34 BOTTOM FISHING IN THE NOTTINGHAM STYLE. 



little in a teacup will do. The gut should be moistened in 

 lukewarm, water, and then put in the mixture for a few 

 minutes ; when you take it out, dip it in clean water a time 

 or two, and it is then ready for use : this will give it a bluish 

 tinge. Strong coffee lees, in which a bit of alum has been 

 dissolved, will give it a sort of brown or peat colour. (I find 

 that Judson's dyes are very useful to the tackle-maker, being 

 very simple in application, and giving the tackle a most 

 permanent dye. The slate colour is an extremely useful one, 

 giving the tackle that dull, smoky blue colour, that is so 

 beloved by all good bottom fishermen ; procure a sixpenny 

 bottle of that dye, and mix it among sufficient boiling water 

 as will fill an ordinary wine bottle ; when cold, put it in 

 the bottle and place it safely away ; when you want to dye 

 some gut, put about one-fourth of this mixture, in three- 

 fourths of water, into a small saucepan ; then put the gut, 

 in, place it on the fire, and as soon as it boils, take it out 

 and drop it into a basin of cold water ; this is all that is 

 required.) In the foregoing note re Judson's dyes, I find 

 on reading it over again, that the amateur tackle-maker will 

 be apt to make a mistake as to the quantity of stuff required; 

 he will be under the impression that one-fourth of the whole 

 that is in the bottle will be wanted, but it is not so ; I 

 simply meant one part dye and three parts water, viz. rather 

 more than half a small teacupful of dye, and nearly two 

 teacupsful of clean water ; this will be found sufficient to 

 dye a whole hank of gut, but if the angler only wants it 

 slightly stained, he must reduce the quantity of dye, and 

 increase the quantity of water ; or if he wants it a very dark 

 stain, he must proceed exactly opposite ; the green dye, 

 treated exactly the same as the slate, will be found a most 

 useful colour for roach or bream fishing over a weed-bed ; 

 and the brown dye, for barbel fishing on a sandy or gravelly 

 bottom; these will be found to answer every purpose. 

 Having steeped the gut, and got it to the required pliability, 

 the tyro next proceeds to tie it into lengths to suit his 

 requirements, and there are various ways of tying a knot, so 

 that it should be firm and strong, without any danger of the 

 joints slipping asunder. The best knot that I know of is 



