PIKE FISHING— SPINNING. 87 



together as generally supplied by the tackle shops. The gut 

 used should always be carefully stained in the first instance of 

 the shade desired. 



NEW KNOT FOR SALMON-GUT. 



The way to tie the knot before referred to is as follows : — 

 Having thoroughly soaked the gut in tepid water, begin by tying 

 the two strands in what is known as the ordinary fisherman's 

 knot, — that is two half-hitches, a, a, each separate half-hitch 

 being cornpleted. The difference between my knot and the 

 ordinary fisherman's knot is that having drawn each separate half 

 of the knot thoroughly tight I do not draw the two together, 

 but only draw them to within the space of about one eighth of 

 an inch, marked b in the diagram, of each other. I then lap 

 between these two knots either with white waxed silk or very 

 fine soaked gut, and cut off the ends tolerably close. (See vol. i.) 



The between-lapping relieves the knot itself of half its duty, 

 and on any sudden jerk acts as a sort of buffer to receive and 



a ti 



'BUFFER KNOT' FOR SALMON-GUT. 



distribute the strain. This knot, moreover, is one of the sim- 

 plest possible forms that can be tied, and from its being much 

 neater and nearly twice as strong, may be substituted with 

 advantage for the ordinary fastening in all salmon casting- 

 lines. As commonly tied, I find that stout salmon- line will 

 break — at the knot — on a steady strain of twelve or fifteen 

 pounds ; tied as suggested it will break at any other place in 

 preference, no matter how great the strain may be. 



The Fishing Gazette, in an editorial notice of the Buffer 

 knot says, ' The Buffer knot, invented by Mr. Cholmondeley- 

 Pennell, is double the strength of the ordinary knot, as we have 

 frequently proved by experiment. . . . We would suggest that 

 spinning-traces for pike and trout made on the same plan would 

 be appreciated.' 



