THE ROACH AND RUDD 

 some force can be used. The usual length of the gut cast — ^the very finest 

 drawn gut — is about three feet, with the smallest hook made; of course 

 larger are used also, the lead is distributed, one a foot from the hook, 

 and the other a foot above that; this is thought by some anglers to cast 

 better than if both are close together. Instead of nipping shot on to the 

 extremely fine 6 X gut used, Mr Maltby recommends a bit of lead hammered 

 out flat about the size and thickness of a threepenny piece, and same 

 shape — ^this is folded across the middle to a half moon shape, and can 

 then be easily nipped on to the gut and cut down if too heavy, or opened 

 and taken off without injuring the fine gut. Any light reel of large diameter, 

 but narrow across from side to side, so as to wind on quickly, and revolve 

 quickly, will answer. The Sheffield rod,* as Mr J. T. Maltby, one of its 

 most expert users says, is a '* Kind of tool seldom seen in use about 

 London." It is made in two joints, each about five feet in length of whole 

 cane; with the last two feet of the top a fine bit of lancewood, greenheart, 

 or washaba spliced to the cane, so that it is stiff, all but the very supple 

 top piece. It is fitted with bridge rings, because they stand out well from 

 the rod, and, as Mr Maltby says, prevent the line clinging to it in damp 

 weather, and so impeding it as it passes through the rings in casting. 

 ** One very important item is the top nipple or runner at the end of the 

 rod. This should be of steel, not soft metal," as the friction of the fine line 

 soon makes grooves in the latter. The reel is fixed on the rod not less than 

 a foot from the end of the butt, so as to " allow the rod to rest under the 

 forearm, as a support to keep the rod steady." 



Mr Maltby, of course, rightly insists on the importance of not letting 

 the fish see you; and recommends a sitting posture on your seat basket. 

 In baiting with a gentle the point of the hook should be inserted close 

 to its thick end and brought out close to where it was put in, with the barb 

 showing. This does not kill the gentle, and leaves it free to move about 

 in a lively manner. 



METHOD OF CASTING 



Any angler accustomed to casting a fiy and " shooting " the line, i.e., 

 having some loose line hanging down off the reel, holding it in the left 



*On Jan. 22, 1912, Mr J. T. Nfaltby, of Boston, Lincolnshire, who is one of the champion anglers of the district, 

 gave a most interesting lecture on the Sheffield and Boston Style of Angling to the Gresham Angling Society. I gave 

 a report of it in The Fishmg Gazette, of Jan. 27, 1912, and give some extracts from it here. — R. B. M. 



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