BAG, BOX, AND GAG. Ill 



There are few special knots to mention in this chapter. 

 The " buffer " knot for casts I have just given, the knot for eyed 

 hooks is illustrated on page 28 (Fig. 20), and the cast may be 

 knotted to the gut-loop of a fly according to that method. The 

 knot for joining the cast to reel-line is given on page 23. 



Before fishing, be most careful to see that the line, casts, and 

 knots are all strong, sound, and free from defects, and that 

 the reel — which keep well oiled — is in working order. Do not 

 use very fine tackle for salmon, or you will most certainly 

 lose the best fish; but finer tackle than is ordinarily used 

 is strong enough, if there are no weak places in it. Note the 

 thickness of the tackle commonly used on the river, and let 

 yours be just a little finer. 



"With reference to bags and baskets for carrying the salmon 

 after they are landed, I need say but little. As salmon are 

 large fish, the bag is decidedly the most convenient, and those 

 which expand on the principle of the well-known Freke bag 

 are the best. As a rule, salmon-anglers have an attendant to 

 carry the fish. 



There is a little instrument, invented by Mr. Alfred Jardine, 

 which should be of considerable service to salmon-fishers. It 

 is a gag to keep the fish's jaws well apart while the hook is 

 being extracted. For pike-fishing it is invaluable, and has 

 recently been made in small sizes for other fish. Bearing in 

 mind that-salmon flies, which are costly things, frequently get 

 badly mauled while being extracted from the fish's mouth, I 

 should decidedly call this salmon-gag an economical invention. 



Of cases and books for salmon-flies an endless variety is 

 kept in the tackle-shops. A box which is intended as a storage 

 place for flies should certainly be made of tin, with a closely- 

 fitted lid, to keep out moths and other insects. Never expose 

 salmon-flies to the light, except when they are being used. 

 The sun fades the colours — hence the folly of carrying them 

 on one's cap. A tarnished silver or gold body may be revived 

 by scraping with a knife, or rubbing with a pointed piece of 

 hard wood and plate powder. The colours of the feathers 

 may sometimes be renewed, if the fly is touched up with 

 Judson's dyes, applied by means of a camel-hair brush. 



