Michael Raether

Michael Raether lives in rural Western Montana. His interests include all things outdoors. His work has appeared in a wide assortment of national and regional publications. He published his first book last year, The Flyfisher’s Guide to Northwest Montana’s Mountain Lakes through Wilderness Adventures Press. You can reach Mike via his blog, “Life Under a Big Sky,” www.mikeraether.com.

These Are the Good Old Days: A Brief History of Fly Fishing

By Michael Raether

Gut leaders were made from silkworms by making a small incision just behind the head to reveal the silk glands, then submerging the poor silkworm in a solution of salt and vinegar. The silk was slowly drawn from the silk glands, and as it was extracted the material hardened into threads.