136 HINTS ON ANGLING. 



not wash them before you bait, because you are very 

 likely to rub off some scales in the process: as soon 

 as the hook is thrown into the water, off goes the bran, 

 and the fish sparkles and glitters with his skin unble- 

 mished. 



Another way of catching pike is with the snap. The 

 spring snap is sold at all the tackle-shops ; and, as it is 

 easily adjusted to any part of the bait by means of the 

 smaller hook, it is a very good weapon for the purpose. 

 There is also a double-hooked snap sometimes used, for 

 managing which directions are given in some fishing 

 books ; but it seems to be a roundabout troublesome pro- 

 cess, scarce worth comprehending. We have in our 

 possession, a singularly formidable sort of hook, or rather 

 bundle of hooks, used, and we believe invented, by the 

 earl of Yarborough's keeper at Brocklesby Park. It 

 consists of two strong treble-hooks, one double hook, and 

 a single one, lying in succession along a very strong gimp 

 trace, with a good swivel in the middle of it. One of the 

 barbs in the first treble hook, is thrust upwards from 

 under the mouth through the head of the bait ; the second 

 treble hook crosses over the shoulder, and has one of its 

 barbs pushed under the back fin ; the double hook is run 

 in near the tail, and the single hook hangs loose behind. 

 If the pike venture to touch this bait so armed, he must 

 get the hooks into his mouth, and a smart jerk will fix 

 them immoveably. 



This is unquestionably a killing affair, and in the hands 

 of a keeper or poacher is a valuable weapon; but the 

 genuine angler w T ill be unwilling to adopt any of these 

 methods, for the principle of the snap destroys the great 

 charm of his art. He will assuredly get his fish ; but 

 where are the suspense* uncertainty, dexterity, skill 



