CHAPTER XX. 



ROD AND TACKLE. 



"Away to the brook, 



All your tackle out-look, 



Here's a day that is worth a year's wishing ; 

 See that all things be right, 

 For 'twould be a spite 

 To want tools when a man goes a-fishing." 



COTTON. 



I BEGAN my fishing in India with rough-and-ready self-made articles ; 

 accordingly, in my first edition, I began this Chapter with instructions 

 how any brother fisherman in like distress might set himself up with 

 an impromptu self-made kit. I think it was a mistake. Such a kit is 

 sure to be a bad one, sure to lead only to terrible disasters and 

 disappointments in any but the most skilful hands, and not unfrequently 

 even in those. Practised hands will know how to make up makeshifts 

 without my telling them; others should not venture on using them. 

 Rather let them be careful to buy the best implements to aid them in 

 their first efforts. 



Hooks. The hooks required for Mahseer fishing will, as far as the 

 fly fishing is concerned, be the same as for Salmon fishing, to wit, 

 Limerick hooks, but in ordering them you will please not forget the 

 caution given at pp. 116 and 124, and will refer your tackle-maker to my 

 illustrations of sizes, pp. 117, 119-123. 



But for spinning you will require a very different style of treble 

 hook to the sort ordinarily used for spinning in England, you will 

 require one made specially for Mahseer. The sizes of Mahseer trebles 

 are the same as those of other treble hooks as given on p. 119, but 

 Mahseer trebles are made of very much stouter wire. 



A tackle-maker accustomed to supply Indian tackle will know what 

 you mean if you call them Mahseer trebles ; but from ordinary tackle- 



