TACKLE 223 



than is pleasant or desirable for fishing in 

 ordinary weather. 



A very heavy reel line makes one's fishing 

 less delicate, and on days when very fine gut 

 has to be used, it makes what may be called the 

 gradient of the taper too steep, so that the fly 

 is continually catching the reel line in the air, 

 and interrupting one's casting. By all means 

 keep a reel with a heavy line in readiness, and 

 in rough weather go out to contend against an 

 adverse gale equipped with your stiffest rod and 

 a heavy line and a short gut cast, but for 

 ordinary days use a lighter line, and more gut 

 even though you continue to use (as I do) a 

 stiff rod. 



For many years there has been a constant 

 improvement proceeding in the make and pattern 

 of reels ; it is easy enough to get a good one, 

 and every angler should get one of the best 

 construction. It is better to have one good 

 reel than two inferior ones, for an 'unreliable 

 reel entails the certain loss of a big fish sooner 

 or later. The line is sure to refuse to run at 

 some critical moment, either because it has been 

 overrun and tangled on the reel, or because 



