TO BAIT THE GORGE HOOK. 7 



through the flesh of the side of the bait, about half an inch 

 above the tail, so as to incircle the gimp and then tied, 

 it is a neater and better way than tieing around the outside. 



The baited hook is now complete to fix to the trolling 

 line, to go in search of Jack or Pike, but it is necessary 

 the reader should know that angler's use fish for baits 

 when trolling with the gorge hook, varying in size from one 

 to four ounces in weight, therefore it is proper to have an 

 assortment of the different sizes of gorge hooks, that you 

 may always have a hook proportionate to the size of the 

 bait fish your judgment leads you to select, for you must 

 notice, that the barbs and points of the hook should not 

 project from the sides of the bait's mouth, but should lay 

 very close, because if the points, &c. project, they are 

 very likely to be felt by Jack or Pike when they are in 

 the act of changing the position of the bait fish in order 

 to pouch it ; if they do, they will then immediately blow 

 it out of their mouth, and also when casting, dipping, 

 drawing, and spinning the bait, those projecting parts of 

 the hook frequently catch hold of weeds, &c. by which 

 misfortune the hook is drawn from its position, and the 

 bait fish either much mutilated or entirely spoiled. 



There is some difference of opinion among anglers in 

 respect to sewing up the mouth of the bait fish, but after 

 the hook has been placed in a proper manner, and the 

 tail-part tied or sewed to the gimp, I think there is little 



