TROLLING WITH THE DEAD GORGE BAIT. 20PF 
which occurs with the ordinary hook, and which renders 
it necessary to tie the gill-covers down to prevent their 
catching or tearing in the weeds. It also avoids the 
necessity of sewing up the lips of the bait to prevent the 
hooks slipping or shifting. 
This is a decided saving of time and trouble, and, 
moreover, makes the bait last longer by being less 
strained. The darting and glancing motion which it 
should have is also increased by the placing of the lead 
in the proper place—the belly. 
A still better method of weighting the gorge bait is by _ 
forming the lead of pierced shot, simply threaded on the 
gimp attached to the hooks, and graduated in size so as 
to resemble the solid lead in shape. A weight of this 
kind has the advantage of being quite soft to the teeth - 
of the Pike when seized, and thus gets rid entirely of the 
“lead stiffening” in the bait’s belly. | 
Perhaps, however, the greatest advantage incident to 
this tackle, used either with the solid lead or pierced 
shot, is the saving of time and annoyance in fixing the 
tail when baiting. This is accomplished as follows :— 
First cut the tail-fin of the bait off close to the flesh ; then with a baiting 
needle pass the gimp in at the mouth and out again by the tail of the 
bait as usual, taking care to bring it out as nearly in the centre of the 
tail as possible: then pass the baiting needle /aterally through the bait’s 
tail, at about a quarter of an inch from the extremity, drawing the gimp 
through after it ; and finally pass the end of the gimp through the loop 
thus made at the extremity of the bait (see figure 2 of plate) and draw 
it tight. A sort of half knot is thus formed which never slips, and 
which can be untied in a moment when a fresh bait is required. 
