58 THE FISHING-ROD \ 



to throw the minnow a long way out, take 

 the bait in your left hand and throw it for- 

 ward, raising the rod with your right so as 

 to assist it in falling lightly upon the water ; 

 then draw the minnow gently towards you 

 in a semicircular or zigzag course. For light 

 spinning tackle, two shot of the size No. 3, if 

 placed about 8 or 10 inches from the hooks, will 

 be sufficient to keep the line and the minnow 

 down below the surface. 



Remember, the lower you keep the point 

 of your rod, the farther it will be from the 

 gaze of any fish which may be looking after 

 the minnow. 



The young angler should look well to the 

 minnow, and see that it spins well, or the 

 chances are, that he will catch nothing: a 

 turn of the wire which runs through the tail 

 will generally keep the tail to right or left 

 stiffly, and so cause the minnow to spin rapidly. 



Spinning the minnow is a sport which 

 may be pursued at any season of the year, 

 and in any waters where weeds do not in- 

 terrupt the process. March and April, are, 

 perhaps, the best months in the year for the 

 purpose. 



