70 FISHING TACKLE 



so that it may be pulled out readily, but this 

 makes a clumsy knot, and is unnecessary. An- 

 other method that is followed by some anglers 

 is to attach a short loop of heavy gut to the 

 end of the line, so that the leader can be looped 

 over this. It is satisfactory if the gut loop 

 be soaked before strain is put on it, and also 

 provided the loop be very firmly made fast. 

 It should be soaked thoroughly, then whipped 

 on with heavily waxed silk under considerable 

 tension, so that it cannot pull out. 



Examine all knots in the leader, and if the 

 gut be broken next to one of them as fre- 

 quently happens cut it and tie a new knot. 

 This may at first seem to be a difficult matter, 

 but if you will practice with the ends of a piece 

 of cord large enough to give you a clear idea 

 how the thing is done, it will be easy to master. 

 Many knots are in common use, but with most 

 of them the ends of the gut stick out parallel 

 with the strands, and are rough and untidy. In 

 the knot given in Fig. 1 1 the ends stand out at 

 right angles to the strands, and may be clipped 

 off close to the knot, as they cannot pull out. 

 The ends of the gut are overlapped slightly, 

 then one end is turned twice around the other 

 strand and secured between the two. Reverse 

 ends and tie the second part of the knot in the 



