CHAPTER XX. 



General Information and Advice. 



N writing the preceding chapters I omitted 

 a number of little things that I meant to 

 mention, and there are others that do not 

 come under the caption of either of those 

 chapters, so I will collect them all under 

 the heading above. This advice, like all 

 that given throughout this book, is parted 

 with freely, for there is nothing else which 

 I take so much pleasure in the giving of, as advice, but, while 

 it may appear that I am talking like an authority on these 

 subjects, it should be understood that this is only my way of 

 saying things and my advice should not be taken too seriously 

 without investigating elsewhere. But there are some few 

 things on which nearly all anglers agree, and I will try to 

 not have my advice conflict greatly with that of other writers 

 on angling subjects. 



Throughout this work when speaking of fishing tackle, 

 it will be noted that I have recommended the higher priced 

 goods frequently, and this is one of the subjects on which 

 all will agree, that the highest quality is the cheapest in the 

 end. One may economize in almost anything else with less 

 bad effect than to practice economy in buying fishing tackle. 

 Of course there is a limit where real worth stops and fancy 

 finish and expensive handwork begins, just as there is a 

 limit in the other direction, and I do not advise going beyond 

 this limit unless you can well afford it. For instance, you 

 can get a first-class casting reel at from five to ten dollars, 

 one that will last a lifetime, but if you get a cheaper one it 



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