THE YOUNG ANGLEB. 267 



into its mouth, which should afterwards be sewn up with white 

 thread. 



The LIVE BAIT must have a 

 No. 3 or 4 hook passed either 

 through its lips or the flesh be- 

 neath the back fin ; in the latter 

 plan, care must be taken not to touch the back-bone, or the bait 

 will soon die. If the live-bait seeks the weeds, it must be 

 stopped, and should it become sluggish, a good shake of the rod 

 will stir it up. It is best to use a float with live-bait, as the length 

 of line renders it difficult to heave the bait in mid- water at a proper 

 depth without. 



The rod for trolling must be very strong and stiff, about 14 

 or 16 feet in length, and have a whalebone or hickory top ; the 

 line must be at least 30 yards in length (sometimes it is full 

 60), made either of silk, or silk and gut twisted together, and be 

 kept on a winch. When you begin trolling, first fasten the winch 

 on to the rod, then pass the line through the rings on the under side 

 of the rod, and attach the hook to the line by a small swivel ; next 

 grasp the rod in your right hand, just above the winch, and rest 

 the butt- end of it against the side of your stomach, draw out, with 

 your left hand, a yard or two of the line from the swivel, hold it 

 firmly, and then with a sharp jerk from your right hand, cast the 

 bait into the stream, and let the line which you hold in your left 

 hand run out freely, that the hook may not be checked when cast 

 out, by your holding the line too fast, and so fall short of the spot 

 you wished to reach. Let the bait touch the water very lightly, and 

 allow it to sink nearly to the bottom ; then draw it gradually to the 

 surface, and continue moving it in this manner till you feel a bite ; 

 you must then let out your line quickly, give the fish about five 

 minutes to gorge, strike, and draw in until you see your prize ; 

 play him very carefully, and keep him away from weeds or piles, or 

 anything likely to endanger the safety of your tackle. The pike 

 requires some time to bite fairly, as he is apt to blow the bait out 

 of his mouth ; that is why he must have so mu?h time allowed him 

 to gorge the bait. Many a young angler loses his fish through be- 

 ginning to draw in too soon. 



When you fish with a live bait, put a gudgeon on the hook, it 

 being a strong fish, and one that will live some tm;e ; use a middling- 

 sized barrel-shaped cork float, and put a few swan-shot on the line, 

 and adjust the float so that the bait may hang about mid- water ; 

 let it float about for a few minutes, without taking it out, unless it 

 gets amongst weeds or too near shore, and the instant the pike 

 seizes the bait, which he does with much violence, let your line free, 

 give him a few minutes to gorge, and then strike. When fishing 

 with a snap-hook, either spring or plain, allow the fish no time to 

 pouch, but strike immediately you feel a bite. If you troll with 

 the bead -hook, throw it in as directed for the gorge-hook, draw it 

 frequently to the surface, and let it sink gradually again. You 

 may now and then take it out of the water, and cast it into a fresh 



