THE PIKE. 



4« 



tackle than a leather case, as in the latter the treble hooks 

 are liable to be broken if anything heavy is thrown on the 

 caise. The annexed drawing shows one of these tackle cases- 



FiG. 7. Box FOR Pike Tackle. 



open, so that the inside arrangements can be seen. A 

 strong canvas haversack of a pretty fair size is also another 

 useful article, particularly if the pike fisherman goes in for 

 a good deal of spinning, as it can be slung across his 

 shoulders, and so out of the way while at work with his 

 spinning bait, and does not have to be picked up and car- 

 ried in the hand to every fresh place he wishes to try. A 

 pike fisherman should also always have a bottle of varnish 

 handy at home, as it is very useful for a variety of purposes, 

 the best that I know for pike tackle being two pennyworth 

 of the wood naphtha, in a doctor's medicine bottle, with two 

 ounces of best brown shellac dissolved in it. Wood naphtha 

 is far better than spirits of wine, as the latter evaporates, 

 and after being some time on the bindings or whipping of 

 rod or tackle the gum rubs off like a dry dust. The bind- 

 ings of all pike tackle should be from time to time painted 

 over thinly and lightly with a little of the before mentioned 

 mixture; a small camels hair brush being the best for this 

 purpose. This small brush should always be kept in a little 

 of the naphtha in a separate bottle or vessel, or if allowed to 

 get dry the bristles would be as hard as a bit of stick. I 

 am certain it will pay the angler to touch up his tackle pretty 

 frequently, as it helps to keep the bindings secure, and 



