Show Q JIM RHODY r Choosing Rod To judge the quality of cane in a D arod arod rod examine carefully each of the six strips in each section Make sure the cane is split not split not sawed across the grain Make sure that the nodules nodules nodules nod nod- ules of the cane are sta staggered from one strip to another so that no two of or them come exactly together Look for defects in the surface surface but but do not be alarmed at slight dis dis- colorations ons Even the best cane may have slight harmless discolorations or spots Only the very finest rods are culled to eliminate these minor discolorations entirely Examine closely the guides ferrules ferrules ferrules fer fer- rules and other fitments They should be of good materials snugly fitted highly polished and absolutely absolute absolute- absolute I ly free from rough places which can slow up your cast and cut your line Silk winds should come up over I the shoulder of or the ferrules which should be shaped to fit the six sided form of the rod All fitments and ferrules should be fully waterproofed waterproofed waterproofed water water- proofed and precisely matched Do not be deceived by the number or color of or silk winds or wraps on a fly rod A good fly rod needs no winds to hold it together or increase i its strength Modern waterproof I glues produce joints stronger than the cane itself so winds are used only to hold the guides in place and for decoration Only worthless cheap rods use winds for extra strength or stiffness I IDo Do not confuse stiffness stillness with power power power pow pow- er or backbone with stiffness Tournament Tournament Tournament Tour Tour- rods are too stiff for practical practical practical fishing They are made for tournament use use for for either distance I or accuracy and the makers sacrifice sacrifice sacrifice fice some fishing qualities to gain advantages under tournament rules For instance the action in a tournament tournament tournament tour tour- accuracy rod is over con in the tip to produce a flat trajectory and theoretically to tomake tomake tomake make possible pin point accuracy in 1 casting The action in a tournament distance rod is stiffened all along its length and fitments are cut to toa toa I Ia a bare skeleton to enable the rod I to handle an extremely heavy distance distance distance dis dis- dis- dis tance line and to propel it for distances distances distances dis dis- dis- dis far beyond those practical for fora a fisherman There is no actual difference between between between be be- I tween dry fly action and wet fly action A good dry fly rod is a good wet fly rod and vice versa A fly I rod is built to put your fly exactly where you want h it to handle the fly during the cast and to play out the I fish after he is hooked A good rod does all these things perfectly whether you are fishing dry or wet flies A aaa A A Whales s can call dive to 10 enormous de depths lbs There is s a record instance of 0 ofa a sperm whale becoming entangled in a submarine cable feet down A aaa A A Try Fish Eye If more fishermen tried looking at fishing through the eyes of a fish they would more than double their catch says Homer Circle of ot Heddon's Res Research arch Department For instance lets let's imagine yourself yourself yourself your your- self a big bass hiding underneath a patch of weeds Were We're hiding because because be be- cause it takes only a short rush to grab a little fish that swims by In open water this little fish I would keep too far away to catch without an exhausting chase Were We're watching for an easy meal when along comes a guy in a boat splashing the oars as he rows near I our weed patch He throws over the anchor WIth a Dig big splash scrapes his tackle box around on the bottom bottom bot bot- I bot-I tom of the boat and stands up where he makes a sharp contrast against the sky shy I Weve We've heard this sequence of sounds so many times that we know I what to expect next Hell He'll throw I n. n a plug in our direction thinking were we're silly enough to grab It We didn't grow big being thoughtless and we want to keep on growing so we let the plug alone However some day one of those guys who thinks like a fish is g going going go go- ing to slip up on us with no noise He will drift within casting distance with no oars splashing To hold his boat in the wind hell he'll have the anchor already down just over the bottom so that he can lower it without commotion Hell He'll I have a river rive runt plug at the tip tip I of or his pal spook rod ready to cast castl j jand and not have to fumble around looking for it and hell he'll not stand standup standup standup up to cast That guy stands a good chance of adding us to his stringer for tor all we know is that a good looking meal splashed in the water over our heads and is trying to get away Being unsuspicious and either mad curious or hungry well we'll more than likely take a bust at it it aaa A A A ABug Bug Lures I If a fish doesn't strike after first quiver youve you've imparted to your your floating bug let It lie still awhile longer and then twitch It six or eight inches Wait again even though this Is hard on the anglers angler's nerves One naturally is disposed to hurry the bug In so another cast can be made right away but away but that wont won't work We say again here that one cannot catch fish Ish with his lure Jure in the air aIr it it must be in the water |