436 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



Now even Mr. PennelTs lead, although it obviated some difficulties (as 

 shown below, Fig. 53) did not obviate that to which I have 

 alluded. As will be seen by a reference to the drawing, it is 

 a fixture, and so is the ugly contrivance, which, he says, 

 is the latest result of his experiments, here 

 shown (Fig. 54). 



No matter how advantageous the altered form 

 may be, the great deteriorating quality is the 

 necessity of these leads remaining in a stated 

 position, unless, indeed, the angler solve the diffi- 

 culty by the summary use of the knife. 



Suppose oneself to be fishing a stream abounding 

 with pike, but of a depth greatly variable. He 

 has been using a lead, I will assume, capable 

 of sinking his bait two feet, he all the while 

 spinning at a reasonable pace. Now, if he, 

 finding some deeper water, desires to spin deeper, 

 one of two things must be done : he must either 

 take off the trace, because of the lead, or he must 

 spin much slower. If he can, however, vary his 

 lead and its place with regard to the bait at 

 will, his position is one of much greater conve- 

 nience. Besides, sometimes if trout spinning, LATER* 

 for example it is desirable to use the lead nearer, LEAo! 1 * 

 or farther from the bait, according to the colour of the water. 

 I pondered on this many a time, and at last I tried to contrive 

 something to do away with this fixity, and the following was 

 my first improvement (Fig. 55). 



A Vulcanite Plug. BLine. CLead. 

 FIG. 55. KEENE'S MOVABLE LEAD. 



The plug was for ever being lost, however, and the lead could not 

 be taken off for the substitution of a lighter one, though it could be 

 moved up and down the line. I therefore again tried, and the cut on 

 opposite page (Fig. 56) is the result: 



a is the line; b, &, are two pieces of fine brass piping sawn through one 

 side to admit the line. Inside these a small tight-fitting plug, the entire 

 length and size of or a little larger than the tube, is placed. The line 



