The ordinary fishing pole may be bought offhand at almost any hardware store, but a well-balanced rod for fly fishing should be well tested out beforehand. The requirements call for a rod of comparatively light weight, a rod that is elastic and resilient, and yet strong enough to prove durable under the continued strain of much fishing. If the angler has made his own rod, as suggested in former chapters, he will have a good dependable fly rod, but the large majority of anglers who are about to purchase their first fishing kit should carefully consider the selection of the rod. At the outset it must be understood that good tackle is simply a matter of price, the finest rods and reels are necessarily high in price, and the same thing may be said of lines and flies. Providing the angler has no objection to paying $15, or more, for a rod, the choice will naturally fall upon the handmade split bamboo. For this amount of money a fair quality fly rod may be purchased, the finer split bamboos costing anywhere up to $50, but under $15 it is very doubtful whether the angler can procure a built-up rod that is in every way satisfactory. The question may arise, Is a split-bamboo rod necessary? The writer's own long experience says that it is not, and that a finely made solid-wood rod, of greenheart or dagame, is quite as satisfactory in the hands of the average angler as the most expensive split bamboo. A good rod of this sort may be had for $10, and with reasonable care ought to last a lifetime.
The points to look for in a fly rod, whether the material is split bamboo or solid wood, is an even taper from the butt to the tip; that is, the rod should register a uniform curve, or arc, the entire length. For general fly casting 9 ft. is a handy length, and a rod of 6-1/2 oz. weight will prove more durable than a lighter tool. A good elastic rod is wanted for fly casting, but a too willowy or whippy action had best be avoided. However, for small-brook fishing, where the overgrown banks prohibit long casts, a somewhat shorter and stiffer rod will be more useful. For casting in large northern streams, where the current is swift and the trout run to a larger size, a 9-1/2 or 10-ft. rod of 8 oz. weight is often preferred. Of course, the veteran angler can safely use a much lighter rod than the beginner, and one occasionally meets a man on the stream that uses a 5-oz. rod for pretty heavy fishing. To be on the safe side, the novice will make no mistake in choosing a rod of fair length and conservative weight.
When selecting a rod in the tackle shop, do not rest content with a mere examination of the appearance, but have the dealer affix a reel of the weight and size intended to be used with it. By reeling on a short length of line and reeving it through the guides and then fastening the end to a weight lying upon the floor, a very good idea of the rod's behavior may be gained, since by reeling in the line and putting tension on the rod its elasticity and curve may be seen and felt as well as in actual fishing. To give the utmost satisfaction, the rod should fit its owner, and several rods should be tried until one is found that most fully meets the angler's idea of what a rod should be. If one happens to have a good fly reel, by all means take it along and attach it to the rod while making the tests. It is practically impossible to gauge the balance of a rod without affixing the reel, and many a finely balanced tool will appear badly balanced until the proper-weight reel is affixed to it.
The Proper Kind of Reel
For fly fishing nothing is so good as the English style of click reel, which is made with a one-piece revolving side plate and with the handle affixed directly to it. Any kind of a balanced-handle reel is an out-and-out nuisance on the fly rod, because it has no advantage in quickly recovering the line, and the projecting handle is forever catching the line while casting. In fly casting, the length of cast is regulated by the amount of line taken from the reel before the cast is made, and it is while "pumping" this slack line through the guides, in making the actual cast, that the balanced or projecting handle is very apt to foul the line. A good reel that is smooth-running like a watch will cost about $10, but a very good one may be had for $5, and cheaper ones, while not so durable, may be used with fair satisfaction. The heavier multiplying reels, so essential for bait casting from a free reel, are altogether unsuited for the fly rod, being too heavy when placed below the hand, which is the only proper position for the reel when fly casting. The single-action click reel, having a comparatively large diameter, but being quite narrow between the plates, is the one to use, and hard rubber, or vulcanite, is a good material for the side plates, while the trimmings may be of german silver or aluminum. The all-metal reel is of about equal merit, but whatever the material, the most useful size is one holding about 40 yd. of No. E size waterproof line. A reel of this capacity will measure about 3 in. in diameter and have a width of about 7/8 in. between plates. A narrow-spooled reel of this type enables the fisherman to reel in the line plenty fast enough. Owing to the fact that the reel is placed below the grip on fly rods, a rather light-weight instrument is needed to balance the rod. Of the two extremes, it is better to err on the side of lightness, because a heavy reel makes a butt-heavy rod and, throwing extra weight on the wrist and arm, makes casting increasingly difficult after an hour's fishing. An old hand at the game will appreciate this point better than the novice.
The English Pattern Is the Best Type of Reel for Trout Fishing, and a Gun-Metal, or Other Dark Finish, Is Better than Shiny Nickelplate
Fly Book with Clips for Holding Snelled Flies, So That the Gut is Kept Straight between Pads of Felt
