FLOAT FISHING— TACKLE. 209 



proclivities and run very easily or it will not pass through the 

 rod rings with sufficient freedom. 



A line of this kind was supplied to me by Mr. Baily, the 

 well-known Nottingham troUer, and it fulfils admirably all these 

 conditions. It is composed of six or eight of the finest possible 

 strands of silk plaited somewhat in a square shape. A hundred 

 yards of it weigh exactly three-eighths of an ounce, and yet, 

 notwithstanding this extreme fineness, I find it will lift a dead 

 weight of between six and seven pounds, which is far beyond 

 the strain it is ever likely to be subjected to. In fact, for all 

 kinds of bottom-fishing this will be found a truly excellent 

 line, but care must be taken to get the real thing. Still, for 

 spme sorts of fishing the advantage will probably be thought in 

 practice to rest with the dressed silk line which I have already 

 recommended, but there are many others, I am free to admit, in 

 which the undressed silk from its greater lightness and floating 

 qualities would have the votes in its favour, and in securing a 

 float-fisher's outfit it would be well to have a running line of 

 each sort. The price of the Nottingham line is 5^. per 100 

 yards of the plaited quality described j the twisted description 

 being 2s. td. per 100 yards. 



Whenever a reel is necessary, and I confess I seldom care 

 about fishing of any kind without one, any ordinary check 

 reel, such as can be obtained at every tackle shop, and not too 

 large, will answer the purpose, observing that it is desirable the 

 ' check ' should be as light as possible, as if it is too heavy it 

 will not allow a small fish to carry out the line with sufficient 

 ease. 



RODS. 



What observations on rods, in addition to those previously 

 given, may be desirable in this division of my subject will be 

 probably more conveniently distributed under the headings to 

 which they more especially pertain. ' Combination rods ' have 

 been frequently invented which, by a transposition of tops, 

 butts, and middle joints can be made to fulfil almost any rdle — 



II. p 



