Leaders. 83 



ing as compared to fishing from the bank. With a ten- 

 foot rod about forty inches between the tail and middle 

 fly, and from eighteen to twenty-four inches between the 

 latter and the hand-fly, will be the average. 



It is customary to secure the tail-fly to the leader by 

 providing both parts with loops, and looping them to- 

 gether. But I decidedly prefer to have my flies, no 

 matter how diminutive they may be, provided with a 

 small loop at the head instead of the usual looped length 

 of gut, and to attach the leader, or the dropper-gut (as 

 the case may be), to them by the knot shown in Fig. 26. 

 By terminating the gut to be tied with a small hard 

 knot, the projecting end shown in that figure may prac- 

 tically be dispensed with, since the knot will then retain 

 the end in its proper position. 



This method has, I believe, many advantages. The 

 customary loops are apt to inmesh more or less air, 

 which, when submerged, shines like polished silver ; 

 while all disturbance of the water caused by the knot I 

 advocate is so close to the fly as readily to be attributed 

 to the motion of the fly itself. Again, it is unnecessary 

 to pass the fly through the loop, and the injury it not 

 unfrequently suffers from this cause is avoided, while 

 all flies are alike indifferently available for droppers as 

 well as stretchers ; and lastly, an ordinary tin tobacco- 

 box becomes a most convenient fly-book for temporary 

 use. When this method is followed, the dropper -gut 

 lengths of course remain constantly attached to the 

 leader while in use. 



Having completed your leader, grading its taper by 

 careful and orderly selection from the thick, medium and 

 thin bundles of gut, snip off the free ends closely. The 

 next step is to test it. This should never be omitted. 



