36 THE PIKE. 



four or five inches across the tx)p ; then pour the mixture as 

 given above, cold, on top of the line and see that every por- 

 tion of it is well covered. Let it remain in the dressing at 

 least two days, then carefully remove and uncoil it, and with 

 a bit of flannel wipe it gently from one end to the other; 

 that is, hold the flannel between the finger and thumb of the 

 left hand, and with the right draw the line through, taking 

 care that the pressure is sufficient to remove all lumps and 

 superfluous dressing from the line — of course during the pro- 

 cess the line can be coiled on a table or round the back of 

 a chair. It should then be hung up in long loose coils in 

 a cool dry position, and where the sun does not shine on it, 

 and remain there until perfectly dry; I should say it will 

 take six or eight weeks at the very least to properly dry. 

 This dressing not only has the merit of being very good, but 

 it also is cheap, any respectable chemist or oilman will sup- 

 ply sufficient of the ingredients to dress a couple of lines for 

 eightpence or tenpence, I make no doubt. After the line 

 has hung until dry it should be stretched out at full length 

 down the garden path, or any other convenient situation, 

 and a sixpenny packet of " King's Ceroleum " procured, this 

 is another very useful line dressing, and is sold at nearly any 

 fishing tackle shop; a bit about the size of a filbert nut 

 should be put inside a bit of flannel and rubbed lightly from 

 end to end of the line, taking care that a very thin coat only 

 covers the whole surface; now take anotiier bit of dry 

 flannel and polish up the line smartly, pinch it well between 

 finger and thumb and rub backwards and forwards, a yard 

 at a time, until the line feels warm between your fingers, 

 this gives the finishing touch to the dressing and smooths 

 the line down with a slight gloss. The dressing will not 

 crack or chip off, nor is it hard and stiff in the slightest, but 

 so soft and pliable that it can be thrown very well from the 

 reel in the Nottingham syle. A great friend of mine, one 

 of the very best pike fishermen I ever knew, always main- 

 tained that a line dressed according to the directions just 

 given, had a threefold lease of life given it, it would outlast 

 three ordinary undressed or even cheaoed dressed ones and 

 so be a considerable saving in the long run. I think I have 

 made it perfectly clear as to the ingredients required for 



