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common use, is given in the foot-note.* But where the gut is not 

 of very unusual thickness (so thick in fact that, when doubled, the 

 doubled end will not pass the eye) the following will be found in 

 practice the quickest and easiest mode of tying it. The knot 

 itself when finished is the same in both cases : 



Take the end of the gut line and make with the last 4 or 5 

 inches of it a loop, with a double slip knot [as described in the 

 last paragraph of the foot-note below]. Draw the slip knot 

 itself quite tight, and straighten out the loop between the finger 

 and thumb so that the doubled end of it is as small or pointed as 

 may be. Push this end into the eye (in the direction shown in 

 the last diagram) and draw the whole of it through until the slip knot 

 presses into and against the outside of the eye, where, after ' spread- 

 ing' out the loop upwards over the fly, hold the knot firmly 

 between the nails of the thumb and fore-finger of the left hand, 



* Take the hook by the bend between the finger and thumb of the left 

 hand, and with the eye turned downwards in the position shown in the 

 diagram ; then the gut being first thoroughly well soaked push the end, 

 with three or four inches or so, down through the eye (B) (towards the point 

 of the hook) ; then pass it round over the shank of the hook, and again, from 

 the opposite side, downwards through the eye in a direction away from the 

 hook's point (the gut end and the main line will now be lying parallel) ; make 

 the double slip knot (A) round the main line (C), and pull the said knot itself 

 perfectly tight ; then draw the whole loop of gut, together with the knot (A), 

 backwards (towards the tail of the fly) until the knot presses tightly into, and 

 against, the metal eye of the hook (B)> where hold it firmly with the nails of 

 the fore-finger and thumb of the left hand, whilst with the right hand the main 

 line is drawn tight, thus taking in the " slack " of the knot. When finished, 

 cut the superfluous gut end off close. 



[To tie a Double Slip Knot : Make a single 

 slip knot (a) and, before drawing it close, pass the 

 gut end (b) a second time round the main line (<:), and then again through the 

 .oop (a), when the knot will be like (A) in the larger diagram. To finish, pull 

 the end of the gut () gradually, and at last very tightly straight away ; in 

 a line, that is, with the main line (c).] To tie this, and all other water-knots, 

 the gut must, of course, be thoroughly well soaked. 



