CHAPTEE VII. 



SOME HINTS AS TO TACKLE. 



THE angler's equipment having been touched 

 upon in each of the preceding chapters, we have 

 only to add a few hints regarding it. 



GUT. The finest undrawn is difficult to procure, 

 and for that reason drawn gut is now largely em- 

 ployed. The latter is strong enough when care- 

 fully handled to land large trout, but more skill 

 is required to cast it properly. 



If the angler makes up his own tackle he 

 should be provided with two hanks of gut, drawn 

 and undrawn ; with these he can vary his casts 

 during the season to suit all weathers. 



Various dyes may be employed to stain gut. 

 An infusion of logwood, with the addition of a 

 very minute piece of copperas, gives a bluish 

 colour. If afterwards steeped in strong warm tea 

 the gut takes on a duller shade, and loses much 

 of its glitter. Copperas must always be used 

 sparingly, otherwise it rots the gut. Unless the 



