36 FLY-FISHING. 



Having laid this line in coils on the ground, you hold 

 it about a yard above the bait, and after whirling it 

 in the air three or four times on your right-hand side, 

 you suddenly let it go, and it will fly across the river 

 to a great distance ; you then immediately haul it in 

 again and lay it on the ground in coils ready for ano- 

 ther throw : but this plan will answer only where there 

 are no weeds or trees. In trolling, you must always 

 be particularly careful to keep every hook perfectly 

 clear of weeds ; for should there be any weeds hang- 

 ing to your hooks, the probability is that a pike would 

 refuse your bait. 



If you prefer fishing for pike with a live bait, a 

 gudgeon is one of the best baits, and the mode is as 

 follows. Your hook should be a very strong one, 

 and made of very stout wire ; it need not be a very 

 large hook, but it must be strong. Put this into the 

 gudgeon's lip, or into the skin just under his back 

 fin ; and having put some lead on your line, drop the 

 gudgeon into such holes as are likely to be the haunts 

 of pike, and then gently draw him up occasionally, or 

 you may use a large float, and rest your rod on any- 

 thing handy. Should a pike seize your bait, allow 

 him a short time to swallow it. Many persons make 



