56 FISHING. 



A minnow measuring about an inch and three 

 quarters (tail included) is the best size, and always 

 select the best shaped and silvery coloured ones, 

 those of a greenish colour are worthless. As re- 

 gards the rod, this should be fifteen feet long, 

 and stiff. 



The reel line in common use will answer very well 

 for this also. The casting line should be triple spun, 

 and three feet long, to which add six lengths of 

 good round clean gut. And as regards hooks, I 

 have tried all kinds, and experience teaches me 

 that two hooks, with a drag behind, will kill more 

 than any other combination. Take a small sized 

 salmon hook and tie it on to your lowest length 

 of gut ; then take a worm hook (No 5) and tie it 

 on close above the salmon hook, so that the bend 

 of the small hook may just touch the shank end 

 of the large one. 



The drag consists of triple hooks tied on to a 

 separate length of gut, with a loop at one end to 

 slip on above the shank end of No. 5 hook. The 

 drag, I may remark, should, when stretched out, 

 be three and a half inches behind the minnow; 

 the tail of which, in spinning, describes a ring as 

 it ware, and the drag being still farther out catch 

 the trout that bite shy or miss the minnow. 



\Vith regard to swivels, one should be placed 

 two feet above the hooks, and a second two feet 



