20 THE THAMES ANGLER. 



meant for the gudgeon. For spinning and trolling, the line 

 should be what is termed patent, (it is merely plaited silk prepared 

 with a peculiar kind of varnish), and about fifty or sixty yards 

 long. A very good substitute for the above varnish or dressing, 

 as it is called, can be made in the following way : — Take a small 

 phial and fill it two-thirds full with boiled oil, and the remaining 

 third with gold size. Shake them well together, and it is ready 

 for use : it should be applied with a piece of flannel, the line being 

 passed through an inch of tobacco pipe ; and then being exposed 

 to the air, it will become quite dry. It may be used once or twice 

 with this one coat of varnish on it, to make it smooth, and then 

 it may have another coat, and it will be perfect ; an occasional 

 renewal of the dressing as it wears away will, of course, preserve 

 it. For trolling and ledger fishing, the line should be rather stouter 

 than for trout and perch fishing, and may, if the angler chooses, be 

 fitted on a wooden reel (or pirn, as it is called in Scotland) of 

 about four inches across, with a deep groove for the line. These 

 reels turn with great rapidity when a cast is made, and are 

 wound up quickly with the fore -finger. 



On the end of the line, depending on what kind of fishing it 

 is being used for, it is necessary to have 



TRACES AND BOTTOMS. 



The former, used for jack fishing, are of gimp, about a yard in 

 length, and should have two steel swivels on them, and one or 

 two leads (tapering at each end), depending on the strength 

 of the stream, &c. Those used for trout fishing are of gut, and 

 are fitted in the same way ; these are also of service in perch 

 and barbel fishing, with a float, and in paternoster fishing. 



Bottoms may be of hair or gut for roach, dace, and gudgeon 

 fishing, and about four yards in length. I have found that 

 those of twisted materials generally are not to be trusted : if the 

 swim is a rapid one, or barbel and perch are in the locality, 

 those of gut had better be used, as hair is so very likely to snap 

 at the strike of a heavy fish. 



Next in order we have 



HOOKS; 



but as these will all be spoken of in the description of catching 

 each fish, any remarks here would be superfluous. Every 



