SPINNING. 



179 



in the annexed plate, taken from the " Book of the 

 Pike," show the result of my experiments. These 

 flights represent the three sizes which will be found 

 most convenient for all ordinary baits — that is, from a 

 Gudgeon of medium length up to a fair-sized Dace. I 

 never spin with very heavy baits myself, but for 

 those who do, flights of the pattern of No. 4 should be 

 dressed proportionally larger. No. i is figured in the 

 chapter on Trout spinning (p. 1 15), and will be found a very 

 useful flight with a small Gudgeon or Bleak, when the 

 water is low and bright. The upper triangle in No. 4 is, 

 it will be observed, attached to the lip-hook, so that it 

 must always hang near the shoulder of the bait. The 

 under triangle hangs lower dov/n near the tail. 



The question of the relative size and proportion of the 

 hooks to the bait is, of course, of great importance, as, if 

 the hooks are too small, the Pike very probably escapes 

 being struck by them, and if too large the bait will not 

 spin, I should therefore recommend all spinners who 

 may use this tackle, to keep at least the three smallest 

 of these exact sizes of flights in their trolling case. 



Directions for Baiting. — First, to fix the tail hook : insert the point 

 by the side or lateral-hne of the bait near to the tail, and passing it 

 under a broadish strip of the skin and through the end of the fleshy- 

 part of the tail, bring it out as near the base of the tail-fin as practi- 

 cable. Next insert the small reversed hook, in such a position as to 

 curve the bait's tail nearly to a right-angle. Finally, pass the lip-hook 

 through both its lips, always putting it through the upper Up first when 

 the bait is a Gudgeon, and through the lo^er one first with all others. 

 This is very important in securing a really briUiant spin. 



