12 BOTTOM OR FLOAT-FISHING. 



the reel for almost every description of bottom- 

 fishing. 



There is a twisted silk line, sold in the tackle- 

 shops, which is cheaper, but which kinks directly 

 it is wet, rendering it useless for Nottingham 



fishing. 



GUT-LINES. 



Gut-lines are preferable for every description of 

 bottom and fly-fishing, and, especially in the latter 

 case, it is important that they should be carefully 

 and evenly tapered from top to bottom. The 

 three chief points to be looked to in selecting silk- 

 worm gut, are roundness, evenness of substance, and 

 above all transparency ; and in the case of very fine 

 gut, to taking care that it has not been scraped, or 

 artificially fined down in any way. Gut so treated 

 is what is termed " drazvn-gut" Its appearance is 

 not so glossy as the natural material, and it frays 

 and wears out almost directly when exposed to 

 moisture and friction of any sort. Exceedingly 

 fine, round, natural gut is, of course, somewhat 

 expensive, and not always to be obtained without 

 trouble, but it is essential in many kinds of 

 fishing, and will in the end be found really much 



