CASTING!- OR WHEEL LINES. 103 



attached, after being opened by inserting the point 

 of a pin, so that the last fastening running knot 

 may form what may be considered a small head to 

 the fly. For regular fishermen on the water, who 

 generally dress or repair a fly or two every morning 

 as their principal dependence for the day, perhaps 

 the plain gut without a loop may be as well ; it is 

 as neat and efficient, and quite as convenient. 



ON THE CASTING OH WHEEL LINES. 



In either salmon or trout angling I do not like too 

 light a casting line, as it does not throw so well, 

 particularly in any breeze of wind. I prefer a cast- 

 ing line of three or four lengths of good horse hair, 

 firmly twisted with the fingers (not plait), and not 

 looped to take off and on the wheel line, but neatly 

 lapped to it, so as to remain and be rolled up along with 

 it. The first length of twisted hair should be nearly 

 as thick as the wheel-line, suppose eight, ten, twelve, 

 or fifteen horse hairs ; the second length some two 

 or three hairs smaller, and so on downwards, until 

 about the fourth or fifth (according to the length of 

 the hair), forming between five and six feet in all. 

 Let the last be six, eight, ten, or twelve hairs thick, 

 according to the strength of the hair, or the weight 



