OTHER TACKLE, FLIES AND MINNOWS 47 



branch. Then, with a steady pull on both ends of the 

 string, I have drawn the spreading twigs within reach of 

 my hand and have thus been able to recover my fly. 



A length of stout cord or binder twine is another useful 

 item. If you should be sufficiently fortunate to land a 

 really big fish, an easy way to carry it is to tie the cord 

 round the root of the tail, pass the cord through the gill 

 and mouth, and bring the cord back to the loop round the 

 tail. You can thus carry the fish by means of the cord, 

 in the same manner as you would carry a bag. This is 

 the way we usually deal with a salmon. 



Whatever else you omit from your collection of gear, 

 do not go fishing without your penknife or a small pair of 

 scissors, otherwise you will be in want of a necessary 

 implement immediately on reaching the water, for the 

 vagaries of an angling trip are usually unexpected. 



Finally, if your journeys to the river have to be made 

 by rail, give serious thought to the purchase of a rod case, 

 as the luggage rack is not adequate for an unprotected 

 rod. You may be cautious, and you may take every 

 precaution, but, notwithstanding your studied care, the 

 chances are that somebody will hurriedly push a heavy 

 bag against the rod tip, and, though the culprit will say 

 " Sorry/' your expedition will be spoilt. Rod cases, 

 such as aluminium tubes, are made in appropriate 

 lengths for single rods, while, if you desire to take several 

 rods, wooden boxes are constructed to hold rods in 

 quantity and of various lengths. Although these boxes 

 are a trifle cumbersome, you will prefer an encumbrance 

 to a broken rod. 



The sum total of an angler's sea-trout requirements is 

 not very alarming, and the wise man can generally reduce 

 his outfit to a limit which will give to him complete 

 satisfaction. 



