126 THE PRACTICAL ANGLER 



and a single-handed rod can never accomplish this 

 properly. The rod should not be shorter than from 

 fourteen to sixteen feet. This, with a line from 

 once to once and a half as long as the rod, is suffi- 

 cient to keep the angler out of sight in the clearest 

 water. The rods made in the fishing-tackle shops 

 for bait-fishing are generally very well adapted for 

 the purpose, and are not, like the fly-rods, made too 

 supple. 



The reel, line, and casting-line should be the same 

 as those used for fly-fishing ; and the hook should be 

 joined to the latter by seven or eight lengths of 

 picked gut. The gut used for this purpose, as well 

 as for dressing the hooks on, should be the very 

 finest that can be had. An opinion is quite current 

 among anglers that fine gut is by no means neces- 

 sary for bait-fishing, and when assorting a hank, 

 they lay aside the fine threads for fly, and the 

 remainder for bait. This is a great mistake fine 

 gut being equally necessary for both methods. We 

 once, on passing over a bridge, when returning from 

 a day's fishing, observed a trout of about a pound 

 weight basking in the sun, in water not half a foot 

 deep. Wishing to ascertain if he was inclined to 

 take a worm, we threw one in a little above him. 

 This he devoured eagerly, as also another. We 

 then baited our hook and threw it in above him ; 

 but on its approaching he made off very quickly, 

 being evidently alarmed by the gut. 



In dressing bait-hooks, take a well-waxed red silk 

 thread, and commence by giving it a turn or two 



