THE IMPLEMENTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



241 



deliberate opinion, that the best rods in the workl are now manufac- 

 tured in the city of New York, and that Conrov is superior, as a 

 fly-rod -maker, to either Chevalier or Martin Kelly, of universal 

 reputation. 



The reel should be very large, capable of containing three hundred 

 yards of twisted line, composed of hair and silk intermingled, and 

 tapering gradually from the reel-end to the point, where it should be 

 neatly looped to a bottom of the best and stoutest Spanish silk- 

 worm gut, as thick, if possible, as the 32d of an inch, to which the 

 hook-links of the flies should be fastened by a knot of the following 

 form. The hook-links for S.nlmon fishini sliuuld be of trebly-twisted 

 gut ; of the flies we will spsak anon. 



It is very desirable that the gut should be dyed, in order to deaden 

 its silvery glitter, which is too conspicuous in the water, and often 

 scares the fish. The best preparation for this purpose is dark green 

 tea, which brings it nearly to the color of water when slightly discolored 

 by rain, at which time the fish are most apt to bite freely. 



Too much attention cannot be paid by the angler to the quality 

 and condition of his gut-lengths, or to the proper adjustment of the 

 knots and loops by which it is fastened. These can scarcely, indeed, 

 be too narrowly or jealously scrutinis'i^d, as gut is a material which is 



