THE BEST BAITS. 23li 



j.assing- under the skin of the bait-fish, as must be 

 done when the hooks are threadled, or lay on the side 

 or shoulder of the bait, as represented in the Cut^ 

 fig. 2, Chap. III. ; for if the gimp be leaded, and 

 drawn under the bait's skin, it rips nearly all the flesh 

 of the baitj which is much disfigured, and soon dies. 



'^^Tien you go out for a day's live-bait-fishing, you 

 should take about a dozen live Fish with you, princi- 

 pally GudgeonS;, if you can procure them ; because 

 Gudgeons are a hardy strong Fish, swim w ell, and will 

 bear more rough usage than any other bait-fish. Se- 

 lect all your baits from four and a half to about five 

 and a half inches in length, but not larger ; and put 

 them into a full-sized kettle, which should be painted 

 or japanned white inside, that you may easily select 

 the bait you like without hurting the others 3 fre- 

 quently, during your excursion, give them fresh water, 

 and place the kettle out of the sun, or in the water, 

 where you can conveniently get to itj and let it there 

 remain till you move or want a bait. 



I have found, that in putting my hand in the kettle, 

 the bait-fish therein struggle and bounce about, and 

 by so doing, rub the scales off, and otherwise injure 

 each other; therefore, I have a very small net, not 

 much more than half the size of those used to take 

 gold and silver Fish out of globes, &c. This net I 

 carry very conveniently in my fish-kettle, by having 

 a piece of the lid cut away at one corner, where a few 

 inches of the handle of the net projects ; but^ instead 

 of the hole at the corner, I have found since a kettle, 

 X 2 



