8 



prevent the lines being cut. The tops of rods for 

 carp, tench, dace, and roach fishing, should be finer 

 and more elastic. 



Your rod must be kept neither too dry nor too 

 moist; for while the one will render it brittle, the 

 other will make it rotten. In very warm weather, 

 always wet the joints of your rod, which will make 

 them adhere better. If, from being too wet, they 

 should stick, so that you cannot get them readily 

 asunder, never use force, but rather wait till they be 

 dry ; or sometimes by turning the ferule of the joint 

 which is fast over the flame of a candle, you will 

 be enabled to separate them. 



Lines. 



Lines made of horse-hair are much to be pre- 

 ferred ; and these should be round, twisted even, 

 and of equal thickness. White and grey are the 

 best colours for clear waters, and sorrel for muddy 

 rivers. The most ready way of making your lines 

 is by the aid of a little machine, which you may 

 procure at most of the shops, where also the lines 

 may be procured ready-made. 



Ifooks. 



These are made of various sizes, suitable for the 

 fish they are intended to take, and distinguished by 

 means of numbers. The sizes preferred by anglers 

 at the present day are much smaller than those for- 

 merly used. For barbel-fishing, Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, 

 and 9, are used; for gudgeon, Nos. 10 or 11; for 

 roach, dace, and bleak, Nos. 10, 11, or 12; for tench, 

 carp, and perch, Nos. 7, 8, or 9; for trout, No. 6; 

 for chub, Nos. 8 or 9; for eels, No. 8; for gray- 

 ling, No. 10; for ruff, No. 9; for minnows, &c. 

 No. 13, &c. ' 



