40 BY HOOK ANB BY CROOI^. 



prejudice to the weight of the line in casting, but not 

 so with the tapered line. 



Gut Casts. — In selecting gut it is as well to see that 

 it be round in form; this point is of the greatest 

 importance as regards strength, and no flat-sided strands 

 should be used as single gut. The form of gut is 

 apparent to the eye ; it can also be tested by rolling 

 the strands between fore finger and thumb, when, if 

 it be round, some difficulty will be found in making it 

 spin, whereas should it be at all flat it will quickly do so. 



New gut is preferable, but by keeping in wash- 

 leather in a tin box it will little deteriorate ; but 

 whether new or old season's crop, gut should always 

 be well soaked before use. 



For salmon -fishing a cast of two yards of treble 

 twisted or plaited gut, gradually tapered and termi- 

 nating with one yard of single gut, is in general use, 

 except when the water is very fine, when a cast com- 

 posed entirely of single gut may be preferred. For 

 salmon-fishing the cast should end with a loop at 

 either extremity. 



For sea- trout and trout, single gut is sufficiently 

 strong. Gut should be stained, and perhaps the blue 

 shade in general use is as good as any other ; but this 

 may be left to the individual taste of the angler. 



A tumbler full of ink with a piece of copperas of 

 about the size of a pea makes a very good stain ; the 

 cast should be washed in water as soon as it has 

 attained the desired shade. Stain only for present use. 



