ARTlFlCrAL FLY-FISHING, 8CC. 101 



al\va\ s iengtlieii or shorten it by means oF the 

 winch, you may, if you are ex[icrt, and are a 

 true lover of anG:lina-, after some trials, accom- 

 plish it. Never incumber your-^elf with too 

 much line at first, but increase t!ie length of it as 

 you find you make improvement; and as it is 

 ten to one, that you loose a fly every time you 

 cast your line, until you are arrived at some 

 degree of perfection in doing it, it will not be 

 amiss to practice sometimes without one. But 

 let me return to the subject: your line should run 

 taper from the top of the rod down to the fly, 

 that is, if theflrst link is composed of thirty-five 

 hairs, the next must be of thirtj^-four; so leaving 

 out one hair in each link, till tlie whole is com- 

 pleted; then comes the silk worm-gut, on which 

 you should whip all your hooks. 



But the best lines for artificial fly angling 

 are those that are wove, and are all one piece, 

 and are to be bou^^ht at any of the sliops in 

 London, wdiere fishing-tackle is sold, and run 

 taper like tlie lash of a coach whip, and may be 

 had at any length; as from thirty to forty 

 yards, &c. 



These are the only lines that can be used on a 

 winch; because they have no knots to prevent 

 them running gibly through tlie rings of the 

 rod. 



By the line being made taper, 3'ou will be able 

 to throw it into any place you hke with a greater 

 exactness, and it will tall much lighter on the 

 water, which will very much increase j'our sport. 



The reader now being informed of the rod 

 and lines best calculated for arlificial fij-Jishing, 

 I shall in the next chapter give him a list of the 

 materials he must be in possession of before be 



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