GOBGE-BAITING WITH FLOAT-TACKLE. 49 



A gorge-hook proper for live bait is shown in Fig. 25. It is 

 fastened to the bait by means of a baiting-needle. Of baiting- 

 needles there are several patterns, one of which 

 is shown in Fig. 26. The loop at end of the 

 gimp is put through the eye of the needle; 

 the point of the needle is then inserted under 

 skin of bait, just above the pectoral fin, and 

 brought out near the dorsal or back fin, and 

 the gimp pulled through until the shank of the 

 hook is covered by the skin of the bait. When a ^,^ o^ ^^„^„ 



, . J . riGr. CO. liOROE- 



run IS nao. with this tackle, it is necessary to hook for Live 

 wait from five to eight minutes, meanwhile 



D paying out line, if need be, for the pike must 



go where he will without the slightest check. 

 Then gather up loose line, and strike, or, rather, 

 drag the fish in, for the poor beast with the 

 hook in his entrails requires little striking or 

 playing.* To remove the hook, knock the pike 

 on the head, unfasten the loop at the end of 

 the gimp from the swivel, make an incision 

 in the belly of the pike where the hook can 

 be felt, and draw the hook out backwards. 



About the only real difficulty in fishing with 



float- tackle is to determine the proper distance 



at which to put the float from the bait ; both 



in rivers and lakes it is necessary to have some 



idea of the depth of the water to do this. When 



in a punt, the depth is easily ascertained by 



means of the punt-pole, and it is not a difficult 



matter to fasten a heavy plummet to the hook, 



I and so plumb the depth. When fishing a strange 



I water from the bank, the only thing to do, if 



I no one is at hand to give the necessary informa- 



X tion, is to put the float very deep, cast out, and 



▼ see if the lead lies on the bottom or not, and keep 



putting the float higher and higher until it ceases 



iNG-NEEDLE. to cock, whcu thc lead will be on the bottom. The 



* The remarks on gorge-baiting in Chapter V. should be carefully read in con- 

 nection with this subject. 



DIV. II. E 



