MINNOW AND PARR-TAIL FISHING 167 



doubt it does ; but what is the use of tackle lasting 

 that will not catch ? and the strong white glittering 

 gut upon which minnow-tackles are usually tied is 

 quite sufficient, when the waters are clear, to frighten 

 away three trout out of four. That the gut used 

 for minnow-tackles must be a little stronger than 

 that used for flies is quite true, but a very little 

 difference will do ; if it is so strong that the spinning 

 of the minnow does not twist it, it is all that is 

 necessary. 



With regard to the number of hooks of which the 

 minnow-tackle should consist, great diversity of 

 opinion exists. Some use only two, while others 

 use four, five, six, and even seven. We have tried 

 all varieties, and think that two hooks with a drag 

 behind will kill more than any other combination ; 

 and two, or at most three, hooks are now most com- 

 monly used by those whose opinion is worth having. 

 There are occasions when, from the trout biting shy, 

 the angler may raise ten trout, and not secure one. 

 On such occasions we have found a drag, consisting 

 of two No. 10 hooks tied back to back, and left to 

 play loose about three inches behind the minnow, 

 very effective. Some anglers put a drag-hook about 

 half an inch behind the tail, in expectation of those 

 trout that bite short taking hold of this hook with 

 their mouth, but this rarely happens. The tail of 

 the minnow in spinning describes a considerable cir- 

 cumference, and the drag, being farther out, a still 

 greater one ; so that, if the trout misses the minnow, 

 there is little chance of its catching the drag. The 



