THE BROOK-ANGLER'S EQUIPMENT 15 



to be a very material matter. As to flies, an 

 extensive repertoire is quite unnecessary. If 

 fishing dry, a few of those commonly used, and to 

 be expected at certain times, will suffice, with a 

 small but efficient assortment of wet patterns. 

 Mega biblion, mega kakon would apply to streams 

 where fly-fishing is, as a rule, much hindered by 

 undergrowth, and other lures are constantly 

 obligatory to get the trout. I shall refer to a few 

 special brook flies later on. 



For worm or dapping casts I know nothing 

 better than the extra fine undrawn gut known as 

 ' refinucha/ sold at about 33. 6d. per hank. 

 (Mr. R. Ramsbottom, 81, Market Street, Man- 

 chester, is a specialist in this.) It is stronger than 

 drawn gut, and considerably finer than refina. 

 These casts need never be longer than 4 ft., and 

 one reason is this: It often happens that an 

 exceedingly short line will best fish some difficult 

 spot where, perhaps, low boughs are bending over 

 the water. If a long gut cast were shortened to 

 suit such a place by merely pulling through the 

 top ring the knot which secures it to the reel line, 

 and a hooked fish of size started to run, the knot 

 would stick, and a parting, happy only for the 

 trout, naturally follow. Besides, experience will 

 soon prove that excessive lengths of gut, once 



