io The Angler s Tackle and Equipment. 



indispensable for angling in clear water, and the 

 rounder and more regular it is the better. On the 

 other hand, when it is reduced and drawn out, as 

 it often is, till it resembles nothing so much as 

 gossamer, it will make neither a strong line nor a 

 good "cast." 



The threads of gut which have been carefully 

 selected to form a perfectly tapered line, are first 

 well soaked in cold water to render them more 

 pliable and to prevent their breaking, and then 

 united by means of the double slip-knot, which is 

 the safest, and for all practical purposes the best. 

 Remembering that the strength of a chain is the 

 strength of its weakest link, the angler will take 

 care that no faulty hair find its way into the line. 



I always use nine flies on my cast, and as they 

 are all tied on very fine looped gut, the droppers 

 are easily attached by bringing the loops over the 

 knots of the line. I place one over every alter- 

 nate knot, thus allowing a space, according to the 

 general length of the hairs, of 20 or 22 inches from 

 fly to fly. The length of the droppers need not 

 exceed 2 inches, and ought to be the same for 

 each. Some authorities on angling recommend 

 that they should hang from 2J to 3 inches, in- 

 creasing in length in proportion to their distance 

 from the trail fly. But experience will prove to 

 any angler that this is a mistake, as the fly on the 



