The Outfit — Leaders. 61 



justice to say he used but a single gut himself. Indeed 

 he was a thorough angler of the best type, and one who, 

 when he had overcome a fish, looked upon his ultimate 

 capture or escape with a complacency closely approach- 

 ing indiiference. 



It was a very fair fishing day — overcast and with wind. 

 Seven large salmon came to my fly on that day, but 

 every one rose short, and not one could be coaxed up a 

 second time. Early in the day this result — or rather lack 

 of result — was attributed to the obtrusiveness of the lead- 

 er, but I stuck to it on principle expressly to test the 

 question. This experience, it must be admitted, is rather 

 brief to warrant any very decisive generalization. Still 

 I formed the opinion then, and I hold it still, that this 

 conduct of the fish was directly attributable to the char- 

 acter of the leader. 



However this may be, it must be admitted that a good 

 single leader is less conspicuous than one which is braided 

 or twisted of many strands. Since, then, there is less to 

 excite suspicion, while the temptation remains the same 

 in either case, more fish should be coaxed to take the fly 

 with a single than with a braided or twisted leader, — and, 

 making due allowance for all the vicissitudes of fortune 

 which attend this sport, I entertain no doubt that with 

 equal skill, he that uses a single leader will at the end of 

 two weeks' fishing score considerably more and larger 

 fish than he who follows the other plan. 



To facilitate casting, it is usual and advisable to supple- 

 ment the line with from four to six feet of braided or 

 twisted gut, and to attach the single leader to that. If 

 the fish are to be gaffed from the shore, the entire length 



