J 66 Soaking gut. Chapt. xm. 



to hold any fish ; stronger probably than your -spinning 

 trace which is seldom made of such strong gut. 



Thoroughly soaking your gut, before ty- 

 Soakmg gut. - Q g aQ y k nots j n ^ j g a precaution incul- 

 cated in all books on angling; but it is very much more 

 important to attend to this in India than it is in England, 

 because in a tropical clime the gut is much more dry and 

 brittle, and consequently cracks more easily. But if the 

 gut is soaked in cold water till it is quite soft and limp, 

 there is no fear. 



If your trace, your phantom, or fly collar, has been 

 much doubled up in your book or case, I would suggest 

 well wetting and straightening it in the river, before trust- 

 ing it with a heavy fish. Indeed I would suggest well 

 wetting it whether it has been so doubled up or not, for 

 the fish may give it an uncanny turn, and I have lost two 

 good fish in an evening, and that on treble gut fresh from 

 England, solely from the gut being dry and brittle and 

 easily broken. Always soak your gut thoroughly there- 

 fore, both before tying, and before fishing. Do not trust 

 to your not getting a run the first half dozen casts, and 

 your line being by that time well soaked and pliable, but 

 soak before endangering it at all. And if you have a 

 man with you, as_ elsewhere recommended, always keep- 

 ing a second hook ready baited for you, take care that 

 that snood is well soaked. Do not let him hang it out to 

 dry in his hand, or keep it in his pocket, but have him 

 drop it into the bait can when ready, and let it soak there 

 till wanted. 



