168 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



tackle was awakened by the loss of a salmon 

 through the breaking of a swivel. The phantom 

 of that day had no swivel, so three or four small 

 ones were placed upon the trace. I wrote to a 

 maker suggesting that a strong, free - working 

 swivel might be made a component part of his 

 famous bait. His reply was : " I shall be pleased 

 to adopt your suggestion if you will tell me how 

 best to do it." 



I don't remember how many different swivels I 

 made, or the many parts of the bait I placed them 

 in, but at last I pleased myself, and, what is more, 

 I have now the satisfaction of seeing that all phan- 

 toms hold a ring between their lips from which 

 strands of twisted gut go back to hold the hooks, 

 and, through a pin-hole in the ring, a pin goes 

 forward, on which the bait spins freely, and thus 

 the need for swivels on the trace is done away 

 with. 



Heavy, yellow, waterproof lines were used which 

 were harled across the fish for fifty yards before the 

 bait came to them. It occurred to me it would be 

 better that they should be finer and of a dark 

 colour, and, to prevent their twisting, I made a 

 lead, boat-shaped, with a swivel at each end, to one 

 of which I attached my wire trace and to the other 

 my line, and I felt I had much improved my 

 chances. 



The success of the definite Phantom Minnow and 

 of the indefinite spoon, when spinning, made me 

 wish someone would construct a bait possessing 

 the attractions of both combined. To test the 

 effect of a spoon revolving round a minnow was 

 not difficult, but it did not answer, and I ceased, 



