FOOT-LINES. 73 



then wind the first loose turn, A, over the end of 

 the silk close to the whipping already accom- 

 plished, carrying it round and round, till all the 

 inner windings are unwound ; and pull tight the 

 loose end of the silk, (as in the needle plan) to 

 finish with. I would caution you. against a bad 

 trick, but too common, that is, breaking off the loose 

 silk after completing the knot; by so doing, you 

 are as likely to break it under the last fold made 

 as the first, and so to render the whole of your 

 trouble abortive. In preference take the trouble 

 of cutting it close off with scissors. 



Herb. You have whipped down only about 

 three -eighths of an inch of the line to form the 

 security of the loop ; is that enough for strength ? 



Theoph. Certainly ; the knot or joint which 

 the two loops of your reel and gut-line, when 

 put together make, (see post, fig. 9), is of itself 

 a knot, properly so called, and strong without 

 whipping, there being only the slightest possible 

 pull on the ends, nothing is required but to keep 

 them straight. Before I show you how to make 

 foot or casting lines, let me give you a few hints 

 about them. 



Herb. First tell me what is the use of these 

 foot-lines ? 



Theoph. Everything. First, the finer your 

 tackle is near to the fly, the less visible is it to the 

 fish. 



