304: FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



Trolling is a luxurious style of fishing. It is not very ar- 

 tistic until the fish fastens. Then the play of the fish calls 

 for the deftly-expert handling by an angler whose experience 

 has taught him the strength and tricks to effect escape pecu- 

 liar to each family of fishes. 



. Of bait-fishes, the river chub probably ranks next to the 

 shiner. It bites eagerly to a minnow-hook baited with liver. 

 Then there are the daces, both the horned and smooth heads, 

 which are good for bait, and bite readily to a red fly, angle- 

 worm, or liver. The stone-sucker is often used for bait, but 

 it has no other merit than being firm and lasting ; it is not a 

 taking lure. I am in the habit, when angling in the interior 

 of the country, and in want of minnow bait, to cut a two-inch 

 thick rod, with a fork at the end, trimming the fork, and cut- 

 ting it down to the length of two feet, and then fastening a 

 piece of bobbinet lace or musquito-netting into the fork, full 

 enough to form a bag, and with that extemporized scap-net 

 I have always been able to scap up enough bait from the 

 brooks or backsets from the fishing waters. But it is more 

 desirable to carry a minnow-net on making these country ex- 

 cursions. The gaff-hook, landing-net, and minnow-net are es- 

 sential implements toward an outfit for an expedition for 

 general fishing. 



FISH-HOOKS. 



In the two rows of hooks represented opposite, the angler 

 may see the two important bends, without reference to the 

 slight bend side wise, and called the Kirby bend, which may be 

 given to either one. Some anglers prefer a Kirby bend, while 

 others contend that it is not so good for mounting with flies 

 for either salmon or trout ; but Mr. Hyde, the best amateur 

 expert in America, generally mounts his flies on Kirby round- 

 bends. Offish-hooks the shape is important, but scarcely more 

 so than are the qualities of metal, temper, and finish. Oh, 

 how many aching regrets and hopeless* feelings of momentary 

 desperation have been caused by a flaw in a fish-hook, or in 



