THE PIKE. 85 



manent success. The spinning line is generally an un- 

 dressed silk, and holds water to some extent, so naturally 

 freezes. You cannot do better than rub a few drops of 

 cantor oil, applied with a flannel, down the line before start- 

 ing out on a frosty day. This is the best remedy I know 

 of, but grinding the line in and out the rings when the latter 

 are nearly choked up with ice is not one of the best things 

 to subject a line to. If ice forms in the end ring or any 

 of the rings for the matter of that, you must suck it out 

 again and chance the disagreeableness of the task. 



