104 MINNOW TROLLING. 



along the towing path, having out about eight or ten yards of 

 line, and in a clear water four or five yards more. In this way I 

 have met with most delightful sport, having been often brought to 

 a dead standstill by a lusty trout ; nor do I know a more interest- 

 ing kind of fishing. When I used the artificial minnow, upon 

 which I intend next to offer a few remarks, I found it necessary 

 to increase my pace to about one third faster. 



Professor Wilson, speaking of the artificial minnow, observes, it 

 " is justly discarded by all judicious anglers ;"* I presume he means 

 on the ground of its inefficiency. If so the learned professor is 

 mistaken ; for artificial minnows are to be made and may be so 

 fished with as to be a match for any bait whatever. For "judi- 

 cious" I think we must read "prejudiced anglers," though I am 

 ashamed to say that until I had given the artificial minnow a fair 

 trial, I was of precisely the same opinion as the learned professor, 

 and just as deeply prejudiced as any one of the judicious gentlemen 

 he alludes to ; but having made the trial, I have not only gotten 

 quite rid of my previous prejudice, but am convinced I have 

 acquired a most certain mode of fishing that can be resorted to for 

 catching large trout.- 



I was a year or two since invited to meet a clerical gentlemen 

 who was reputed a most excellent fisherman, as from his conver- 

 sation he soon shewed himself to be, and I much regret I have 

 never had an opportunity of seeing him exercise his skill by the 

 water side. On this occasion he shewed me an artificial minnow 

 on which he said he placed entire reliance, rarely in fact fishing 

 with any thing else ; and he also recounted to me some excellent 

 days' sport he had recently obtained by its means. The form was 

 certainly not very prepossessing, as it was a plain piece of brass, but 

 as I was informed made of hollow plates. The size and proportion 

 was that of an ordinary sized minnow, but what was intended to 

 represent the tail, which was brazen also, was cleft in sunder and 

 turned out diagonally to the right and left ; so that upon the slight- 

 eat resistance in drawing the bait through the water, or opposition 

 from the current, it would spin round with a velocity truly surpri- 

 sing. To this a number of flyer hooks, of rather large size fitted 

 singly and not tied back to back, with the exception of a triangle 

 of three hooks fastened to the tail and about three inches from it, 



* See <*The Rod," p. 246. 



