Lines. 65 



Third. We must have weight, not only to bring out the 

 action of the rod, but also so that the line will hold its 

 own, at least to some extent, against the wind, and we 

 not be paralyzed by every trifling adverse summer 

 zephyr. The momentum of the line in act of casting is 

 measured by its weight multiplied by its velocity. It is 

 obvious, therefore, that no conceivable impetus will an- 

 swer the purpose unless the line has weight ; also, that the 

 more weight it has, provided the rod can readily handle 

 it, the more independent of circumstances we shall be. 



These considerations would seem to point to a thin 

 yet heavy line, weight being assumed to imply increase 

 of material and, therefore, strength; that is, a thin line 

 and a thick line. But since one and the same thing 

 cannot at the same time be both thick and thin at one 

 and the same point, the only way out of the difficulty 

 would seem to be to make the line thick where thick- 

 ness would do the least harm, and thin where thinness 

 would do the most good. Thickness except at the 

 ends, and thinness only at the ends in other words, a 

 tapered line would therefore seem, theoretically at 

 least, to be the proper thing. 



Theory and practice I believe to be in accord in thig 

 matter. Still many very expert fly-fishermen, perhaps 

 a majority of them, habitually use only a level line. 

 All admit that the tapered line casts the neater fly ; 

 also that its end where fastened to the leader can with- 

 out injury be thinner, and consequently less conspicu- 

 ous, than in a level line. Both lines must have sufficient 

 thickness to give the requisite weight. But while the 

 level line must carry this thickness to its end, the 

 tapered line can be thinned down as far as is consistent 

 with the desired strength. 



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