STEEL WIRE TRACES. 497 



Mr. Thomas says : "I do not believe in gimp in bright 

 Indian waters. I therefore use wire in preference. It is 

 much less visible. Indeed I think it is as hard to see as a 

 single salmon gut. It is not so liable to rot as gut is, it is 

 much cheaper, and with moderate care one trace will last 

 a lifetime. An objection is it rusts, but this is met by 

 laying it up in vaseline when not in use. No wire stands 

 doubling backwards and forwards; therefore avoid haste in 

 straightening, and never try to straighten a kink by forcibly 

 pulling it straight like string. I prefer steel wire. The very 

 fine annealed wire used is No. 28 Birmingham gauge, dia- 

 meter '014 inch, breaking weight 17^ Ibs; take three 

 lengths and make a twist; if there is a flaw it flies in twist- 

 ing, also twisted wire is much less liable to kink than 

 untwisted wire. For heavy fish annealed steel wire is far 

 preferable to either gut or gimp, in durability, strength, 

 invisibility, and economy. A treble twist is easily cut by 

 a pair of scissors, and is easily fastened to a swivel, etc. 

 A convenient way of keeping twisted wire is to put each 

 trace into a leather pocket of its own. This prevents its 

 springing out and keeps the vaseline about it, and it comes 

 out next morning unrusted and unkinked." * 



These suggestions seem to be admirable in every 

 respect, and there seems to be no reason why a 

 single wire of this kind almost as fine as a hair should 

 not form a cheap and perfect substitute for the best 

 gut. It would probably be not only much stronger, 

 but quite as invisible, and is well worthy of a trial. 

 The liability to injury by rust is the only apparent 

 objection, but even so, it would certainly be far more 

 durable than gut in hot damp climates. 



A selection of split rings, swivels, etc., are required 

 for mounting spoons and spinning tackle of all kinds. 



* The Rod in India, by H. S. Thomas, 2nd edit., 1873, pp. 7578. 

 VOL III. 32 



