FLOAT FISHING TACKLE. 213 



have already made, namely, that the catch-rim against which 

 the suspender is supported should be put right up at the top of 

 the ferrule, at C, in fact, instead of at D (vide diagram 2), thus 

 adding materially to the balance as well as to the general con- 

 venience of the whole thing. 



It would then, I believe, be an absolutely perfect net. The 

 net is the production of Messrs. Hardy Bros., Alnwick, and the 

 handle and carrier that of Mrs. Williams, of Great Queen 

 Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. I have merely performed the part 

 of mortar in uniting the two bricks of the edifice. But, no 

 doubt, after this book is published, at least these two tackle- 

 makers will make the whole net complete as shown. 



In landing a fish, the net should be kept as much out of 

 sight as possible until the moment of using it, when it should 

 be rapidly, but steadily, passed under the fish from below and 

 behind; the movement of getting the fish into the net being, 

 therefore, a lifting and ' sweeping ' movement, so to speak. 



FLOATS, SHOT, AND SUNDRIES. 

 FLOATS. 



Floats are amongst the items in fishermen's equipment which 

 have also, I think, been carried as near the point of perfection 

 as possible. Floats of the most fascinating shapes, of every size, 

 colour, and combination of cork and quill, can be obtained in 

 the tackle shops. For the sake of convenience, I have had 

 half-a-dozen of the most useful shapes engraved. 



No. i is made of cork with a porcupine quill running 

 through the middle. It has the merit of being one of the 

 strongest possible forms of float, sightly, and at the same time 

 a ' good steady carrier,' in fact, the float fisher will find that 

 made of different shapes and sizes, there is no float which can 

 be more satisfactorily used in the greatest number of circum- 

 stances. And this observation applies as well to pond as to 

 river fishing. 



