Fishing Lines. 309 



impossible to obtain, as all waterproof lines were too stiff 

 and unyielding for minnow-casting. 



The process of waterproofing, however, makes the line 

 perfectly black in color, which at first sight might be 

 deemed an objection by some. But I have experimented 

 with it in numerous practical tests, alternating with lines 

 of lighter tints, and have never discovered that it made 

 the slightest difference to the fish. And if we will reflect 

 a moment, and hark back to our youthful experience in 

 angling, when we fished for fingerling trout, shiners, 

 gudgeons, or sunfish, with black sewing silk for lines, or in 

 our adolescent days, when we made our own lines for black 

 bass fishing, by twisting together two or three strands of 

 sewing silk — we somehow always preferred black silk — 

 and we were just as successful in luring the wily bass 

 with those somber, home-made lines, as we were after the 

 braided, light-tinted lines came into vogue. 



Mr. Malcolm A. Shipley, Philadelphia, furnishes a black 

 line of this character, size H, which is closely-braided, 

 waterproof, and very strong, while being soft and pliable. 



Messrs. Abbey & Imbrie, ISFew York, furnish a size G 

 line of Italian silk, closely-braided, of a mottled tint of 

 black and red, a remarkably strong line, and quite pliable. 

 Their No. 90 organzine sericum braided line is very strong, 

 being tested to fourteen pounds, though about H in size; 

 its color is black. 



Messrs. William Mills & Son, New York, furnish a drab, 

 waterproof, hard-braided silk line, which they style the 

 " Eecord." It is made in three sizes for minnow casting, 

 G, H, and a still smaller size for tournament work. The 

 best caliber for the angler is H, though I prefer the tourna- 

 ment line for my own use. 



I have thoroughly tried the lines mentioned above, and 

 14 



