32 BOTTOM OR FLOAT-FISHING. 



hooks, &c., the following, used and commonly sup- 

 plied for the purpose by most of the tackle manu- 

 facturers, will be found useful : 



Spirits of Wine, 6 . 

 Orange Shellac, T %. 

 Gum Benjamin, a small piece, about T V. 



Allow the mixture a fortnight to dissolve before 

 using. A varnish of some sort over the lapping 

 is exceedingly valuable in all tackle, as it protects 

 the silk from the effects of the water. In gimp 

 tackle it is especially important, owing to the cor- 

 rosion produced by wet brass and steel coming in 

 contact. 



This varnish dries almost immediately. 



DlSGORGERS. 



A disgorger is one of the most desirable, though 

 not perhaps absolutely essential, items of a fisher- 

 man's equipment. In fly-fishing the use of a dis- 

 gorger prolongs the life of the fly, and in every 

 description of fishing shortens the time wasted in 

 extracting the hooks, and saves the fingers. The 

 most convenient way of carrying the disgorger is 

 to suspend it by a short link from one of the 



