84 ELEMENTS OF ANGLING. 



fishing a heavier line is often necessary, but for 

 wet-fly work a light line is essential, as will be 

 seen. 



The other requirements are 3-yard gut casts, 

 flies, fly-book, a damping pouch or box, and prob- 

 ably waders. The casts should be slightly tapered, 

 and should be of two strengths, say, from medium 

 to finest undrawn, and from fine to 3x drawn. The 

 stouter casts will serve for learning the game, and 

 for coloured water; for serious fishing in clear 

 water the finer ones will be necessary. The novice 

 might purchase four of the first and eight of the 

 last. A 6in. pigskin fly-book, with compartments 

 for casts, pockets for flies, and flannel leaves, will 

 cost about 55., and flies tied on gut from is. to 

 2s. 6d. the dozen ; prices of flies vary at different 

 establishments, but taking them all round, a stock 

 of flies ought to be procurable at an average rate of 

 not more than 2s. per dozen. For damping the 

 gut nothing is better than a soft rubber tobacco 

 pouch with a pad of flannel or spongio-piline inside 

 it. But round shallow tin boxes are sold for the 

 purpose, and have only a slightly greater bulk and 

 weight against them. Wading-stockings, brogues, 

 and thick woollen socks will cost, roughly, about 

 2. This is an expense which is not essential ; a 

 man should not wade if he suffers much from 



