54 SALMON AND TROUT. 
which will cut its way through a fierce March squall has been 
so well recognised that in order to give greater ‘ cutting’ power 
line-makers have even gone to the extent of manufacturing reel- 
lines with wire centres. My friend Mr. Senior now informs me 
that some he tried, made by Foster, of Ashbourne, answered 
exceedingly well. I have used them myself also, and in squally 
weather they certainly possess great ‘cutting’ power against or 
across the wind. 
The salmon line that seems to command the greatest 
number of suffrages amongst connoisseurs is what is known as 
the ‘swelled line.’ This line is gradually tapered thicker from 
the end up to a point which it is calculated will generally come 
near about the top of the rod in making a cast. Thus the 
average length of the taper from the finest to the thickest part 
is usually, fora salmon line, 15 to 20 yards, then tapering 
off backwards until it reaches its finest point again at another 
15 or 20 yards—i.e. 30 or 4o yards in all, where it is attached 
to the ‘back’-line. This is the line recommended by Major 
Traherne (see article on salmon fishing). 
I find I get capital casting with the swelled line, both as 
applied to trout and salmon fishing—in the former case the 
swell or thickest point should be reached proportionally quicker, 
say, for a single-handed rod in about g or 10 yards from the end. 
The quantity of line, clear of the rod-point, that can be con- 
tinuously used with the maximum of effect in lake trout fish- 
ing with a ten-foot rod is, I find, about 18 or 20 feet—or nearly 
twice the length of the rod—g/ws the casting line: i.e. 9 or 10 
yards altogether. Deducting 3 yards for the casting line, this 
would leave 6 or 7 yards as the point in the reel-line at which, 
for ordinary lake work, the thickest point of the taper or ‘ swell” 
should be reached ; but as longer casts are often required, and 
as, moreover, the same line will probably do duty for river 
fishing as well, probably from 8 to ro yards of taper will 
be found the most convenient length. For a double-handed 
trout rod, something between the proportions of a salmon line 
and those last-named are applicable. If a level (untapered) line 
