8 ANGLING IN SALT WATER. 



they never cast out. They are known as suction ferrules, and 

 are, I believe, ground into one another, and fit as closely as the 

 plugs in gas taps. It is well to vaseline or soap them before 

 putting the rod together, or they may stick too fast. I have a 

 fly rod made on this principle, by Messrs. Warner & Sons, of 

 Redditch, which I put to the severe test of a month's fishing 

 without once taking it to pieces. At the end of that time 

 the joints were as tight as when first put together. I have, 

 therefore, some reason to believe that, in a few years, the 

 various contrivances for fastening together the joints of fly 

 rods will fall into disuse. The same manufacturers are makers 

 of the Hi Regan landing-net, and patent rod top ring, 

 referred to on pages 6 and 11 respectively. 



Lines. — Where expense is no object, a first-class eight-plait, 

 pure sUk line, carefully dressed with linseed oil (not boiled oil), 

 is the very best line obtainable. For fly fishing it should be 

 tapered, and of the substance used in salmon fishing. Probably 

 the cheapest effective fly line made is the cable-laid cotton 

 line (No. 2) of the Manchester Cotton Twine Spinning 

 Company. The Company more than doubles the price of the 

 line if dressed, so that a good many persons prefer to dress 

 it themselves, at the cost of a few pence, with a mixture of 

 coal tar and paraffin (in the proportion of three to one). These 

 lines are not tapered. The Manchester Company make very 

 superior cotton hand-lines. For general bottom fishing and 

 spinning a medium jack line answers very well. Where 

 expense is an object, I can recommend the tanned eight- 

 plait hemp lines sold by nearly all tackle makers. I have 

 had one of these lines for five years, and it still shows no 

 signs of weakness ; but I am very careful with my lines, drying 

 them after use, and about once a week, when at the seaside, 

 washing them in fresh water. There is not the slightest 

 objection to the line for fly fishing being twisted; indeed, I 

 have cast with mere twisted lines, which were admirable in 

 every respect. It is surprising that they are not in general 

 use, as they are considerably stronger than plaited lines. 

 Anglers who can use Nottingham tackle will find a twisted 

 pure silk line, such as is used on the Trent, very useful for 



