THE GORGE-HOOK. ;375 



" 'These reels turn round with great rapidity when the cast is 

 made, letting out a sufficient length of line, and are wound up 

 again by turning them with the fore-finger. They are much to 

 be preferred to the common brass reel, especially in fishing from 

 a boat ; they avoid the noise and much of the trouble of winding 

 up, and the line never kinks.' 



" A reel similar to this is used by salmon-fishers in Scotland, 

 and is there called a pirn. It will require much practice to 

 enable the novice to cast a long line when the river is wide, but 

 in small streams he will find little difficulty. Some anglers 

 prefer fishing with the gorge-hooks, others with snap-hooks; 

 but my own experience induces me to prefer the former as the 

 best general mode of trolling ; and this kind of fishing I shall 

 first describe. 



«THE GORGE-HOOK 

 *• Is either a double or single hook, fixed on twisted brass wire, 

 and loaded on the shank with lead, to which is attached a piece 

 of gimp, eight or ten inches long, at the end of which is a small 

 loop. To bait this hook you must have a brass needle, about 

 seven inches long; put the loop of the gimp on the eye, or small 

 curve, of the needle ; then put the point of the needle in at the 

 mouth of the fish, and bring it out at his tail; bring the gimp 

 and wire along with it, the lead being fixed in the belly of the 

 bait-fish, and the hook or hooks lying close to the outside of his 

 mouth ; then turn the points of the hooks towards his eyes, if a 

 double hook, but if a single one, directly in a line with his 

 belly ; next tie the fish's tail to the arming wire very neatly, 

 with strong thread. To the line on your reel jou. must attach a 



