The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-26
CARE or THE SILK LINE.
Import ance Of Drying II Carefnlly-Oi
as Means OF Prot eetion.

Import ance OF Drying IL earefuhV-Wi
as . Means OF Prot eetion.
Fishermen will find this season. as In
past seasons. that many silk lines, Nos
| S and O. which cost from 81 to 81 so. rot at
the end Of a week Of service become UNI
| Trustworthy and part just when tho biggest
trout or bass Of the day Is near to the land
ing net. There is no accident Of angling
more disappearing, and the man who sold
the line comes in for objurgation both
picturesque and profound
Any quality Of silk repeatedly wetted
will decay. There IL always loose weave
in line somewhere. ard there the water
enters most readily, dri, q out most slowly
and causes rot most surely.
Lines well cared for. however. will lost
reasonably well Three of them ought
to carry an angler through the season, but
they will do this only IL they are Of good
quality when first reeled and are properly
treated.
There is but one thing 10 do with a wit
silk line. and that is to dry it as soon as
possible. II should not be permitted 10
remain wrapped on the reel for a moment
after the return 10 camp or hotel.
It should be stretched upon wooden
1
feet apart, so stretched that the air can get
to every part Of 1t. and il should not be
reeled in until 1t il as dry as q bone. 1t
should not be left out all night for the
/ dew to dampen, and 1t should never be
| stretched upon nails driven into posts or
J trees as the rust Of the iron will eat into
the silk more rapidly than the water. When
reeled in il should he reeled evenly and
| tightly. and then be put away in dry box
| n ella "a here y that damn cannot al rikp
| II until II is used again.
Fresh water does comparatively little
injury to The silk II it Is dried out at the
end Of the day A good line so treated
| will stand for month OF angling. though
1t be soaked for hours every day. Some
| will last even longer
Much depends upon the man who uses
| It. Some men are naturally hard upon
lines. though they exercise every care;
they are hard upon lines just as they are
| hard upon clothing or shoes.
All dealers carry silk line which has
/ been oiled at the factory IL il called a
waterproof line. and it il waterproof for a
! little while. A. soon a. there IL wear Of
! rot begins, since this line is much harder
to dry once it is wet than the line OF plain,
! undefended silk.
!. is a hard casting line, running out
stiffiy. coming in stiffiy and 1t h severe
upon the thumbs. This IL true also Of the
many kinds OF hard-wound lines, which
are supposed to be wound over solid
core They last well. but they do not run
out well, and they take the skin from the
| right thumb in a little while.
| Probably the best device for the protec-
| ton Of line Of plain silk belongs by patent
royal 10 an old angler of the West who
| has used II for years. He has always In
his taokle-box a bit OF flannel rag, saturated
| with reel oil.
| When his line has been dried and he starts
10 reel 1t in. he holds this rag between the
thumb and first two fingers OF his left
| hand. The line thus posses through the
rag as II goes upon the spindle, and every
inch OF II is Creased.
| The rag IL not so full OF oil that the liquid
| can be squeezed from IL. Ii il Just thor
| oughly creased. Particles Of the oil 60
| all through the silk and the line when used
next day will stay dry for long time.
1t does not get stif and hard and casts
| a. well IA when IL came from the shop. II
! docs not wear and FRAGILE against the guide
| rings. Tho water IL unable Ia soak " as
| quickly and thoroughly az IL il were not
| oiled II will last much longer.
Indeed, the old angler says that he can
take any silk line Of any quality and make
| II last twice as long by his greasy rag treat
ment. He has ON. line which he has used
| hard for four seasons II has been short
| ened some fifty feet by repeated snippings.
| but what il left OF IL IL still good, and It's
| breaking strain il above fifteen pounds
Almost every angler has an oily rag In
! his box for wiping his reel. and II he tries
| il on his line he will find that he will get
more satisfaction out Of fishing and will
not have 10 do 80 much buying.