240 COARSE FISH. 



Cobbler's wax is used for waxing silk for whipping 

 Cob- hooks, splices, &c. It should always find a 

 bier's place in the angler's basket, in case of break- 

 wax ages. A small lump, wrapped in thin leather 

 or kid and carried in a tin box, will last a long while. 

 Do not carry it loose in the basket, for the heat of the 

 sun will soften it, and it sticks to everything. To soften 

 it, breathe on it before waxing the silk ; its sticking 

 powers will soon be apparent if you get it too soft. Hold 

 the wax in the leather when waxing the silk. 



This float and its use were described under chub- 

 . , fishing ; but as the float is exceptionally handy, 



g^^^ and so greatly assists the angler to kill his fish, 

 it deserves special description. Slider, or 

 traveller, means that the float is not fixed firmly on the 

 line, though it is on the line and shows bites correctly. 

 It is rare to see this style of float used in the Thames or 

 other south country rivers. The special benefits of a 

 " slider " are : first, that very deep water is easily fished 

 with a short rod ; second, that a much better chance of 

 hooking fish is given when the angler is compelled to 

 use heavy tackle. I like a slider float to have at least a 

 little cork on it, for the width of the cork, which will 

 stand a slight drag on it, acts beneficially in helping to 

 straighten out the line. A slider is fitted with two 

 upright rings, the upper acting as a guide to the lower. 

 After many experiments with home-made floats, I find it 

 best to whip the upper ring on the cork, the ring resting 

 on the greatest circumference of the cork. The wet line 

 is better kept away from the cork, and does not stick or 

 cling in any way to it. The upper ring is the larger of 

 the two ; the lower one should be just large enough to 

 let the running line pass quite freely through it, and no 

 larger. The reason of this is that only a very tiny 

 " stop " will pass comfortably through the rod-rings, and 

 unless one of the rings on the float be small, the stop will 

 be pulled through it by the bullet, shot, or corking lead, 

 and the benefit of the float will be lost. The lower ring 

 should be the smaller, as the upper ring only guides the 

 line to it, to get the drag of the weight right ; if both 

 rings be small, the float does not act so well, as there is 

 more friction on the line and the weight cannot run 



