380 SALMON AND TROUT. 



success. For example, on the Clare-Galway river, which 

 debouches into Loch Corrib, when there is a little freshet on 

 in September or October the spinning eel-tail is considered the 

 most attractive bait. On the Tweed, again, the real minnow 

 is most deadly, though, unfortunately for the spinner, not 

 allowed, I believe, to be used. On the Aberdeenshire Dee 

 where it is permitted, the minnow is exceedingly effective, 

 also early in the season on the Spey, whilst on other waters, as, 

 for example, on the Awe and Lochy, two of the most cele- 

 brated salmon rivers of Scotland, it is of no earthly use, and 

 the minnow spinner might, for all practical purposes, as well 

 fling his hat in. Still, as I have said, there are some rivers, 

 and those good ones, where the spun minnow is often a deadly 

 bait ; whilst trolling for salmon with a parr or rather (to be 

 comformable to law) with a small trout is regularly and suc- 

 cessfully practised on numerous and widely distributed lakes. 



As to the tackle therefore, for these purposes, and the 

 mode of using it, beginning with the small trout-bait : 



From 3^ to 4 inches, measuring from the nose to the end 

 of the tail-fin, is the most perfect length for this bait the 

 larger size, or something between the two, perhaps, for choice. 

 A facsimile bait of 3-^ inches is figured in the cut, together 

 with a tackle for spinning it. This is an enlargement, to 

 suit the larger bait, of my original * minnow ' flight, but with a 

 movable lip-hook substituted for a fixed one, and the gut 

 * lead-link ' attached, as shown, by a loop long enough to 

 admit of a reasonable variation in the size of the bait em- 

 ployed, whilst at the same time removing an obstacle to the 

 proper set of the lip-hook when the gut link did not happen to 

 be exactly of the right length. This addition was what was 

 required to make the tackle perhaps complete for the ordinary 

 troller, not disposed to trouble himself with too great ' nice- 

 ties,' or carrying about with him several different sizes of 

 flights. For all the sizes of baits properly suited to be used in 

 1 Lake spinning,' both for Salmon, Brown Trout, and Ferox, 

 this flight will, I think, give satisfactory results. 



