76 FOOT-LINES. 



single gut as you can throw well, and as little 

 triple. Fine throwing very much depends on 

 the exact adaptation of the foot-line to that on 

 the reel, the manner of tapering it, and its length. 

 In this last respect it should never exceed three 

 feet short of your rod, exclusive of the gut to 

 which your fly is tied, because the junction of it 

 with the reel -line will not readily pass the rings of 

 the rod, you may not be able to wind up suffi- 

 cient to reach your fish for the purpose of gaffing 

 or landing him when unattended. The term 

 " tapering," must sufficiently explain my mean- 

 ing, for it is impossible to lay down more than a 

 general rule, namely, that it must graduate from 

 the thickness and weight of the reel-line to as 

 fine a point as is consistent with strength. For 

 your eighteen-foot rod you will find about eleven 

 or twelve lengths of twisted gut, and three of 

 single, sufficient ; and, if for any of the thinner 

 triple pieces, you can substitute single ones as 

 thick, so much the better. In all it will be about 

 fifteen feet. Trout casting lines need be of none 

 but single gut, and much finer, and in length 

 should bear a similar proportion to the rod. As 

 to making up casting-lines, the mode of joining 

 the lengths of gut together is of the utmost im- 

 portance. Gut is generally brittle, unless well 

 soaked, and the knots usually made by fishermen 

 are very much to be condemned ; nineteen out of 



