66 The Atlantic Salmon 



ble to cut, and can be taken out very quickly with 

 the end of a small sharp bodkin, or its equivalent, 

 which no angler should ever be without. Mr. 

 Wells says truly of this knot : " This method of 

 attaching the flies to the leader has, I believe, 

 many advantages. The customary loops are apt 

 to immesh more or less air which, when sub- 

 merged, shines like polished silver, while all dis- 

 turbance of the water caused by the knot I 

 advocate is so close to the fly as to be readily 

 attributed to the motion of the fly itself. Again, 

 it is unnecessary to pass the fly through the loop, 

 and the injury it not unfrequently suffers from 

 this cause is avoided." 



Casting lines should not be exposed to the 

 light or to the direct rays of the sun except when 

 in use, nor bent at anything like an angle unless 

 thoroughly soaked. When put away they should 

 be wrapped in something which excludes the 

 light (I use a piece of chamois skin), and im- 

 mersed in a bowl of water four or five hours be- 

 fore being used. I have now casting lines that I 

 bought ten years since which have been carefully 

 kept, and this season they were quite as good as 

 ever. There is a great difference in the durabil- 

 ity of casting lines which are apparently identi- 



