56 THE FISHING-ROD ; 



and hooks, which for this purpose consist of six 

 or eight hooks, tied firmly to strong gat, at 

 various distances, within the length of the 

 minnow; some two or three together, in the 

 form of a grapnel. The lower hooks should be 

 just lashed to the tail of the bait with a piece of 

 white thread ; the uppermost hook should be 

 hooked through the gills and wire loop in the 

 mouth of the bait, and the other hooks will 

 then lay on one side or the back of the minnow; 

 and the swivelled trace being then hooked on to 

 these, the bait is ready for spinning. 



The minnow-tackle, such as I have described, 

 may be used with other baits besides minnows ; 

 for instance, small bleak, gudgeon, and roach; 

 all of which are killing baits when well spun. 

 Among minnows the biggest are not the most 

 killing, choose the whitest and best shaped : and 

 if you keep them in a pan of pure water a few 

 days, they will become whiter, and more lively 

 and attractive as baits ; particularly if in your 

 ingenuity you can affix the tackle without kill- 

 ing the minnow : though of course this cannot 

 be done if the leaded wire be used. There are, 

 however, many other kinds of minnow-tackle 

 besides the one I have described. 



