CHAPTER V.
TO MAKE A TAIL LINE.
In joining pieces of gut together to make a tail line, I think the following joining knot, called the “sheet bend,” is the best, as the knot is the smallest and neatest that can be made, and the more the line is stretched, the tighter the knot becomes.
Make a loop with the left-hand end of the gut to be joined, (a bfigure below), and hold it between the finger and thumb of the left hand. Then pass the end of the right hand gut to be joined through the loop and under it; then round and under the two legs of the loop; then over thebleg of the loop; then under itself and out over thealeg of the loop, as shown in the figure below. (See another mode of joining pieces of gut for tail lines in the observations on bob-flies, page20.)
making a tail line
Although, perhaps, scarcely necessary, I may state that the hair line has a joining loop at the small end of it; the tail line a similar loop at each end, and the fly a similar loop at the other end of the gut to which it is attached. To attach the hair line to the tail line, insert the loop of the hair line, then bring the other end of the tail line through the loop of the hair line, and continue drawing it through that loop until both loops meet and interlaceeach other. The fly is attached to the tail line by interlacing the loops in the same way. By reversing the operation, the lines and fly may be readily detached and separated.
TO TIE ON A HOOK.
Take a sufficiency of strong silk, well waxed with shoemaker’s wax. Flatten the gut to which you intend to fasten the hook; that is, about as much of it as, when the gut is placed on the hook, will reach half way down the shank. This may be done with the teeth or a pair of pliers, and is designed to prevent the gut from all chance of slipping.Never omit this.Lay the gut on the inside of the hook, and hold it between the thumb and finger of the left hand. Begin by wrapping the silk twice round the bare hook close to the end of the shank, then pass the silk over both gut and hook, winding it tightly on till you come near the bend; then fasten as follows:—When you come to within three turns of the distance to which you mean the silk to extend, lay the silk along the hook atb(figure below), leaving the end hanging down, take hold of the part of the silka, and continue to wind it on in the same way, but making it pass over the silk atb, as well as over the gut and hook for three turns. Then take hold of the end of silkc, and pull all tight; cut off the end of silkc, and it is done. This is called the “invisible tie,” and is the neatest I know, and the most secure.
tying on a hook with silk
If you break a part of your rod, and have to splice it, fasten the splicing by the invisible tie. The splicing should be done with strong silk, well waxed with shoemaker’s wax.