CHAPTER VII. 

 THE PIKE (continued). 



FISHING WITH A LIVE BAIT. 



Different methods of live baiting — Pike flloats and pilots — Snap tackle 

 and the methods of baiting — Traces for live baiting — Stream fishing for- 

 pike — The slider float — Striking, and playi7ig a pike on float tackle — The 

 proper depth — A contrast — Live gorging — Paternostering for pike — Leger- 

 ing — Queer live baits — Live bait kettles aiid store boxes. 



Live-baiting for pike can be divided into four heads, or 

 rather sections, two of them practised with one or more 

 floats, and the other two without floats at all ; but I don't 

 propose to go at very great length into this part of my sub- 

 ject, describing the dozens of tackles that are recommended 

 for this branch of angling. I shall only briefly look at them 

 from a working man's standpoint, and just see which tackle 

 out of the whole lot is most likely to have the best results 

 when used in any and all circumstances and conditions of 

 live-baiting. The four heads under which live-baiting can 

 be subdivided are as follows: — ^First, with a snap tackle, 

 and one or more floats so arranged that the bait swims at 

 any depth the angler pleases, mid-water or nearer the bottom 

 or nearer the surface, the snap hooks being such that when 

 the pike seizes the bait he can be struck at once. Second, 

 with similar floats, but with a double side or gorge hook 

 threaded under the skin of the bait, so that a pike must 

 swallow it before he can be hooked. Third, with a pater- 

 noster that is used without floats, but has a pear-shaped 

 lead at the extreme end below the baits, and one, two, or 

 sometimes three sets of hooks projecting at right angles 

 from the main trace at fixed distances from each other above 

 the lead. Fourth, with a leger tackle sunk to the bottom of 

 deep holes, with the bait below the lead, and fished as either 



