54 MODERN PRACTICAL ANGLER. 



And first with regard to the very common practice of 

 lapping the ends of the gut at each side of the knot. I 

 am at a loss to explain the origin of this custom, which 

 must be as troublesome to the maker as it is objectless 

 to the user. Indeed it is worse than objectless: it is dis- 

 tinctly mischievous. It adds weight, so far as it goes, 

 •and clumsiness to what ought to be as light as possible ; 

 and it dots with opaque " splotches," at regular intervals, 

 what would otherwise be a transparent, gossamer-like 

 :strand from end to end. Indeed in bright clear weather 

 I have frequently seen both Trout and Grayling rise at 

 the knots on a fisherman's line who showed post (query 

 Jfropter?) no inclination whatever to meddle with his 

 flies. It is hardly necessary to point out that for practical 

 purposes the lapping of the short end of the gut outside 

 the knot adds nothing whatever to the strength of the 

 line. 



For all fishing where exceptional strength is not 

 required, the common single fisherman's knot, un- 

 lapped, is sufficient for every purpose, and the neatest 



and strongest that can 

 be used. It is made by 

 tying a half knot round 

 each strand of gut with the end of the other strand, in 

 the form shown in the cut ; then drawing both knots 

 tighty and lastly drawing them closely together and cut- 

 ting off the ends. 



In the exceptional cases adverted to, when extra 



SINGLE FISHERMANS KNOT 



