78 LONDON ANGLER'S BOOK, 



a winch, it is useful while waiting for a fish feeding, 

 as you can stick it in the ground, taking care to fasten 

 it so as the line will easily run off. 



Pike frequent deep, heavy, sedgy water, and the 

 still places about bridges, weirs, &c. among weeds, 

 but to give a proper description as to where Pike are 

 found would almost be impossible, further than as 

 before stated ; their haunts are various in different 

 rivers, there are particular places in every river con- 

 taining Pike, where they will be always taken, more 

 or less. 



When you have supplied yourself with rod, line, 

 and hooks, as advised, get a Dace, Roach, or Gudgeon 

 about five or six inches long ; take a baiting needle, a 

 little longer than the fish, and only sufficiently strong 

 to pass through the fish conveniently, with a hook at 

 the end, so contrived as not to be much thicker than 

 the needle, or it will not easily pass through the bait ; 

 take your gorge hook, with about a foot of fine gimp 

 attached, and looped at the end ; hook this on the 

 needle, then pass it through the fish, from the mouth 

 to the tail ; tie the tail fast to the gimp with a 

 small piece of thread, tight yet neat as possible, then 

 fix this to your line. Proceed to the river, and 

 casting your bait as lightly as possible, where your 

 judgment best directs, letting the bait sink to the 

 bottom, then raising it, and so till you feel a knock.* 

 I have said upright rings are best for a trolling rod 



* A term used by Trolleri . 



