16 TROUT-FISHING IN BROOKS 



considered indispensable, have very little to do, 

 after all, with successful fishing. I have 

 frequently been obliged to break and shorten a 

 short cast when working the worm in clear water, 

 to negotiate some all but uncomcatable sanctuary. 

 As bait-fishing casts will be subject to hard usage, 

 the gut chosen should be as even and round as 

 possible. It is an immense advantage to be able 

 to make up these casts at home and be indepen- 

 dent of the dealers, as well as on the score of 

 economy and efficiency. Some tackle is almost 

 sure to be lost or injured in the course of a day's 

 brook-angling, and the man who learns to make 

 his own can sit down at his leisure to repair 

 damages with confidence and satisfaction to 

 himself. A hank (about 100 strands) of refinucha 

 gut may therefore be regarded as a useful asset to 

 the brook-angler. 



In the hope that this view may find favour, I 

 would draw attention to a knot for tying strands 

 of gut together which I have never known to 

 slip, and at which the gut is not liable to break, 

 which cannot be said for the single ' fisherman's 

 knot,' which even with the ends re-inserted is 

 not nearly so good as the following. About two 

 inches of the ends of the two strands are laid 

 together, a small loop is made by doubling them 



