110 MINNOW TROLLING^ 



gutter and working your way by degrees upward?. When a large 

 fish bites in a place of this kind, he generally remains pretty quiet, 

 and often retires to the very edge either on one side or the other, 

 so that it would almost appear to an inexperienced hand that the 

 hook had got foul of the sides or bottom; but by tightening the 

 line by gentle degrees, so as to get the fi?h short, a sort of bowing 

 motion may be felt, which is a pretty certain sign the fish is a 

 good one : a small trout being always more restless, as he finds 

 it no small labour to hold on against the resistance the gut, even 

 fine as it is, offers to the current, though he has generally the pluck 

 not to let go, but in spite of all to swallow the bait. A little 

 time should be given previous to striking, when if the hook is 

 gorged there will be little danger of the hold giving way, but you 

 must keep a sharp look out for your tackle, particularly if the fish 

 makes off full split for the river, as, if he is a heavy one, it is most 

 likely he will attempt. I have generally used minnows for this 

 kind of fishing, but I have heard that loaches, where they can be 

 procured, are still more attractive, being a kind of food the trout 

 are extremely partial to. 



