THE PIKE. 91 



water fust, and the bends of the hooks faces the weeds, in- 

 stead of the points, when it is jerked upwards and with- 

 •dra^vii. In this plan it is a necessity to have the wire of 

 the gcige hook pretty long and stiff, and firmly embedded in 

 the solid flesh of the bait, or the wear and tear of dragging 

 it among the weeds would soon rip it all to pieces. I have 

 seen this tackle and plan of baiting used in very deep and 

 open water where no weeds and obstructions exist, instead of 

 a spinning bait, and certainly when the fish laid low and were 

 very sluggish it was more successful than either spinning 

 or live-baiting. It is thrown right across to the opposite 

 side and allowed to sink to tlie bottom, and then very 

 slowly, inch by inch, wound home again. The bends of 

 the hooks coming first prevented any fouling. This is a 

 deadly plan that I have had proof off more than once ; but 

 I say again that I don't like it, because no matter if the fish 

 weighs one pound or twenty pounds, it must be killed when 

 hooked on a dead gorge ; but for all that in very deep and 

 open water with a clear bottom it is more deadly than even 

 the paternoster tackle. 



