SPINNING. 195 



own experience, for five or six weeks, and probably for 

 much longer. Before being used the Eel should be 

 allowed to soak in fresh water, if possible for ten or 

 fifteen hours, to restore its plumpness and pliancy. 



It will be found most convenient to make up the Eel- 

 tail bait before starting for the river side, as the manipu- 

 lation is troublesome and requires some nicety. When 

 once made, however, it is almost everlasting, and thus,. 

 in fact, effects a great saving of the angler's time in 

 baiting. The salted Eel-tail in my opinion is not only 

 by far the best preserved Pike bait, but it fulfils every 



j requirement that the most exacting can demand, and 

 thus satisfactorily solves that vexed problem, the great 

 Preserved Bait Question, which has been so longdiscussed 

 in the columns of the sporting press, and in which the 

 comfort of the Pike spinner is so vitally concerned. In a 



j pickle-jar or a small bait-kettle, the troUer can thus carry 

 with him enough spinning baits to last him easily for 

 a week, and these can be kept and used again if hot- 

 wanted. 



Another advantage of Eel-bait is that it can be ob- 

 tained at almost any pond, river, or canal by merely- 

 setting a night-line baited with worms on No. 10 or 11 

 hooks. The great point in the management of Eel- 

 lines consists in taking them up sufficiently early — before 

 or about sunrise, say : if they are allowed to remain long 

 after the sun is up, the major part of the Eels will get off" 

 the hooks. 



