TREiNT FISHING. 33 



said cap must fit tight to the float, to hold the line firmly at 

 the right depth where you first place it. If the cap were 

 loose, the float would slip up and down the line, and as the 

 float is fixed to the line, in order that the bait should be at 

 the exact depth required, the float slipping up or down the 

 line would counteract that arrangement. Some anglers do 

 not use a cap to their floats, but simply fasten the line to it 

 by two half -hitches. This is a very good plan, but I like a 

 cap better. These floats are in all sizes, from the smallest 

 goose quill that will only carry five or six small split shots, 

 to the pelican or swan quill, which will carry a dozen large 

 ones, or the big cork float to carry even more ; but the angler 

 must regulate the size of his float according to the strength 

 of the stream, the depth he has to fish, or the distance he 

 has to throw. In Plate 3, which illustrates Nottingham 

 floats, a slight mistake is made in the drawings of the cork 

 floats ; they should not have a shoulder at the top of the 

 cork, but should be the thickest about one and a half inches 

 lower down, and taper gradually up to the quill. 



The angler has now got his rod, reel, line, and float, and 

 so we will now look at another very important article, 

 namely, the bottom tackle, and this he can either make him- 

 self or buy ready made. If the former, when he buys the 

 gut he should see that it is round and smooth drawn, and 

 perfectly level from end to end ; the gut that is flat in places 

 and unequal is useless for a good tackle. He should have 

 his gut in various degrees of strength ; the finest for roacli 

 and dace tackle, and some a bit stronger for chub, barbel, or 

 bream. I advise him not to buy coarse, common stuff". I 

 should recommend him to buy the finest he can find, for he 

 will be surprised at the strength there is in fine smooth, 

 round drawn gut. When he proceeds to make his tackle, he 

 draws from his hank of gut as many lengths as he requires, 

 and cuts off" the waste or fag ends : steep it next in lukewarm 

 water, or it will be too brittle and will not tie ; half an hour 

 or so will be quite sufficient to steep it. If the gut presents 

 a bright and glossy appearance, it will be necessary to stain 

 it slightly, and for this purpose common writing-ink mixed 

 with a little water and warmed will be one good thing, a 



D 



