TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



tent, usually the faster the color the weaker the leader is 

 made, owing, in a great measure, to the heat of the dye 

 and the length of time consumed by the process. There 

 are, in my judgment, just two leaders to use, the white 

 and the mist, the former requires no coloring, while the 

 latter does. 



The mist-colored leader, to my mind, is the best color 

 to use, and it can be made any shade from very light to 

 very dark, depending entirely upon the desire of the an- 

 gler, and without much detriment to the gut. 



The shade of the mist-dyed leader depends only upon 

 the length of time it remains in the solution, provided it 

 is properly prepared in the first place. 



Before dyeing a leader mist or any other color the 

 leader must first be thoroughly washed or wiped to re- 

 move all dirt and any oily or greasy film that may be on 

 the gut. This can best be done with a piece of clean 

 chamois and ninety-five per cent, pure alcohol. After the 

 leader has been cleaned it should be soaked in cool water 

 for at least one-half hour, then taken out and pressed 

 gently between two pieces of cotton cloth to remove all 

 surface moisture. After this it should be submerged at 

 once in the cold coloring fluid until the proper shade is 

 obtained. Either Arnold*s or Stafford's writing fluid can 

 be used as the dye, and I have found little if any choice be- 

 tween them, as both answer better than other dyes, with less 

 bad effect, than any I have been able to discover. 



To make the proper dye solution, take one pint of 

 Arnold's or Stafford's writing fluid, pour it carefully into 



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