FISHING-LINES. 263 



kink and curl. No twisted or cable-laid line can be profit- 

 ably employed for this purpose, on account of this kink- 

 ing propensity, which, to the angler, is a source of great 

 trouble, vexation and perplexity; and there is no method 

 by which the kink can be entirely removed or eradicated 

 from twisted lines. Some anglers maintain that this kink- 

 ing quality can be taken out of a line by trailing it in the 

 water behind a boat, without sinker or hook; but this is a 

 delusion and a snare, for after casting a line a few times 

 in succession that has been treated in this manner for 

 hours, it will kink and snarl as badly as ever, and this is 

 to be naturally expected, from the mode of manufacturing 

 such lines. It is unreasonable, moreover, to expect a 

 twisted line to perform the functions of a braided line, for 

 this it can not do. 



Use small-sized lines; they are strong enough with a 

 pliant rod. A line that will hold up two pounds, dead 

 w^eight, will land the largest Black Bass that swims, when 

 used with a proper rod. Indeed, I have often used a line^ 

 which, toward the end of the season, when tested, would 

 scarcely hold a pound dead weight, but which would safely 

 land the largest Bass, or even Pickerel of fifteen pounds 

 or more. 



Rod-Lines. 



The twisted line has its proper place in fishing, and 

 sometimes answers a good purpose, as I will now explain. 

 There are many anglers who, from choice or necessity, 

 dispense with the reel in Black Bass fishing. Oftentimes 

 the character of the stream is such that a reel can not be 

 used to advantage ; for instance, on streams that are nar- 

 row, and much choked with snags, roots, and other obstruc- 



