ARTIFICIAL FLY-FISHING, &C. 101 



always lengthen or shorten it by means of the 

 winch, you may, if you are expert, and are a 

 true lover of angling, after some trials, accom- 

 plish it. Never iucumber yourself with too 

 much line at first, but increase the length of it as 

 you find you make improvement; and as it is 

 ten to one, that you loose a fly every time you 

 cast your line, until you are arrived at some 

 degree of perfection in doing it, it will not be 

 amiss to practice sometimes without one. But 

 let me return to the subject : your line should run 

 taper from the top of your rod down to the fly, 

 that is, if the first link is composed of thirty-five 

 hairs, the next must be of thirty-four; so leaving 

 out one hair in each link, till the whole is com- 

 pleted; then comes the silk worm-gut, on which 

 you should whip all your hooks. 



But the best lines for artificial fly angling 

 are those that are wove, and are all one piece, 

 and are to be bought at any of the shops in 

 London where fishing-tackle is sold, and run 

 taper like the lash of a coach whip, and may be 

 had at any length; as from thirty to forty 

 yards, &c. 



These are the only lines that can be used on a 

 winch ; because they have no knots to prevent 

 them running gibly through the rings of the 

 rod. 



By the line being made taper, you will be able 

 to throw it into any place you like with a grea- 

 ter exactness, and it will fall much lighter on 

 the water, \vhich will very much increase your 

 sport. 



The reader now being informed of the rod 



and lines best calculated for artificial fly-jish hig, 



I shall in the next chapter give him a list of the 



materials he must be in possession of before he 



K 3 



