TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



for softening the gut so that it will have become properly 

 pliable before using. 



How to handle the gut when making a leader: 



When handling gut that has been soaked in water for 

 a sufficiently long time to make it soft and pliable, great 

 care should be observed not to kink, twist or bend short a 

 single strand. If this happens, and it will at times, the in- 

 jured strand should at once be destroyed so as to prevent 

 any possibility of its getting into a leader by mistake. 



The soaked strands out of which a leader is to be made 

 should always be kept in the water until used, otherwise 

 the gut will not all be of the same softness and pliability 

 which is of so much importance in accomplishing good 

 results. 



Before removing any strand from the water just prior 

 to tying it into the leader be sure to run your fingers over 

 it from end to end to see that it is clean and free from all 

 grit. 



How to tie the gut strands into a leader: 



There are a number of knots that can be used in the 

 making of leaders, but the three knots in general use are 

 the single water loop knot, the double water loop knot, and 

 the single hitch or single surgeon's knot. 



All of these knots are good and serviceable if prop- 

 erly tied, but the single water loop knot naturally is not as 

 strong as the other two if all are equally well tied. It is, 

 however, of ampl^ strength for all practical purposes. 



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