180 THE TROLLEr's GUIDE. 



jn respect to sewing up the mouth of the bait-fish ; 

 but after the hook has been placed in a proper man- 

 ner, and the tail-part tied or sewed to the gimp, I 

 think there is little occasion for stitching up the 

 mouth, and therefore never do it j but I have certainly 

 seen many Jack and Pike killed with the mouth of the 

 bait stitched or sown up. In regard to cutting off the 

 fins of the bait-fish, I am decidedly of opinion, it is to 

 the Angler's advantage to cut them all close away, 

 because the bait will then spin or twirl more freely in 

 the water when sinking or being drawn up, than 

 when the fins are left on ; and further, the bait-fish 

 will last longer, for when the fins are left on, they 

 frequently catch or hang among weeds •■, and when this 

 occurs the bait- fish is generally torn, or deprived of I 

 part of its scales, and of course soon ceases tp be an 

 enticing bait. This is of great consequence to the Trol- 

 ler who may be short of baits, and also far from a 

 place where he can replenish his bait box ; for if the 

 bait-fish remain in tolerable preservation, and Jack or 

 Pike are strong on the feed, with care and skill the 

 Angler may frequently kill a brace or more with one 

 bait-fish. 



