Show 6 JIM R HODY Choosing Rod To judge the quality of cane hi in a arod arod rod examine carefully each of the six strips in each section Make sure the cane is split split not not sawed across the grain Make sure that the nod nod- nodules nodules ules of the cane cane are staggered from one strip to another so that that no two of them come exactly together Look for defects detects in hi the surface surface but but do not be alarmed at slight dis- dis colorations coloration Even the best cne may have slight harmless discolorations discoloration or spots Only the very finest fin st rods are culled to eliminate these minor discolorations entirely Examine closely the guides fer fer- ferrules ferrules ferrules rules and other fitments They should be of good materials snugly fitted highly polished and absolute absolute- absolutely ly free from rough places which can slow up your cast and cut your line Silk winds should come up over the shoulder of the ferrules which should be shaped to fit the six-sided six form of the rod All fitments and ferrules should be fully waterproofed water water- waterproofed waterproofed proofed and precisely matched Do not be deceived by the number or lOr color of silk winds or wraps on a fly rod A good fly rod needs no winds to hold it together or increase its strength Modern Mo d de e r n waterproof 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 Do not confuse stiffness with pow pow- power power power er or backbone with stiffness Tour Tour- Tournament Tournament Tournament rods are too stiff for practical practical practical fishing They are made for tournament use use for for either distance or accuracy and the makers sacrifice sacrifice sacrifice fice some fishing qualities to gain advantages under tournament rules For instance the action in a tour tour- tournament tournament tournament 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 casting The action in a tournament distance rod is stiffened all along its length and fitments are cut to toa toa toa a bare skeleton to enable the rod to handle handIe an extremely heavy dis dis- distance distance dis- dis distance tance line and to propel it for dis- dis distances dis dis- distances distances far beyond those practical for fora a fisherman There is no actual difference be be- between between between tween dry fly action and wet fly action A good dry fly rod is a good wet vet fly rod and vice versa A fly rod is built to put your fly exactly where you want it to handle the fly during the cast and to play out the fish after he is hooked A good rod does all these things perfectly whether you are fishing dry or wet flies A D A 0 A D Whales Whaler can dive dite to to enormous depths de There is a record instance of o oa ofa a sperm s erm whale becoming entangled in a submarine cable feet down A A A Try Fish Eye If more fishermen tried looking at fishing through the eyes eyes eyes' of a fish they would more than double their catch says Homer Circle of Heddon's Research Department For instance lets let's imagine your your- yourself yourself yourself self a big bass hiding underneath a patch of weeds Were We're hiding be be- because because because cause it takes only a short rush to grab a little fish that swims by In open water this little fish 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 our weed patch He throws over the anchor with a big splash scrapes scrap s his tackle box around on the bot bot- bottom bottom bot- bot bottom tom of the boat and stands up where he makes a sharp contrast against the sky Weve We've heard this sequence of sounds so many times that we know what to expect next Hell He'll throw 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 eo so we let the plug alone However some day one of those guys who thinks like a fish is go go- going going going 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 have a n river runt plug at the tip of his pal spook rod ready to cast and not have to fumble around looking for it and hell he'll not stand standup up to cast That guy stands a good chance of adding us to his stringer for 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 m a d curious or hungry well we'll more than likely take a bust at it A A A ABug ABug Bug Lures If It a fish doesn't strike after first quiver youve you've imparted to 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 with his lure in the air air it it must be in the water |