10 HAIR AND GUT LINES. 



tackle-makers have been enabled to bring it down to 

 almost any fineness. This is called drawn gut ; but if the 

 angler can obtain the gut of sufficient fineness in its 

 natural state, it is better in every respect, being much 

 stronger and infinitely more durable ; as in drawing it 

 the hard outside surface which protects the gut is shaved 

 off, and nothing but the central and pithy part is left. 

 Drawn gut can easily be distinguished from natural gut 

 at the first glance. It is dull in colour instead of bright 

 and shining, and when in the coil is for less springy and 

 hard if bent. It soon frays away, and a very few times 

 of using rots it ; whereas a really good sound undrawn gut 

 line, if properly used, will last for months. It is not 

 possible, however, always to get really fine undrawn gut 

 lines of first quality ; and the drawn gut, which can be 

 had of any fineness, is certainly far preferable to hair in 

 point of strength. Many roach-fishers, however, still use 

 single hair. Now, hair has this objection, viz. it is so 

 elastic that whenever you strike a good fish the line will 

 spring to such a degree that the hook often fails to fix 

 itself properly. Added to which, from its lack of strength 

 and liability to crack at knots, many good fish, hooks, 

 and much time, are lost both in playing the fish and in 

 repairing losses. Still, as I have said, many excellent 

 fishers (for roach particularly) do employ it, and it cer- 

 tainly is a very pretty bit of sport to kill a roach of a 

 pound and a half in a nice eddy with a single hair. I 

 generally use a fine gut line with a hair hook. Young 

 fishermen should always go through a course of single-hair 

 fishing. Nothing contributes to give them such a delicate 

 touch and such an accurate perception of the exact 

 amount of strain their rods and tackles will bear as 

 fishing with single hair. And no bottom-fisher is worth 

 the name who cannot (if his fish be well hooked and tackle 

 sound) kill a two-pound roach in a sharp stream with a 



