76 ANGLING FOR PIKE. 



mistake. Gudgeon also spin splendidly, but not being very 

 bright baits, should be used in clear water only. E/Oacb may 

 be made to spin, after a fashion, on a Chapman Spinner, or 

 on the tackle shown in Fig. 34. They should not be despised, 

 when nothing better can be obtained. Bleak are very favourite 

 baits of mine. In form and colour they leave nothing to be 

 desired, but they lack toughness. On a Chapman Spinner, 

 however, they last quite as long as do dace or gudgeon on 

 Francis or Pennell flights. I believe I have caught more pike 

 on them than on any other spinning bait. Sprats and smelts 

 are also good baits, if mounted on a Chapman or Archer 

 Spinner, with no lead on the spear. As a matter of fact, the 

 pike-fisher has to put up with any baits he can get ; but when 

 he has a choice, he should be guided by the following well- 

 established rules on the subject : Fish built on fine lines 

 spin better than corpulent, deep-bellied fish, such as roach, 

 rudd, and bream ; bright baits should be used on rough, dark 

 days, and especially when the water is coloured, more sombre 

 baits being best when the water is clear; when there is no 

 wind, and the water is very low and bright, use an exceptionally 

 small bait and fine tackle ; in winter use larger baits than in 

 summer. When the water is very thick, spinning is not much 

 use. The only chance then of taking a fish on spinning 

 tackle is to bait with a very large dace or a chub, and to 

 spin slowly near the bottom. 



Preserved Baits. — Of late years the practice of preserving 

 spinning baits has come very much into vogue — and an excellent 

 practice it is too. I am quite sure that, for pike, preserved baits 

 are as killing as fresh ones. The most common preserva- 

 tive is spirits of wine. The baits, after being caught and killed, 

 should be wiped or dabbed dry, and then laid on a dry cloth for 

 a couple of hours, to rid them of the remaining outside moisture. 

 They are then put in a wide-mouthed bottle, and spirits of wine 

 poured over them. A good deal of grease comes out of the baits 

 during the first fortnight; and it is as well, though not ab- 

 solutely necessary, to move them at the end of that time 

 into fresh spirits ; they will then keep very much brighter than 

 if left in the mixture of spirits and grease. The spirits in the 



