224 



" With the above-mentioned rod and tackle, 

 half a dozen good dead baits, either gudgeons, 

 or dace, but as nearly as possible if a little 

 longer the better the length of the set of 

 hooks to be used, a knife with a small hammer 

 at the end, to kill and crimp the pike when 

 taken, and a pair of scissors, to extract the 

 hooks from his mouth, the troller may set 

 to work. If he fishes from a bank, mill-dam, 

 meadow, or, in short, from any place where his 

 line is not liable to get entangled, no reel is 

 necessary. It is, in fact, an encumbrance. 

 Longer, quicker, and better casts can be made 

 without one. The troller has only to gather 

 up his line around him, and alter his cast, 

 which is chiefly made with the right hand, 

 and he has his left at liberty to draw in the 

 line, which he disposes on the ground near 

 him, stepping forward a pace or two, so as to 

 vary the place where his bait is thrown. In 

 this way he may make his casts with great 

 rapidity, letting his bait sink or keeping it 

 near the surface according to the depth of the 

 water, or the height of the weeds. When 

 weeds are found within six or eight inches of 

 the surface, the bait should be skimmed nearly 

 along the top of the water. This may be done 

 by having a small one, fewer shot, keeping the 

 top of the rod well elevated, and by throwing 



