Chapt. vi. Spin slowly with Fun Tackle. 



Much depends on the pace at which you draw youi bait. 



Many draw it a great deal too quickly, under the impression thai 

 it is all important that it should spin round ami round with light- 

 ning speed. But there are other things also which are important. 

 Tho only object of the bait spinning found and round on its own 

 axis is, as far as I am aware, to conceal the hooks, and perhaps 

 also to give the general appearance of a fish moving by vibration 

 of the tail. But chiefly, I believe, to corneal the hooks. My idea 

 is that it is better to attain this end by having lew and well con- 

 cealed hooks, than at the sacrifice of natural motion in the hail 

 It is true that from paucity of hooks you sometimes have a run 

 and do not hook, because your bait has been taken by the tad 

 where there is no hook. Hut I would rather have that disappoint- 

 ment than not have the run at all by way of diversion; and my 

 belief is that you get more runs on fine tackle with few hooks, 

 than you do when you have a bait bristling with hooks enough to 

 scare away the most strong-minded of fish. Moreover, the Mahseer 

 ordinarily takes the bait in head foremost, asa trout does, not cross- 

 wise as a pike does, consequently a tail hook is not needed, except 

 to avoid occasional missing of the bait, and I certainly would not 

 use it just to guard against such an accident. I would rather rely 

 on the fish missing the bait altogether, and coming at it a second 

 time. Again it will be remembered that the leathery mouth, and 

 the habit of compressing its prey, both point to fewer hooks being 

 needed forgetting hold of a Mahseer than are ordinarily used for 

 trout and pike and salmon. Besides, there is a great advantage in 

 fishing slowly. Predatory fish do not ordinarily hunt down flying 

 Lvalue like a dog; they take it unawares like a cat, and if they 

 feel they cannot seize it at a spring, or a rush, they give it up, and 

 watch for another opportunity. Consequently, if a bait passes 

 them rapidly, they take no a]. parent notice of it, considering the 

 attempt at surprise likely to be vain. Many and many a time. 

 have I watched them do the same with a passing live fish. The 

 young fellow is probably not unaware of the dangerous quarters 

 he is passing through, and makes a dash of it accordingly ; the old 

 fellow sees with half an eye that he is wide awake, and makes no 

 ell'.. n to overtake him. So little notice does he take, although the 

 small fish has come close by him, that you are disposed to think 

 not a taking fish, not on the (ml, hut a thoughtful 1» 



