TROLLING WITH THE DEAD GORGE BAIT. 205 
suspicious ‘check,’ is to slacken the line, letting outa 
few yards from the reel if there is none already unwound, 
and seeing that all is clear forarun. The next point 
is to ascertain indubitably that it zs a fish; because 
although it is perhaps comparatively seldom that a fish 
is mistaken for a weed for more than a few seconds, it 
by no means unfrequently happens that a weed or stump 
is mistaken for a fish; and nothing less than a wasted 
five minutes will convince the agitated Troller that such 
is the case. 
Most of my readers will probably remember Leech’s 
charming sketch of the old gentleman, who has gota 
‘run’ of this sort, standing, watch in hand, instructing 
his young companion, “never to hurry a Pike, Tom. 
He has had ten minutes already ; I shall give him an- 
other five to make sure ’—whilst his hooks are palpably 
to be seen stuck fast in a submerged stump. 
When however the nature of the retainer which your 
bait has received is thus doubtful, a little judicious tighten- 
ing or a few slight pulls of the line will generally elicit 
signs of vitality should a Pike be at the other end of it. 
If “no sign” is made, the demonstrations may be 
gradually increased until the point is satisfactorily 
settled one way or other. Should the seizer—being 
unmistakably a fish—remain passive or moving quietly 
about within a small compass for more than three or 
four minutes after taking, a slight jerk (or “stirring” as 
Nobbes has it) may be given at his mouth, which if 
