HOW FLIES ARE FASTENED TO LINES. 21 



the latter length will be found the best average 

 one for fly-fishing with a single-handed rod. In 

 your second year use three flies, placing them 

 from eighteen inches to two feet apart. The 

 length of gut to each dropper need not exceed 

 two inches. The usual way of attaching flies is 

 by looping them on. The only fly I loop is the 

 stretcher. My droppers having a knot at the end 

 of the gut, I fasten in between the sli ding-knots 

 by which T tie together the links of gut that form 

 the casting-line. I prefer these sliding-knots to 

 the whipped ones, because they are lighter, and 

 enable me to attach and detach my knotted drop- 

 pers more quickly than if they were looped. The 

 knots will be found quite strong enough if you 

 make them double ; or even single, provided you 

 do not cut off the gut too closely to them. I 

 cannot clearly explain in writing how these 

 sliding-knots are made, but any fishing-tackle 

 maker will show you. 



I have now prepared you for fishing with three 

 flies on three yards of gut casting-line. That 

 line should be thicker towards the hand, and 

 dwindle away gradually to the end farthest from 

 you. If the extreme end of your line should be 

 the thickest part of it, common sense will tell 

 you that when you cast it there must ensue a 

 more rapid and heavy descent upon the water 

 than when that end of your line is the finest part 



