Leaders. 109 



its use was attended with no loss whatever. Doubtless 

 this is partly due to the fact that the gut is then not 

 subjected to heat. The resultant color is a neutral tint 

 of an azure tone, a color excellent in itself. Ink, how- 

 ever, is generally considered inferior to the dyes of which 

 copperas is a component, in that it does not equally 

 neutralize the natural gloss of the surface of the gut. 

 This is of the utmost consequence, since, as will be seen 

 hereafter, from a glossy surface the light is so reflected 

 that a strand of such gut appears in the water like a 

 polished silver wire. Mr. Fred Mather, the widely 

 and well-known superintendent of the Cold Spring Fish 

 Hatchery, informs me that the juice of the milk-weed 

 will remove this gloss. I have had no opportunity to 

 try this, but if when used in conjunction with the dyes 

 it will produce this effect without injuring the gut, Mr. 

 Mather by his suggestion adds another to the numerous 

 obligations he has already placed upon the angling 

 fraternity. 



The comparative merits of the different colors are 

 discussed in the chapter on Flies and Fly-fishing. My 

 experiments seem to indicate that a leader absolutely in- 

 visible to the fish, if it ever will be, has not as yet been 

 produced. Experiment and experience alike incline me 

 to believe that more important than fishing up or down 

 stream more important than wearing brilliant or sober 

 tinted clothing more important than wading rather 

 than fishing from the bank more important than being 

 yourself visible or concealed more important, indeed, 

 than any of the dozen different cautions of the books, is 

 it to have your leader the connection between you and 

 the flies absolutely invisible ; or, since this seems im- 

 possible in the present state of the art, then at least 



