TROLLING FOR MUSKELLUNGE 



hooks to hold the fish, and the wire leader to prevent 

 an over-striking lunge from severing the line above the 

 spoon. The pearl spoon is very attractive from man's 

 viewpoint, though I have yet to be convinced that it is 

 equally attractive to muskellunge. While I have never 

 seen a pearl spoon broken by the onslaught of a 'lunge, 

 the possibility has always deterred me from investing 

 in it to the exclusion of the old silver or nickel 

 blade. It is a good plan to carry blades of various 

 colors when going to unknown waters, for there are 

 times when a copper or "gold" blade shows up to better 

 advantage, owing to the color of the water or char- 

 acter of the bottom. Still, day in and day out, there 

 is nothing more attractive than the bright nickel 

 blade, painted a brilliant red on the inner surface. 



I am often asked regarding the value of an orna- 

 mented hook — feathers, red rag, etc. Undoubtedly 

 they possess a certain attractiveness. I have experi- 

 mented somewhat at length and am free to say that 

 I have found the feathered hook more alluring than 

 the one devoid of covering. The angler has but to 

 observe a feathered hook traveling through the water 

 at the rear of a spoon, and then one without such orna- 

 mentation, to understand why a great pike or 'lunge 

 will take the former in preference to the latter. There 

 are times when, if the angler add streamers of red and 

 white cloth three or four inches long, he will find that 

 his lure has an added attractiveness from the fish's 

 viewpoint. Then, too, the buck-tail treble is a good 

 attachment for a spoon, especially if it have a tag of 

 red in the center. The action of the hairs as the lure 

 moves through the water is very alluring. All in 

 all, I would say by all means cover the hooks. 

 " i6i 



