220 FLY FISHING 



This is a most easy knot to tie, even with cold 

 fingers; it is safe, and can be undone when the 

 fly is changed. 



Of lines it is only necessary to say that tapered 

 waterproof plaited silk lines are excellent, but I 

 think, at any rate for trout fishing, that nothing 

 is better than a Manchester waterproof plaited 

 cotton line ; when it is new it goes into the eye 

 of the wind beautifully. I think the silk line is 

 better than the other after each has had a season's 

 wear, but though lines, if carefully and regularly 

 dried, will last a long time, they should be 

 frequently tested and not trusted too long. A 

 ludicrous accident once happened to me, when 

 fishing for salmon with an old line. It was a 

 pouring wet morning, and just at the critical 

 moment when the river began to rise I hooked 

 a salmon in a broad open stretch of water. This 

 salmon played sulkily; after a few minutes I 

 tried to reel in some line, but the fish was not 

 very willing ; the wet line would not run easily on 

 the dripping rod, and broke suddenly about half- 

 way up the rod. I was alone, but the fish, not 

 understanding the situation, gave me time to lay 

 down the rod, and knot the line rapidly to a 



