CH. 1.] ““ HAND-COILING” LINE. 15 
and painstaking workman,) has probably a more 
practical knowledge of it than most, being a good 
fisherman himself: but spinning-tackle is of all 
the most difficult to get properly made, and no 
one, who does not make his own, can be too par- 
ticular in seeing that his instructions are exactly 
carried out. 
There is a plan for managing the line whilst 
spinning, at which the Thames fishermen are great 
adepts, and which cannot be too highly com- 
mended, by which, instead of being dropped at the 
feet in the usual way, as it is drawn in after a cast, 
it is collected in the hollow of the hand, whence 
it again runs out freely at the next. It is effected 
by first taking the line between the middle of the 
fore-finger and the thumb, then turning the hand 
over, and catching the line above it with the little 
finger, round which it is for the instant looped, 
and then turning the hand again, so as to bring 
the fore-finger and thumb again to bear upon the 
line. This process is somewhat difficult to de- 
scribe, and still more so to execute rapidly, as is 
necessary where there is not much stream, or the 
water is shallow. The accomplishment is however 
a very valuable one, enabling the proficient, as it 
does, to fish comfortably under many circum- 
