THE CASTING-LINE. 45 



they may be joined together according to the angler's 

 taste, taking care that they taper from one end to 

 the other. The most secure method of joining them 

 is with the single slip-knot, lapping the ends over 

 with well- waxed silk thread ; a little spirit varnish 

 makes all secure. Another way of joining them is 

 by whipping the ends together with silk ; this is the 

 neater plan of the two, but it is continually giving 

 way, and requires to be done over again ; so that, 

 unless the angler makes up his own tackle, he will 

 find it exceedingly troublesome \ anglers practising 

 this method should always keep the joinings well 

 varnished. After the triple gut-line, there should 

 be four or five lengths of picked gut, tapered in 

 thickness to where the fly or bait tackle is attached ; 

 these should be joined together by a common knot. 

 Instead of fastening the fly or bait cast to this by a 

 loop, as is usually done, it is better to fasten it by a 

 knot, as it is neater, and makes less show in the 

 water. 



There is nothing so apt to slip as gut, and there- 

 fore the knot by which to tie the threads together 

 is of some importance. The water-knot is made by 

 laying the two ends together, rolling them round the 

 forefinger of the left hand, and passing one thread 

 and the adjoining end through the loop thus formed ; 

 this is called the single water-knot, and is very neat, 

 but apt to slip. The double water-knot is done in 

 the same way; but the ends are passed twice through 

 instead of once, making a very firm knot, but rather 



