PICKLED BAITS. 



77 



first bottle can be used over and over again for fresh, lots of 

 bait. I have before me a bottleful of sprats which were 

 pickled after this method about six months ago. They are 

 now as silvery as when first put into the spirits, and exceed- 

 ingly tough. Bleak* make splendid spinning baits preserved 

 after this fashion. Baits may also be pickled in 

 salt, or painted with glycerine. King's Preserva- 

 tive,t a powder which has to be mixed with 

 water, is as good as, if not better than, spirits 

 of wine for preserving baits. 



There is a bait made out of the tail of an eel, 

 which requires special tackle, and which should, 

 I think, find a place among the preserved baits. 

 I have never tried it, but it has been very favour- 

 ably mentioned by several writers on angling. 

 Its general appearance may be gathered from 

 Fig. 39. It is made in the following mauner : 

 Skin an eel to within about 6in. of the tail, and 

 cut off the flesh ; then cut the skin rather more 

 than lin. above the flesh. Take a large sneck 

 or round-bend hook, mounted on gimp (on which 

 is a pierced shot), put the point of the hook in at 

 the cut end of the eel, and bring it out as shown 

 in the illustration. Then gather the loose skin 

 up over the shot, which is resting on the top 

 of the shank, and tie it round tightly with thread. 

 Next turn so much of the skin as remains above 

 the tie back towards the tip of the tail, and sew 

 down the edges, so forming an artificial head. 

 Mr. Cholmondeley-Pennell says of these baits 

 that if placed in plenty of coarse, dry salt, they 

 will keep for several weeks, and improve by ^^^ jg ^^^ 

 keeping; but before being used they should, if tail Spinning 

 possible, be allowed to soak in fresh water for 

 ten or fifteen hours, to restore their brilliancy and plumpness. 

 Mr. Pennell also says that a small eel can be mounted with 



* My best pike was taken in Ireland on a Thames bleak which had been in 

 pickle three or four years, 

 t Sold at 157, Commercial Road, London. 



k 



