60 ANGLING FOR PIKE. 



distance from the lead to tlie float will then be, roughly, the 

 depth, and the float can be put in its proper position. When 

 fishing over weeds, the bait should swim about 1ft. above 

 the weeds; but over a clear bottom I usually arrange it so 

 that it swims two-thirds of the way from the surface. If the 

 water is much coloured, the bait should be deeper ; but if very 

 clear (unless very deep), rather higher, about mid-water. Pro- 

 fessional fishermen are always ready to tell one the depth ; the 

 angler, however, should not trust to them too much, but occa- 

 sionally take soundings on his own account. 



If the water to be fished is very deep, it is as well — in 

 some cases necessary — to have a sliding float. This is nothing 

 more than the old-fashioned cork float with a hole down the 

 centre; but the hole should be slightly enlarged, and is all 

 the better if lined with light, metal tubing, to allow the line 

 to run freely through it. The top of the tube should be 

 slightly dilated, and neatly fitted to the cork, so that the 

 line may slip through the float easily, and not cut on the 

 metal. To keep this float at the proper distance from the 

 bait, ^in. of elastic band is tied to the line (make a noose in 

 the line, put the piece of band in it, and pull the noose 

 tight), so that, when the lead causes the bait to sink in the 

 water, the line runs through the float until stopped by the 

 piece of band. "When the pike is being played, the float slips 

 down the line to the lead, or as near it as the water will allow, 

 and the piece of rubber band passes through the rod-rings. 



Live-baits. — The usual baits for float-tackle are dace and 

 roach. The first-named fish is by far the better of the two. 

 Small carp make long-lived baits, and are very killing in some 

 waters; and where expense is no object, I would strongly 

 recommend goldfish. For lakes and ponds where a good 

 working bait is required — one which will travel about, and 

 cover much ground — there is nothing so good as a small 

 chub. Pike are very fond of gudgeon, but these little fish 

 are hardly showy enough, except in clear water. Faut de 

 mieux, a frog may be tried; in some waters — usually lakes — 

 pike take them freely. So far as my experience goes, frogs 

 will not live under water for any length of time. The usual 



