TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



the pull seldom exceeds one to one and one-quarter 

 pounds? 



The answer is, that such a leader in the hands of a 

 skilful angler should not give way because, if it does, it 

 is on account of some error of judgment on his part or the 

 trout has taken advantage of some snag. 



These errors of judgment are numerous, but the prin- 

 cipal ones are, first, striking the trout too hard; second, 

 not keeping the trout on the spring of the rod; third, in not 

 giving the trout line when it makes a sudden rush, and, 

 fourth, in forcing and trying to land a trout too quickly. 



It is on this account that leaders should be the best 

 procurable, that they should be tested each day before 

 they are used, that they should be tested while being used, 

 and that leaders, as soon as they become frayed, should 

 be discarded as useless. 



Leaders are made from drawn and undrawn silk- 

 worm gut, but generally from drawn gut, and sometimes 

 they are made from both, especially for "dry" fly-fishing. 



Leaders are made either tapered or flat for "dry" fly- 

 fishing and for "wet" fly-fishing when only one fly is used. 



"Wet" fly leaders having one or two loops are seldom 

 made tapered, unless they are tied up by the angler him- 

 self. 



Trout Leaders 



Grade — Fine, Medium, Heavy. 

 Color — White, Mist, Brown. 

 Length — 6 to 9 feet, tapered or flat. 

 Strength — 2 to ^, j to 4, 4 to 6 pounds. 



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