that too heavy and buys rod 1515
feet long and weighing "a ounces.
Later still he buys q salmon rod IA x
feet in length and weighing 19
ounces.
All the rods the angler has bought
so fan are Of split bamboo. Now he
goes in 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, a green heart
salmon rod. Before the introduction
of 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
mako, are known to all salmon fish
ermen. The angler buys, it may be,
two green heart rods OF different
lengths, one of 151a feet and one OF
II feet He may prefer to use his
more modern split bamboo rods, but
he loves the green heart.
Then the angler provides himself
with grilse rods of two lengths, II
and 13115 feet, weighing IS and 16115
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 OF three seasons; some buy two
OF three rods in !; season. The con
stant tendency Of anglers as they
become more expert is toward light
rods. ...@.
There are men who are lovers OF
fine fishing rods and buy then
though they may never use thom
They may be noted anglers who
arc prevented by circumstances
from fishing, but, on seeing tin'
rods buy them just because they
like them. They may be men wh<
never fish. There is, for instance, ;
man in this city who never fishes
though he belongs to a fishing clu1
and has 80 fishing rods of the fines
description, perfect outfit. HI
never shoots, but he has a fine col
lection Of guns. He buys thes
things because they are beautiful
and perfect and because they arc Q
interest to friends who como to SCI
him.
OF rods used in fresh water an
Cling, bass and trout fly rods Ut srli
bamboo cost 81 to SIS each. The TO-
for SIS would owe its cost not to ey
pensive mountings but to the ma
terial and workmanship, whic]
would be Of the best There are rod
with costly mountings that are sol
at far higher prices, but these az
made usually for presentation
Salmon rods of split bamboo sell a
$50 to $55 and grilse rods for s. les
than salmon rods. New York Sun
jackson and Benton.
The great statesman, Thomas II
BENTON when p Young man was