io6 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



has so many attractions in the change of scenery, 

 and presents such varied opportunities for the display 

 of skill, that the followers of this method are loath to 

 forgo it even for the chance of bigger fish that are 

 more likely to fall victims to live-bait fishing. 



\\'hen the fish has seized a spinning lure it should 

 be remembered that the bait is being drawn through 

 the water at the time of its seizure by the pike and 

 that a resistance to his will is thus instantly set up; 

 we can, therefore, have no doubt about his redoubling 

 his efforts to hold it securely; so the strike which 

 follows must be a violent one to give any chance 

 of moving the bait, held in such a sharp-tootlied vice, 

 sufficiently^ to drive the hooks home. 



The chances of hooking while fishing with a live 

 bait are much greater, for the pike takes it without 

 resistance, holds it loosely or, may be, he is in the 

 act of turning it in his mouth preparatory to gorging 

 it by the time you have gently felt for a taut connec- 

 tion between the fish and rod. When spinning, you 

 may hold hard and stril-:e, a dozen times, only to find 

 that when the fish is near you he opens his mouth and 

 renders back your lure. I have been serv^ed thus half 

 a dozen tmies and still he came at the bait, not having 

 felt the hooks. My method is to strike hard and then, 

 if there is no shake to denote he feels the hooks, to 

 slack the line, to give him confi.dence to loosen his 

 hold a bit, and then strike again, hoping to feel the 

 shake which tells me to hold him tight that the hooks 

 may be driven deeper between his teeth. 



