WHEN THE LINE FREEZES. 73 



heavy sometimes make one draw tlae bait too fast, for if not 

 drawn fast the bait sinks, and catches on the bottom. When 

 arranging a bait on a flight, do not be satisfied unless it spins 

 well when drawn slowly through the water. It is easy enough 

 to make a bait spin when drawn at such a rate that no pike 

 would think of seizing it. 



In very frosty weather the line will freeze, and ice will 

 accumulate in the rings of the rod. Grease on the line is the 

 remedy for this unpleasant state of things. Palm oil is good 

 for the purpose ; so is castor oil. Use some butter scraped off a 

 sandwich if no other grease is available. Mr. Jardine recom- 

 mends a piece of wool soaked in castor oil to be tied on 

 the rod, in the ring next the winch, and also in the top 

 ring. I have never tried this plan, but have no doubt of 

 its efficacy. If you have no grease with you, and your 

 rings are full of ice, do not cut out the ice with a penknife, 

 but get your man to put the rings one by one in his 

 mouth, and so thaw the ice. A line cuts and breaks very 

 easily when frozen. 



One great objection to the method of spinning I have 

 described is that the coils of line on the ground are apt to 

 catch in bits of stick, tufts of grass, and other catchable 

 things ; about one out of every three casts being thereby 

 spoilt. Thames fishermen sometimes get over this by gathering 

 up the line, as they draw it in, in their left hand. The method 

 is peculiar, and not easily described. First, take the line 

 between the first finger and thumb of the left hand, then turn 

 the hand, palm upwards, so that the line lies across the fingers. 

 Next, bend down the little finger over the line, and turn the 

 hand round (palm still upwards), so that the fingers point 

 towards the body. The result of this action is that the line 

 doubles round the little finger, and comes between the finger 

 and thumb again. The little finger is then withdrawn from 

 that loop of line, and a fresh piece of line taken round it. 

 This method is useless where fast spinning is necessary, or 

 very long casts have to be made; but I have found it most 

 valuable when spinning slowly against the stream. A bait 

 which spins easily is essential. This method is also useful 



