326 APPENDIX ON FISHING-TACKLE. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON RODS. As a general rule, the fewer 

 pieces a rod consists of the better for use, and should not, if it can 

 be avoided, consist of more than four joints. 



When the rod is in the bag, the brass sockets ought always to be 

 kept plugged with what are called stoppers, to prevent their being 

 pressed together. In the best rods these stoppers are usually brass 

 bound, or of ivory. 



When the rod is laid by for the winter, it should be kept in a mode- 

 rately dry place until the return of the angling season, when it will be 

 found in excellent order. A coat of varnish in the course of the 

 season, if the rod be much used, is very desk-able, and, if sent to the 

 dealer, costs but a mere trifle. 



LINES. 



There are about half a dozen different materials of which lines are 

 now usually composed ; e. g. horse-hair, cow-hair, silkworm-gut, silk, 

 Indian grass or weed, China twist, watercorcl, &c. Some are made of 

 one of these articles only, others of two or more twisted together, of 

 different degrees of strength according to the purpose for which they 

 are intended. The variety of combinations is so great, that the angler 

 cannot do better than take a fishing-tackle catalogue and choose for 

 himself. We will subjoin only a few particulars collected from the 

 best authorities. 



THE SINGLE-HAIR LINE. This is so delicate as usually to be limited 

 to the foot length, or about as much as may be supposed within the 

 vision of the fish. Mr. Salter gives hair the preference for very fine 

 fishing, and says : " In respect to the advantages arising from lines 

 made of single horse-hair over those made of fine gut, some difference 

 of opinion exists. The advocates of gut say that when it is equally fine, 

 and of the same colour with horse-hair, it is not more likely to alai'm 

 the fish than horse-hair, and being much stronger it certainly deserves 

 the preference. This seems plausible; but I know from practice that 

 in angling with a single hair-line, fish (especially roach) may be taken 

 that will not touch the bait when offered with a gut-line, though it be 

 as fine and of the same colour as the hair. To ascertain the fact, I 

 have several times taken off my hair-line when roach have been well 

 on the feed, and put on one of gut ; I could then hardly take a fish : 

 again I have changed for the hair-line, and again had excellent sport. 

 Such has invariably been the case with me and many experienced 

 anglers of my acquaintance ; therefore I should certainly recommend 

 single-hair to those who fish for roach, dace, bleak, and gudgeons; and 

 assert without fear of contradiction that they will kill two for one to 

 others who angle with gut however fine; The only reason I can assign 

 for this difference is, that gut swells and ever retains a shining glossy 

 appearance injthe water, and also that small beads or bubbles accumulate 

 about it, which increase its apparent bulk and probably alarm the fish." 



THE GUT LINE (made of silkworm-gut) is, next to hair, the most 

 esteemed article for foot-lengths or Casting-lines, and being of great 

 strength, durability, and transparency, and of every required fineness 



