80 



ANGLING FOR PIKE. 



pensive ones, as they soon get " chawed " up. They are made 

 either of silk, sole-skin, or snake-skin. The silk phantoms are 

 the least durable, but I fancy they take more fish than the 

 other kinds. They are softer, and collapse more thoroughly 

 when seized by the pike than do the sole-skin baits. In some 

 waters red phantoms are very killing; coloured blue, they are 

 supposed to show best in thick water. I have taken many 

 pike on phantoms silvered all over. They should be kept in 

 several sizes. Two triangles at the shoulder (see Fig. 42) are 

 unnecessary, and spoil the spin of the bait ; one is sufficient. 



Fig. 44. The Devon Minnow. 



Fig. 45. The Comet. 



The Cleopatra (Fig. 43), a flexible, metal fish, is another bait 

 which I have found very killing, particularly in the medium 

 and small sizes. Then there is that excellent bait the Devon 

 minnow (Fig. 44), which has probably caught more trout, pike, 

 and salmon than any other bait ever invented. It should, of 

 course, be large, mounted on gimp for pike, and the hooks 

 should be strong. 



The Comet (Fig. 45), made by Bambridge, of Eton, is also 

 a most excellent artificial spinning bait, and has accounted 

 for many pike. Hardy's Halcyon bait— a bunch of peacock's 

 harl headed by two fans — is now made in large sizes for 



