TKoLMNi;. 371 



Hv this method, howrvor, hiij,'r Pinh jut (tthii taken instead 

 ot' the proper tish, and t rolling; with the gorge-hook, or lishin;; 

 with the snap-hook, is by tar better sport — especially the former 

 — more ii'gitinnite, \unrc exeiting, and last, not h-ast, more 

 killing. 



Of these methods, Mr. liotland, in Ins • Mriti.sh Angler's 

 Manual," thus discourses — and although he is speaking of the 

 English Pike {Esor Lucius), not of the Mascalongc or Piekerel, 

 as tlie fishes are of the same family, and the modes to he i)nr- 

 sned in eaptnring them in all respects identical, 1 have not 

 hesitated to extract liis able and well- written description. I 

 must premise, however, that where he speaks of dace, bleak or 

 giidgeou for bait, we must substitute tlic roach, the minnow, 

 the small bream, the New York shiner, or, wliieh is deciiledly 

 the best and most killing of all, the young fry, or |)arr, of the 

 Hrook Trout. 



Like Mr. Holland, 1 inlinitely prefer trolling with the gorge- 

 hook to fishing eitlier with the common snap, or with what is 

 here called the sockdollager-liook ; which last 1 regard as a 

 great and dangerous humbug. 



The rod for I'ike trolling is well described below by Mr. 

 Hotland, but one of Conroy^s best general rods with spare tops — 

 wliich is, in fact, the best for evenk'thing except (ly-fishing — 

 such a.s is used for Ha-ss or Weak Fish, though with rather a 

 stronger or stiftcr top, will be found all-suftieieut. In my 

 opinion, a large click-reel, such as we use for Salmon, and a 

 stout silken line of a hundred yards or better, will be found 

 preferable to the contrivances of which Mr. IIoHand discourses. 



In casting the bait, the butt of the nxl should be set against 



H li 2 



