268 THE TROUT CAST 



now sold by most English tackle dealers and the 

 " Hall " eyed hook. There is little to choose between 

 these ; they are all good. 



THE CAST 



A very instructive and interesting article has 

 appeared in the Fishing Catalogue of Westley 

 Richards this year (1907), which is well worth 

 the study of fishermen. The merits of unbleached 

 and undrawn gut, in my opinion, are rather over- 

 accentuated, and I should certainly advise the student 

 to depend on the bleached, drawn, and polished casts 

 supplied by the best makers. Every length of gut in 

 each cast should be well and carefully knotted, and no 

 ends should be noticeable when the cast is drawn 

 through the hand ; each length should be of even 

 thickness throughout, round, translucent, and smooth 

 to the touch. 



Always use the finest tackle consistent with safety, 

 and in choosing your casts and traces I can give no 

 better advice than to go to no dealer but the best. 

 I have obtained excellent casts from all the following 

 firms: Bernard, Hardy Brothers, Farlow, Westley 

 Richards, Eaton and Deller, Ogden Smith, etc., and 

 alas ! I have also been at times disappointed. In 

 spite of every care, even the most careful retail dealer 

 may at times be unable to guarantee every cast he 

 sells, and I should never condemn any good dealer 

 for supplying me with a few faulty gut casts. 



