TACKLE IN GENERAL. 71 



knot in the end of a reel-Hne should be dispensed with, by 

 seizing on a length of stout gut to the end of the line, to re- 

 main there permanently ; the leader should be attached to this 

 piece of gut with a neat knot. By this contrivance, you 

 avoid the contingency of having fish rise at the loop, as they 

 will at a bit of frayed silk, as mentioned on the preceding 

 page. 



A bait or trolling line should have a gut-loop seized on 

 the end, which loop is fastened to the leader by a similar 

 loop in its end, as described in our article on tackle-making. 



Oiled-silk plaited lines are frequently used for trolling, but 

 more generally for Salmon-iishing. 



Eeels. — Many innovations have been made on the old 

 English Keel by American anglers and mechanics ; some of 

 these, it is contended, are not improvements. 



The balance-handle, patent-check, and jewelled bearings of 

 the modern multiplier, are certainly desiderata in reels used 

 for Bass, and are now considered indispensable by crack 

 fishers ; but the simple reel with a click, and without the 

 balance-handle, is to be preferred for fly-fishing ; it is less 

 liable than the multiplier to get out of order, and the line 

 is not so apt to be caught by the handle or crank. An im- 

 provement in English Salmon-reels has been lately intro- 

 duced, which precludes the possibility of the latter contin- 

 gency : it is the insertion of a short handle or pin in a disk, 

 revolving parallel to, and against the outer plate; this im- 

 provement is applicable only to simple reels for fly-fishing. 

 The reader will find a wood-cut of one, in a subsequent article 

 on Tackle for Salmon-fishing. 



Some anglers prefer the multiplier even for fly-fishing, on 

 account of its enabling them to shorten line faster, if a trout 

 on being hooked should run towards them. This seldom 

 happens in wading a brook or creek ; but in deep, still waters, 



