222 FOOT-LINES FOR BOTTOM-FISHING. 



strength, and it cannot be too fine for roach fish- 

 ing. Roach lines, at least that portion of them 

 next to the hook, are often made of single horse 

 hair, but gut is better and can be had fully as 

 fine. Foot-lines should be of the colour of the 

 water, sometimes of a sandy hue for angling after 

 a flood, but generally speaking a very light, trans- 

 parent green is the best. They should be attached 

 to good, prepared platted reel-lines, and should 

 be knotted and leaded as neatly as possible to 

 avoid catching in weeds or straws that may be 

 swimming down with the current. Grains of shot 

 of different sizes are commonly used for leading 

 lines. I prefer thin strips of sheet-lead beaten 

 to the thinness of writing-paper. You can wind 

 these thin, narrow bits of lead neatly round one 

 or two of the last links of your foot-line, just 

 above the knots or joinings, and it will be far less 

 clumsy and less likely to entangle than when 

 weighted with several shots. You can put on or 

 undo the slips of lead more promptly and easily than 

 shot, and you can carry them more conveniently. 

 Always use a winch in bottom-fishing. It will 

 prevent unequal strain upon your rod, enable you 

 to play a fish properly, and you can shorten or 

 lengthen your line with it according to your 

 judgment with facility. It will enable you 

 besides to angle with the shortest and finest foot- 

 line possible. 



