CHAPTER IX 

 LINES 



THE majority of writers on angling subjects pass 

 over the subject of lines very abruptly, and many 

 practical fishermen are apt to do likewise. Great care 

 and attention are devoted to the choice of the rod, but 

 the selection of the line is not given the thought it 

 deserves. The line and the rod are really as one, and 

 in the ideal combination they work as one unit, the 

 line following every movement of the rod. Weight, 

 thickness and breaking strain all play their part. 

 Those who are just initiating themselves into the art 

 of fly casting or bait throwing* are often considerably 

 handicapped by the use of lines totally unsuitable to 

 their rods. 



The light bait caster in embryo finds considerable 

 difficulty in accustoming himself to an extremely fine 

 line, which, it is true, appears far too light and slender 

 for practical purposes. But very few anglers realise 

 that a pure plaited silk line loses considerable strength 

 in proofing. The writer can safely testify that anyone 

 who will carry out the simple experiment of proofing 

 a few yards of fine silk line and comparing the proofed 

 and unproofed will be astonished at the difference in 

 strength. A really tiptop quality unproofed sjlk line 

 is very elastic and its tensile breaking strain when 

 fully extended from the reel is very high. So that 

 the unproofed silk line has the initial advantage in 

 strength for bottom fishing, sea fishing and spinning; 



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