THE CASTING-LINE. 313 



of casting is fostered, by want of attention to this point. 

 Rod and line should match each other, and a line either 

 too light or too heavy is a nuisance and an evil. Take 

 care that the reel has a moderate click ; if it runs too 

 heavily it is too trying to the tackle, and if too light it 

 is dangerous ; all should go smoothly, so as to avoid all 

 chance of a check. 



The casting-line or gut-bottom is the next point of con- 

 sideration. For my own part, I always like about three 

 lengths of treble-twisted gut, and two of good double gut, 

 and then the single gut, in all close upon four yards. 

 Let it be good sound, round, reliable gut, not mere make- 

 shift rubbish. The gut should be stained either amber or 

 green for peet or limestone waters. Coffee-lees give the 

 first ; boiled green-baize, or wamut-shuks steeped, the 

 second. 1 Some, as I have already said, use ink, but 

 usually too dark in tinge ; this might do if one rented 

 pools on the Styx, but elsewhere it is a bad and unnatural 

 dye, and shows plainly in any water. Better no dye at all 

 than this, for though a pool may look dark and black to 

 the eye it is usually only the result of the rocky bed, the 

 depth, or overshadowing rocks ; it does not look so to the 

 fish from below. Whether the angler uses one, or two, or 

 even three flies on his cast, must be decided by the water 

 he is going to fish. In some waters more than one fly is 

 dangerous, in others it answers well enough. In lake- 

 fishing, for example, two and even three flies may often 

 be used with advantage ; and on the Tay and such broad 

 heavy waters also, three flies are sometimes used. The 

 salmon fly should always be tied upon a hook with a loop 

 eye at the head. Whether this loop be formed as part of 

 the hook itself, or be lashed on, matters not here. Sup- 



1 Some anglers like the dirty blue or pale ink stain, because as seen 

 from the bottom it is the same colour as the sky. There may be something 

 in this. 



