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Dry Fly Fishing 
Two Simple Adjuvants 
I 
HE ordinary method of attaching 
Af a leader to the tapered line by a 
knot is far from ideal. I shall 
mention a few of its objectionable fea- 
tures and will then show how they may 
be avoided by a simple ex- 
pedient. (1) When fish are 
timid and educated by the 
experiences of generations 
this knot upon the smooth 
surface of a pool becomes a 
warning of danger and dis- 
tracts the attention of the 
fish from the lure. Even in 
quick water the presence of 
the knot can do the angler 
no good. We try to obviate 
the conspicuousness of this 
undesirable object by using 
a long fine leader so that 
the knot and the fly may be 
widely separated. But with 
the long leader another an- 
noyance appears (2) in the 
accidental drawing of the 
knot through the guides of 
the rod while playing a fish. 
When a big fellow is trying 
the skill and patience of the 
angler to the utmost it is 
disheartening to have this 
knot catch in the guides 
with the rush of the trout 
or salmon producing just 
enough hindrance to bring 
about a fatal jerk so that 
when lightly hooked the 
longed-for prize escapes. 
(3) The gradual wearing 
out of the knotted part of 
the line necessitates cutting 
away successive sections so 
that in a season’s fishing 
there may be lost a foot or 
more. One becomes at- 
tached to a good line which has been 
treasured and groomed for years and 
it hurts to lose even an inch, a matter 
of sentiment rather than penuriousness. 
The method which I shall describe 
substitutes a joint between line and 
leader smooth enough to draw through 
the guides and, while not: actually in- 
"90 
visible, is far less obtrusive than the 
knot. The idea is to make a permanent 
loop of gut which is wound to the line 
with fine silk floss well impregnated 
with a wax the ingredients of which 
are shoemaker’s wax three parts, bees- 
wax one part, melted together by heat. 
I use a teaspoon over a candle flame 
SS 3 




to make this wax. 
the way in- which this gut and line 
union is secured. The gut used should 
be heavy and when once attached it 
The figure shows 
will last for a season or two. The 
knots in the gut shown in A and B are 
put in for the sake of security. The 
weaving of line and gut shown in B is 


not absolutely necessary if the wind- 
ing in C and D is sufficiently firm. In- 
deed, even the loop may be dispensed 
with by the purist and the line attached 
directly to the unlooped gut of the 
leader, repairing the latter as its ter- 
minal portions become worn out. , Figs. 
F, G and E represents the union of loop 
to loop when the leader is 
attached to the line and the 
whole is put on the stretch. 
If the winding becomes 
frayed out after some 
weeks of fishing a little of 
the wax applied with thumb 
and finger will smooth it 
out. I have’ thoroughly 
tested this device and have 
B demonstrated it to a num- 
ber of anglers with their 
invariable approval. 
II 
The second adjuvant re- 
ferred to in the title is ex- 
tremely simple but well 
worth knowing. I refer to 
a manner of carrying oil 
for the flies. While many 
neat and_ efficient little 
_ pieces of apparatus may be 
purchased at the _ tackle 
dealers it is after all merely 
the oil which is needed and 
this must be always with 
E. the angler. I use a little 
ointment box of metal with 
a screw cover, not larger 
than a half dollar and enly 
about about four times as 
thick. I fill it with cotton 
well soaked in oil. Apply 
the oil by means of the 
finger pressed for a moment 
upon the cotton. Blow 
strongly upon the fly—es- 
pecially on the hackles, so 
as to spread them apart—and» after 
two or three preliminary casts we are 
ready to drop the fly where it promises 
to yield the best results. Oil cannot spill 
when carried in this way, and one “load- 
ing” of cotton will last for weeks. _ 
Dr.\Howarp LILIENTHAL, 
New York City. 
