210 MODERN PRACTICAL ANGLER. 



. 



Angler," of which an engraving, reduced to Jth the 

 actual size, is appended. 



Even this, however, ought rather, perhaps, to be de- 

 scribed as the least faulty, than as the most 

 complete of the patterns which have been 

 published. Baited thus : the single lip-hook 

 is passed through the upper lip of the bait, 

 and the small hook of the triangle is fixed 

 into the skin near the back-fin. From this it results that 

 the bait is suspended in a most unnatural position in the 

 water, standing in fact on its tail, except at the moments 

 when it rights itself by a muscular effort. The effect is, 

 of course, that it cannot " travel" properly, and instead 

 of roving about freely in every direction, is confined to a 

 comparatively small space, having moreover a constant 

 tendency to rise to the surface rather than to remain 

 swimming at mid-water. Of minor imperfections it may 

 be observed that any hooking of the lips is always objec- 

 tionable, as it tends, by interfering with the functions 

 of respiration, to shorten the existence and lessen the 

 vitality of the bait, and this is one reason why all live- 

 bait tackles which consist only of a single lip-hook are 

 bad. 



What is wanted in a live-bait tackle is^- 



(i) That the hooks should be suspended in a position 



in which they will be most certain to strike when the 



bait lies crosswise in a Pike's mouth ; (2) that the lips of 



the bait should not be interfered with in any way ; and 



