io6 



THE TROUT 



take with them a small bottle of scentless paraffin 

 oil, with which, by the aid of a tiny brush, they just 

 touch the body, hackles, and tail of the fly they 

 intend to use. This adds very largely to the floating 

 capabilities of the artificial insect, and lessens 

 enormously the trouble and fatigue of drying the fly, 

 after having put it over a fish, by means of a dozen 

 throws in the air before again allowing it to float over 

 a possible victim. 



Others, again, place a bit of dried deer's fat in 



their bag, wherewith to rub their reel line to prevent 

 it from ' kinking;' while some keep their spare casting 

 lines and gut lengths in a piece of soft leather which has 

 been anointed with vaseline. Some like one form of 

 cutter to take off the gut ends when the fly is tied on, 

 and some another. In fact, in fishing as in most 

 other pursuits, every one who is really keen will dis- 

 cover for himself endless little fancies and hobbies 

 which amuse and interest him, and do no harm to 

 any one else. 



