44 ANGLER'S EQUIPMENT. 



ner is also very expensive ; costing from ten to six- 

 teen shillings a hank. 



All gut is more or less of a clear colour, which 

 glitters in the sun, and in order to divest it of this 

 it requires to be stained. The colour of the dye used 

 is of little consequence ; the object being to render 

 it of a dull colour, and this may be best accomplished 

 by dying it of a bluish-green. This dye may be made 

 by boiling a handful of logwood in a pint of water, 

 and adding copperas till it is of the required colour. 

 A piece of copperas about half the size of a pea will 

 be sufficient ; if too much is put in it will make it 

 quite blue. The gut should be put into the liquid 

 when cold, and allowed to remain till it is of the 

 required colour. 



Gut plays a very important part in the formation 

 of all trouting tackle : hooks of every description 

 should be dressed upon it ; and all casting -lines, 

 and, indeed, every part of the line that is intended 

 to touch the water, should be made of this material. 



After the ordinary winch-line, there should be a 

 casting-line composed of seven or eight lengths of 

 triple gut twisted together. This can only be done 

 properly by a machine for the purpose, which may 

 be had in any fishing-tackle shop. Only the longest 

 threads should be selected for this purpose, and they 

 should be as nearly as possible of one thickness. 

 Before attaching them to the machine, they should 

 be soaked in cold water for half-an-hour, or they will 

 be certain to break. After the lengths are twisted, 



