ANGLING. 



Hooks. 



These are small instruments made of temperec 

 steel, and of whatever size, they require to posses 

 the qualities of lightnes 

 / and great strength, 

 over-tempered, they ar 

 brittle, and the angle 

 discovers, after perhap 

 scratching and missing 

 some fish, that the poin 



/of his hook is gone 

 With too little temper 

 Fig. 3. the hook opens out, anc 



is useless. Try the powe 



of resistance by forcing the bend with the fingers 

 and urging the point against the thumb-nail. Th 

 shape of the bend is a matter of controversy . 

 some advocating the 'round bend' (No. i), others 

 the Limerick (No. 2), as it is called. 



Landing-net Gaff. 



The landing-net consists of a small bag-net 

 stretched on a hoop at the extremity of a pole four 

 or five feet in length. In Scotland, the landing-net 

 is little used in river-fishing, and is looked upon as 

 more troublesome than profitable. But in lake-fish- 

 ing it is indispensable, and is often convenient in 

 streams where the banks are steep, or beset with 

 weeds. The meshes should be small enough for 

 catching minnows. Landing-nets can be had that 

 fold up and occupy little room. 



The gaff is another aid to landing fish, and is 

 employed in cases in which the landing-net 

 would be too small. It is used chiefly for landing 

 salmon, and consists of a peculiarly shaped hook at 

 the end of a staff. 



Angler's Pocket-book, &c. 



The angler's equipment is completed by the 

 addition of a basket for holding his fish, which 

 is slung on the back by a shoulder-belt ; also a 

 pocket-book for holding hooks and other trifles ; 

 and a round flat tin box for his fly-casts. Many 

 carry their supply of fly-casts wound round their 

 hat, and some keep them within the leaves of their 

 pocket-book. This pocket-book, which is the 

 storehouse of all kinds of odds and ends we have 

 seen a good one made out of an old pocket 

 almanac should have two or three pockets for 

 holding an assortment of hooks, silk thread, stuff 

 for making flies, gut, wax, small cord, fly-nippers, 

 scissors, &c. all to be used in case of breakage of 

 tackle or rod, or any other accident. In fishing 

 for perch, gudgeons, bream, &c. a small float is 

 often used. Floats are made of cork, quill, reed, 

 and other materials : and a choice, according to 

 circumstances, can be added to the contents of the 

 pocket-book. 



Baits. 



The materials, living and dead, used for bait are 

 very numerous ; but the leading kinds are worms, 

 maggots, minnows, and various insects. 



Worms used for bait are of various sorts ; but 

 that which is most commonly employed is the lob 

 or garden worm, a long reddish-coloured reptile 

 found in abundance in many gardens, grass-plots, 

 under old cow-droppings in fields, and in any rich 

 old soil. They should be kept in a jar along with 

 moss that has been dipped in water, and squeezed 



almost dry, in order that they may scour them- 

 selves. In three days they will be ready for use. 

 By keeping them in a cool place, and changing 

 the moss or washing it in pure water every day, 

 worms may be preserved for many months. Fresh 

 worms, however, are now considered best for 

 salmon. Another worm, which is found in dung- 

 hills, called the brandling, from its striped appear- 

 ance, forms a good bait It is the best when the 

 Stewart tackle is used, as it does not knot or 

 break. It is also the best bait for perch. 



Maggots, or the larvae of insects, as is well 

 known, are found on fly-blown meat or any putrid 

 animal substances : very fine ones are procured 

 from game in a high condition. Daniel calls these 

 creatures gentles, and describes them as of great 

 virtue in certain kinds of fishing. ' Gentles are so 

 universal and so alluring a bait, that the angler 

 should never be unprovided with them. Trouts 

 have been taken with them in clear water, when 

 they have refused all kinds of worms and artificial 

 flies.' 



Caddis, or cad-bait, is another kind of larva, 

 inhabiting pieces of straw, or little cylinders formed 

 of bits of stick or sand at the sides of rivers. They 

 are always most deadly in the rivers from which 

 they have been taken, and are found to answer 

 best in tributary streams. ' To collect them, turn 

 up the stones, and the best will adhere to them. 

 When the quantity wanted is obtained, put them 

 into a linen bag for five or six days, dip them, 

 together with the bag, into water once a day, and 

 hang them up ; they will then turn yellow, become 

 tough, and fitter for angling than when first got 

 from the brook.' 



Minnow bait. Minnows are a small fish, from 

 an inch to two inches in length. They swim in 

 shoals, and may be captured by a hoop- net on the 

 end of a staff, or more simply, by a crooked pin 

 waited with a small worm. Anglers generally hire 

 a boy to catch a quantity of them. The tackles 

 used for minnow bait are various in their forma- 

 ion. 



The most approved minnow tackle consists of 

 wo hooks dressed on the same gut, a little apart 



J 



Fig. 4- 



fig. 4). In baiting, the large hook is entered at 

 ic mouth of the minnow, and brought out a little 

 bove the tail, leaving the lower part of the minnow 



