The Fishing of the Free Folk 85 



sand, melt shot or scrap lead in a big iron spoon, 

 and pour it into the mould. The hook is a most 

 important point. It must have a well-rounded curve, 

 and if the barb has a twist to one side, so much the 

 better. It must have an eye. To the free folk, the 

 eyeless hook is an invention of the Evil One, and no 

 free fisher is blind to the material advantages of an 

 eye. A hook having an eye can instantly be made 

 fast as desired and the entire shank be left free for 

 bait. Any one who knows anything understands 

 that a length of fat worm slid up the shank is a heap 

 better than string, knotted or wrapped, so there you 

 are. The sinker being at the end, the hook, or 

 hooks, must go on above it ; so they are attached 

 to foot-long lengths cut from the line and tied to it 

 where wanted. If the lower hook hang a foot above 

 the sinker, and the upper a couple of feet above the 

 first, they will be about right. Usually, the free 

 ends of the short lengths and the line proper are 

 together looped into a hard knot which cannot slip. 

 Sometimes, and it's no bad way, a hard knot is made 

 at the end of the hook tackle, which is then passed 

 through a single knot in the line. This, once drawn 

 tight, will hold like a vise, yet may be worked loose 

 when desired by a trifle of judicious picking. 



The casting of this tackle is very simple. For 

 short distances the line is held just above the upper 

 hook and tossed where wanted. When it is desira- 

 ble to get out a lot of line, the same hold is taken 

 and the sinker whirled a few times before the cord 

 is released. Nothing but practice can teach just 

 how hard to whirl the lead, and when to let go, to 

 insure a long, smooth cast An experienced hand 



