CHAPTER III 



TACKLE 



" A man that goeth to the River for his pleasure must under- 

 stand when he goeth there to set forth his Tackles. The first 

 thing he must do is to observe the Sun, the Wind, the Moon, 

 the Starres, & the Wanes of the Air, to set forth his Tackles 

 according to the times and Seasons to goe for his pleasure & 

 some profit." — Barker's "Art of Angling," 1653. 



The attempts at information which are com- 

 prised in the foregoing chapters of this work I 

 trust may in some manner prepare the reader for 

 the more important and practical features which 

 are to follow. There is hardly a pleasure of early 

 spring more delightful to the angler than that of 

 getting out his rods, reels, and lines after their 

 long rest, looking them over to prove that every- 

 thing is in good order for the approaching tests 

 they are to undergo, to see that the lines are 

 unfrayed and strong, that the reels work well and 

 smoothly, that the windings on the rods are per- 

 fect, and the rods themselves are as pliant and 

 trustworthy as they have been in past years, and 



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