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Before the spinman can select his rod impartially, a lot of inherited tradition must be abandoned. Because spinning began Europe, where most spinning was done with soft live bait in quiet water, a soft parabolic-action rod evolved. For a time, these soft rods were dutifully copied in this country and their proponents wrote many a treatise on their worth. Gradually, however, some more enterprising anglers found that a stiffer-action rod not only cast artificial lures more easily and more accurately but also gave the spinman a greater distance with considerably less effort and wrist motion. So, inherited tradition took a nose dive and today's spinning rods are becoming longer and more stiff-tipped, in short, less like buggy whips. However, the soft rod is still the best for the man who uses live bait in slow water. (See Figure 2) The early rods, particularly the more expensive ones, were equipped with agate guides. It is now pretty well conceded that chrome-plated guides are harder, lighter, more wear-resistant, and they do not crack. So, out went agate guides. (Only recently, however, have some really well-engineered guides been introduced. To avoid needless repetition, these guides will be described in Chapter V, Building Your Rod. Read it before buying your spinning rod because incorrect guides, improperly placed can reduce your distance 30 percent and vitally affect your accuracy.)
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