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CHAPTER XIV. 



SPINNING. 



The rationale of spinning — Early mention. Spinning Flights — The 

 I Author's patterns ; directions for baiting ; details of construction. 

 The trace — Best materials and knots ; leads. Rod, reel, and reel- 

 line for spinning and Pike-fishing generally. Honv to spin — Casting ; 

 'Nottingham method;' striking; playing; landing. Spinning 

 baits — Natural baits ; Bleak, Dace, Gudgeon ; the Eel-bait, tackle 

 for ; setting of Eel-lines ; sea-fish as baits. Artificial baits. IVhen 

 and ^here to spin — Pike-haunts and spawning time. Receipt for 

 cooking Pike. 



The only mode of snap-fishing with the dead-bait worth 

 consideration is " Spinning," — a branch of trolling which 

 in the majority of cases as much surpasses in deadliness 

 all other methods as it is unquestionably superior to 

 them in its attractiveness as a sport, and in the amount 

 of skill required for its successful practice. It will occa- 

 sionally happen, no doubt, that in particular waters, or 

 states of water, the live bait will kill more fish, or that a 

 river may be so overgrown with weed as to be impene- 

 trable to anything except a gorge-hook ; but such con- 

 tingencies are comparatively rare, and taking the 

 average of waters and weathers throughout the year, 

 it may be safely assumed that the spinning-bait will 



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