152 FISHERMAN'S LURES 



ers for my lowest lures. The question whether 

 creeper lures should not lie right on the bed of 

 the river which some live creepers in their natural 

 state never leave till they make their final change, 

 is easily answered by the fact that if the artificial 

 creeper lies on the bed, it is not so likely to be 

 visible. The action of the rod tip forces the bait 

 down, then up, so that truth to nature is best 

 accomplished that way, by jerking it. This active 

 jerk, to give life movement, is very essential to 

 success; just the same as with live bait, which, if 

 it ceases to kick around in a lively manner, re- 

 duces the chances of a strike. 



If the reader will refer to Chapter II, on Char- 

 acteristic Habits, it will prove a sort of guide how 

 to imitate this life movement with the artificials 

 an art requiring some practice to perform well, 

 yet at the same time exceedingly interesting to 

 do. The importance of the peculiarly different 

 action of each one of them makes considerable 

 variety in the method required, giving added 

 interest in the game every time you fish. When 

 you are fishing the artificial in deep though still 

 water, it calls for yet more skilful rod-tip move- 

 ment, because no rush of water assists that life 

 movement. All that can be done is to lift the tip 



