APPENDIX 413 



than to go to the very best dealers. I have obtained 

 excellent casts from all the following firms : Westley Richards, 

 Harrods, Little & Co., Eaton and Deller, Ogden Smith, 

 Cummins, Malloch, etc ; alas ! I have also been at times 

 disappointed. In spite of every care, even the most reliable 

 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. 



A make of cast which can be obtained from most retailers 

 is the " Hercules " cast. So far as my experience has 

 gone, I have found these casts good both in quality and 

 durability. They are to be obtained from Little & Co., of 

 the Haymarket. The cast for dry fly fishing should be 

 three yards in length, tapering to the finest limit of safety. 

 This limit should be decided by the state of the weather, the 

 water, the time of the year, and the size of the trout in- 

 habiting the water in which you are fishing. 



Remember that the strength of the cast will be determined 

 by its weakest length. 



Experience will decide the degree of necessary strength 

 for the fine points, and when new streams are tried the 

 advice of a local fisherman or your tackle maker may well be 

 sought. 



Always have at least half a dozen casts of fine and medium 

 gut in your box when away from a tackle shop, also a 

 plentiful supply of fine gut points, fifteen to eighteen inches 

 in length. During the day, when fishing, keep one cast in 

 your damping-box, and always where possible soak a new 

 cast for at least thirty minutes in lukewarm water before 

 using it. Insufficient soaking or too much soaking may 

 render the best gut unreliable. Keep your casts in a flat 

 metal cast box, such as is sold by all tackle makers. 



Sunlight, and light generally, is ruinous in its effect on 

 gut. Your spare casts should never be left exposed to the 



