42 THE DRY-FLY MAN'S HANDBOOK 



and fourth qualities are employed in making the 

 commoner tackles and casts, down to the roughest of 

 which much is used for sea fishing." 



" In this short description it is not the intention of 

 the writer to say anything about the great scarcity of 

 very thick gut, which is used for salmon fishing, or 

 the very fine long Refina which is used for trout 

 fishing. Both classes are always very scarce indeed." 



" The impossibility of procuring gut sufficiently 

 fine for the end of gut casts has necessitated the 

 introduction of the system of drawing. This is done 

 by passing it through plates similar to those used by 

 wire drawers. The majority of these plates are made 

 of steel, but a limited number are made of stones of 

 various sorts. The latter are somewhat expensive, 

 but produce gut of a smoother quality than the steel, 

 and, therefore, where the highest quality gut is 

 required, stones are almost exclusively used." 



" Before commencing to draw, the gut is made 

 very soft by steeping it for some hours in cold 

 water, when it is first pointed, i.e. tapered at the ends 

 by rubbing them on a Bath brick with a soft pad. In 

 drawing, the gut may be passed through as many as 

 three holes." 



" Drawn gut, like other articles, is made in various 

 qualities, and where price is an object, it is naturally 

 done by the shortest and cheapest method. Good 

 gut, however, cannot be produced without a very care- 

 ful selection of the material in the first instance, that is 

 to say, if common or defective gut is used, the result 



