THE TIKE. 897 



pounds." These two lakes are calculated to include an ex- 

 tent of six hundred acres. 



Mr. Yarrell describes the trimmer thus : " It is a long 

 cylindrical float, made of wood or cork, or rushes tied to- 

 gether at each end ; to the middle of this float a string is 

 fixed, in length from eight to fifteen feet ; this string is 

 wound round the float, except two or three feet, when the 

 trimmer is to be put into the water and slightly fixed by a 

 notch in the wood or cork, or by putting it between the ends 

 of the rushes. The bait is fixed on the hook, and the hook 

 fastened to the end of the pendant string, and the whole then 

 dropped into the water. By this arrangement, the bait floats 

 at any required depth, which should have some reference to 

 the temperature of the season; pike swimming near the 

 surface in fine warm weather, and deeper when it is colder, 

 but generally keeping near its peculiar haunts. When the 

 bait is seized by a pike, the jerk loosens the fastening, and 

 the whole string unwinds ; the wood, cork, or rushes, floating 

 at the top, indicating what has occurred." This mode of 

 fishing, however, is rather a mechanical one, and not such 

 as would be preferred by the true sportsman. 



For trolling, the rod should be twelve or fourteen feet 

 long, but with a strong top for this fishing, with a ring at the 

 end for the line to run through ; this may be fitted to a fly or 

 general rod : there should be one ring upon each joint to con- 

 duct the line, which is better than a greater number. They 

 should be set on straight, that it may run freely, so that no 

 sudden check, after the bait is taken, may prevent the pike 

 from gorging it. The line should be of silk, with a swivel at 

 the end to receive the armed wire or gimp, and at least 

 thirty yards long, wound upon a winch or reel, fixed near 

 the butt-end of the rod. The best baits are gudgeons or dace, 

 of a middling size : put the baiting needle in at the mouth, 



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