ANGLING FOR PIKE. 123 



Trimming for Pike. 



There are several sorts of trimmers. One is made 

 of flat cork, or any light wood painted, seven or eight 

 inches diameter, turned round,, with a groove in the 

 edge, large enough to receive a fine whipcord or silk- 

 line twelve or fourteen yards, or, at least five yards 

 longer than the depth of the water : a small peg, two 

 inches long, is fixed in the centre, with the end slit; a 

 small double hook fixed to a brass-wire link. Insert 

 the baiting needle under the side-fin of the bait (for 

 which gudgeons of an ounce weight or more are supe- 

 rior to all others), and keep it just within the skin of 

 the side ; bring it out beyond the back-fin, drawing the 

 wire after it, and the hook, when drawn home, will be 

 partly covered by the side-fin. This method, per- 

 formed carefully, will preserve the fish alive for many 

 hours longer than any other ; one end of the line is of 

 course fixed to the cork, the other to the loop in the 

 wire ; the line is slightly put into the slit of the peg to 

 keep the bait at a proper depth (from three to four 

 feet), and to prevent its untwisting the line out of the 

 groove. The trimmer should always be started on the 

 windward side of the pond, and the rougher the water 

 the better sport ; if not seized in one trip, it must be 

 taken up and re-started from the windward side again. 



Other trimmers are also of cork, and are to be 

 baited and used as above ; their form is triangular, 

 this being best adapted to go easily through weeds 

 when taken by the pike ; after the line is run off they 



