220 Book of the Black Bass. 



many grades of gut, and the angler will do well to remem- 

 ber that the best is the cheapest. 



Black bass leaders should be six feet long, and composed 

 of the best single Spanish silk-worm gut, sound and strong, 

 hard and round. The gut lengths should be perfectly 

 clear and sound, quite smooth, and without inequalities or 

 rough places. The rod-end of the leader should be com- 

 posed of a large-sized gut, the next length a trifle smaller, 

 and so diminish by a gradual taper to the fly-end. The 

 several lengths should be neatly and firmly knotted to- 

 gether and the ends cut off closely. It should be remem- 

 bered that it is necessary to soak and soften the ends of 

 the gut-lengths previous to tying. 



Too much care can not be exercised in selecting the 

 leader, for upon its soundness and excellence depend much 

 of the pleasure and success of fly-fishing. It should be 

 carefully examined in every inch of its length, and the 

 knots closely inspected. The leader may be stained some 

 suitable neutral tint; a slightly greenish, grayish, or 

 smoky hue will answer. Strong green tea, diluted black 

 ink, or a weak solution of indigo, make good stains. 



Anglers, now as ever, are continually theorizing and 

 speculating as to the most suitable colors for leaders, in 

 order to render them as little discernible to the fish as pos- 

 sible. Many experiments to this end have been made by 

 using aquaria, or glass tanks especially constructed, or by 

 the experimenter putting his head beneath the surface of 

 the water, in order to view the leader through the same 

 medium as the fish. 



But the praiseworthy experiments to determine the color 

 of leaders least visible to the fish, however commendable, 

 are sure to end in disappointment ; such, at least, has been 

 my experience. Experiments to this end have been made 



