88 HINTS ON ANGLING. 



it, yuu can never throw a line of any considerable length, 

 with the requisite steadiness and precision. The reason 

 is obvious. When the line has been a short time in the 

 water, the silk gets soaked, becomes soft and flabby, and 

 falls heavily on the water. On the other hand, a good 

 hair line invariably preserves its firmness and elasticity. 



If the angler be fishing on lakes or large rivers for salmon, 

 he will require from eighty to one-hundred yards of line, 

 but if on a moderate-sized stream, from forty to fifty will 

 be quite sufficient. 



Some fly-fishers have their lines tapered at the bottom, 

 in order to connect the gut and flies more immediately 

 with it; and indeed this plan is now quite the fashion. 

 But with all due deference to the prevailing mode, we 

 ourselves prefer the old " cast line " of about four or five 

 feet in length, and of from four to six or eight hairs in 

 thickness, on which to place the gut and flies. The line 

 thus prepared can be thrown much truer, and possesses 

 also other advantages over a tapered running line. 



Lines for trolling, are made of silk, silk and hair, and 

 various other materials. In the process of trolling, 

 the lightness and elasticity of the line are not of so 

 much consequence as in fly-fishing ; but, for our own 

 part we prefer hair lines before any other, even for this 

 sport. 



The line called a paternoster for perch-fishing, is made 

 of strong gut or gimp, on which are suspended at certain 

 distances, three or more hooks; the whole is connected 

 with the wheel-line, by a small swivel. 



There are two celebrated localities where the best 



