Line, Leader ana Hook 



Lines are of several kinds. They are of various lengths also, but most of 

 them arc about as long as a piece of string. A braided line is the best to 

 upon a reel. A twisted line kinks, and one day's experi- f J 



ence with a kinky line will use up more of a man's 

 chances for a happy hereafter than he can replace 

 during an entire camp meeting season at Asbury Park. 



Silk lines are best to use in fresh water, but in salt 

 water give me a linen line or give me death. 



For fly-fishing use the heavy, enameled water-proof 

 line; but for minnow or frog casting or dredging with 

 worms, buy the fine hard-braided silk. It runs better 

 from the reel. 



Leaders are long, thin pieces of gut, which look like 

 fiddle strings, but have too many knots in them for 

 that purpose. It is generally whispered about that 

 they are the product of the domestic cat; but this is a 

 mistake, and those who are thus seeking an excuse for J UST THK SAME T0 FRO 

 raising cats may as well be informed that I have exposed their hollow scheme. 



Always test your leaders before using them. You may save money by 

 purchasing cheap leaders, but you will lose fish. Show me a man who has just 

 bought fourth-class leaders, and I will show you a man who will eventually use 

 both Profanity and Rum. 



Fish-hooks are of various shape, size and disposition. They were not 

 intended to be carried loose in the coat-tail pocket. A courteous sportsman, 

 when he discovers that he has inadvertently sat down upon a package of fish- 

 hooks belonging to his friend, will immediately rise and try his best to return 

 the hooks. 



The Artificial Fly 



The artificial fly is a fish-hook to which variously colored feathers have 

 been tied, and is supposed to be easily mistaken by a fish for a real fly. If this 

 be true, it is a strong proof that a fish hasn't sense enough to come in when it 

 rains, and doesn't deserve to live. 



Real flies may be obtained at most watering places much cheaper than the 

 artificial flies, but for some purposes they are not so useful. 



Artificial flies are all named. There are the "Professor," the "Hackle," the 

 "Ibis," the "Yellow Sally" and several other breeds. Whenever a bilious angler 

 has no luck, and nothing to do, he sits down and concocts a new swindle in 

 feathers, christens it with a nine-jointed Indian name, and at once every angler 

 in the country rushes in and pays $2 a dozen for samples. 



To cast the artificial fly well requires practice, and some persons are more 

 skillful than others. The first thing I ever caught on an artificial fly was a 

 large and muscular friend who was sitting in the stern of the boat, and who 



