FISHING KNOTS. 25 



taper about twelve feet from the end until it terminates in 

 the thickness of salmon-gut. Tapering lengths of salmon- 

 gut may be whipped or fastened to it, and the fly-line 

 attached direct without the " loosely-twisted hair," or 

 triple-gut casting-line which usually forms the connexion 

 between the reel and the fly-line. This, however, has yet 

 many admirers and many disadvantages. When tying or 

 knotting hair or gut, it must be rendered pliant by being 

 soaked in warm water. When the ends require to be tied 

 or whipped they may be moistened or flattened between 

 the teeth. When chafed or fretted they may be rubbed 

 with a piece of india-rubber, which will make them smooth 

 again. To make an ordinary casting-line, seven or eight 

 lengths of triple-twisted gut must be obtained and the 

 ends joined by the single slip-knot, wrapped with wax silk, 

 and covered with spirit-varnish. The pieces must be so 

 selected and joined as to taper gradually to the end, with 

 four or five lengths of picked gut tapering to where the 

 bait tackle is attached. 



There are many plans of joining gut or hair together. 

 The plan of whipping two ends with silk is perhaps 

 the neatest, but the least reliable. The ends are laid 

 by the side of each other, tightly whipped, and the end 

 fastened off as mentioned in whipping hooks. The ordinary 

 knot, called the fisher's knot, (fig. 1,) is the one commonly 

 used. When the long ends are pulled tight it becomes 

 a fast knot, easily separated. It may be wrapped with 

 silk, or the meshes may be left the eighth of an inch apart, 

 as recommended by Mr C. Pennell, and then carefully 

 whipped. The advantages claimed for this plan are that 

 in case of a sudden strain, such as striking a large pike or 

 other cause, the knot, instead of parting with the force 



