2o8 ELEMENTS OF ANGLING. 



or i2lb., and if the shorter top is used it will throw 

 a 5111. or 6in. bait at need. Where the fish do not 

 exceed these weights often (few of the more 

 accessible rivers yield a real monster more than 

 once in a way), sport is improved by the use of a 

 light rod and fine tackle, and often a 4111. bait is 

 big enough. But in a water where 20- pounders 

 are a possibility I believe in a big bait, a dace of 

 some Sin. or gin., and that necessitates a heavier 

 rod and thicker line, the one to bear the brunt of 

 the hard work entailed in casting such a weight, 

 the other to make spinning from the coil pleasanter. 

 A thick line does not kink so much as a thin one, 

 and it reduces the risk of having the fingers cut by 

 the first rush of a big fish. Even if he does not 

 get a new rod, the novice will have to procure a 

 certain amount of tackle, traces, flights of hooks, 

 an artificial bait or two, leads, floats, a " gag," a 

 disgorger, and a gaff or big landing-net. Of old 

 it was essential to have one's traces and flights 

 made up with a substance known as a gimp," a 

 combination of silk and wire. This was considered 

 to be the only material capable of resisting the 

 pike's teeth. Even now gimp is used by nine 

 anglers out of ten. Its disadvantages are that it 

 is too visible in the water, and that it can never be 

 trusted after reaching a certain age. The pike 



