44 THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 



THE LINE. 



You must be very particular in the choice 

 of your line for barbel fishing, or it is not 

 unlikely that it will be broken half a dozen 

 times in the course of a day, if they are on 

 the feed and run large. It should be made of 

 the very best and strongest gut that can be 

 procured. It must also be so made up, that 

 there shall not be any sign of a blemish in it, 

 for if there be, the very first fish you hook will 

 find it out, and away he'll go, perhaps with 

 the greatest part of it hanging to his mouth. 



We have taken them with two hooks in 

 the mouth, to which have been attached 

 several feet of gut, which they have borne 

 away triumphantly from some unfortunate 

 anglers who could not hold them. You must 

 take care also, that the piece of gut on which 

 your hook is tied is not too coarse, for if 

 it is, they will not touch the bait; it must 

 be quite round, and straight, and as fine as 

 you can dare venture to fish with. Many 

 anglers are not particular enough in this 

 respect^ and that is why they do not get 

 hold of barbel; they have such a keen eye, 



