1 6 CASTING-LINES. 



but are not very commonly used for fly-fishing. 

 About eighty yards I consider sufficient for a 

 salmon-line perhaps a hundred may be better, 

 as allowing for waste ; and, of course, one may 

 meet with fish endowed with extraordinary run- 

 ning powers, or the fisherman may be in 

 positions where a very long line is essential ; 

 but in my personal experience I have never 

 had eighty yards of line entirely run off my 

 reel, though, upon two occasions one on the 

 Makerstoun water on Tweed, and one at Bally- 

 shannon on the Erne only a few feet out of 

 that quantity were left on my reel. The line, 

 whatever its length, should be thickest at the end 

 attached to the reel, and gradually taper towards 

 the casting-line. 



Casting- Lines. The casting-line, like the line 

 itself, should taper from its base, commencing 

 with two or three plaits, and terminating in at 

 least three feet of good, round, sound, single gut. 

 Machines may be bought for the manufacture of 

 casting-lines, as for cartridges, meerschaum pipes, 

 or anything else, with full instructions gratis ; but 

 you will buy far better than you can make at 

 least I can and cheaper too. The gut should be 

 stained before it is made up blue, or green, or 

 coffee- colour, anything but black or white. Un- 



