96 LONDON ANGLER'S BOOK, 



In landing a fish, of whatever description, do it 

 tail first; do not lift it out of the water up in the air, 

 but drag it to the water's edge, holding the handle in 

 a perpendicular direction. 



When you have left off fishing, and taken off your 

 gut length, pass your line a few times in the air, to 

 clear it from the water. 



If you would make your own flies, take every op- 

 portunity to see one made, and by perseverance, 

 and a little practical instruction, you will learn more 

 than could be obtained from a volume written on 

 the subject. 



Stained gut is, perhaps, better than when in its 

 natural colour : this may be done by putting a few 

 drops of good ink into a tea cup full of water a little 

 warm, or the shavings or sawings of old oak timber, 

 soaked iu water ; put in your gut, and when coloured 

 to your mind, dry it, and pass each length through a 

 bit of cloth, or rag, slightly greased with tallow. 



Use light well-tempered hooks for fly fishing, with 

 sharp points ; the Irish hooks are certainly very good, 

 and I like the shape of the bend, but I think they 

 would be better, if they had a little of the kirby twist. 

 The foregoing observations on Angling are such as 

 I have found to succeed, and are practised by many 

 others with equal success ; but all that has or will be 

 written on the subject, will never make a man an 

 Angler, unless possessed of hope, patience, and per- 

 severance, and a true love of the Art ; but 



