100 MINNOW TROLLING. 



hook, which if it does once get fast hold does not often break away 

 again, which the diminutive flyers, from their small size fixing 

 themselves only in a tender piece of the skin only, are so often 

 liable to do ; so after a short time I returned to my former way 

 and by carefully selecting a good baiting hook, I find I can make 

 the bait spin with equal velocity as in the other plan. As for 

 several other modes I have tried, they answered altogether so badly, 

 that I consider it needless to take up the time of my readers by 

 giving any account of them. 



In most of the minnow tackle that I have seen fitted, the flyer 

 hooks have been soldered together back to back, which, unless very 

 cleverly done gives them a very clumsy appearance, and what is 

 still worse, the heat of the soldering very often injures the temper 

 of the hooks, as I have before found to my no small annoyance ; 

 one day in particular I am not very likely to forget, which occurred 

 by the side of the river Torridge a few seasons since, the 

 runs I lost from this cause were incalculable, though my catches 

 were easily told, as I do not think they amounted to above half a 

 dozen, and none of these large trout. Now to remedy this I have 

 been content, after first ascertaining the temper of my hooks, sim- 

 ply to flatten the backs of each with a small file, so that the two 

 hooks may present a flat and even surface to each other which if 

 they are tied on carefully together with waxed silk, will answer 

 every purpose. It is a good plan to insure security to tie a single 

 knot at the end of the gut to which the flyers are attached, which 

 will effectually prevent their slipping off, as they are sometimes apt 

 to do with a strong pull upon them, on account of the short space 

 allowed for whipping them on. 



As to the leads ; these must depend much upon the strength of 

 the stream and depth and power of the water in which they are 

 to be used. The best are those something of the shape of a barley- 

 corn, only of rather a more enlongated form ; they must have a 

 small orifice through them, just sufficient to allow the gut to be 

 pushed through, and may be fixed in a proper position by jamming 

 the ends of the leads. The above form is preferable, on account of 

 the little resistance it offers in being drawn through the water in 

 proportion to its weight, in which respect it has decidedly the ad- 

 vantage of cleft shots, though, for want of better materials, I have 

 often been compelled to enlist them in my service, and have usually 

 found them to answer my purpose. Adapting the proper quantity 

 of lead to the proportion of the stream is the most important 



