74 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



your line to its influence, since it will then dry more in 

 one day than in three if kept in-doors. 



But the preparation of a line by any of these proc- 

 esses, is a nasty, tedious, and ill-smelling job. It is far 

 better to pay seven or eight cents a yard for a good en- 

 amelled waterproofed line to some good house. You 

 may feel pretty confident you will wish you had done 

 so before you get through preparing one yourself. 



Select a line not too long in stock. 



Before buying, double the line close to the end, twist 

 the loop together hard, and roll it between the thumb 

 and finger with all convenient pressure. Then untwist 

 and straighten the loop, and see whether the water- 

 proofing has disintegrated. This will be indicated by 

 the line becoming whitish where so treated, and shows 

 that the waterproofing compound is too hard and brit- 

 tle. The line will be in the form of a coil. See that the 

 coils stick together very little, if at all, since this indi- 

 cates that the composition is too soft, that it will speedi- 

 ly wear off in running through the rings of the rod, and 

 that the line will soon rot. All this, however, is to some 

 extent a question of temperature. I have yet to see a 

 waterproofing compound upon a line which is just right 

 at a freezing temperature and also at 95 Fahr. Cellu- 

 loid may do it, but I doubt its possibility with any com- 

 pound having a drying-oil for its base. A little common- 

 sense is therefore in order, and a line which it is judged 

 will be all right in these respects, at a temperature from 

 55 to 75 Fahr., should be considered satisfactory. Then 

 try the strength of the exposed end of the line, and if it 

 breaks easily have nothing to do with it. Ask the deal- 

 er's consent to this, which if he refuses try elsewhere. 

 For the best makers or their employes sometimes make 



