THE WET -FiY EQUIPMENT. 83 



smaller and lighter reel, but I prefer this one 

 because it balances a rod better and holds enough 

 line for such an emergency as hooking a salmon or 

 very large trout, a thing which may happen from 

 time to time. I do not think one should ever have 

 less than fifty yards of line on a trout reel, and in 

 choosing one the novice would do well to bear this 

 in mind. These fifty yards are made up of thirty 

 yards of dressed, double-tapered, silk casting-line, 

 and twenty yards of undressed water-cord, which 

 need not be thick. If the novice asks the shopman 

 for " backing " he will get the right thing. The 

 two lengths of line are joined together by a splice ; 

 this and putting the line on the reel had better be 

 done at the shop. 



The dressed line should be chosen with some 

 care. It should have the same lissom, smooth 

 qualities that were desired in the bottom-fishing 

 line, and should not be at all sticky. There is much 

 difficulty in stating what thickness it should have, 

 and by far the best system of distinguishing be- 

 tween lines is to take a standard of weight, as was 

 suggested by A. C. K. in the Field of Feb. 24th, 

 1906. The idea has not, however, been taken up 

 universally yet, so the novice had better ask for 

 a line tapering from F to H or I, or, if his rod is 



both light and supple, from G to I. For dry-fly 



G 2 



