THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 



ner : you must have an exceeding stiff and 

 strong top to your rod, a strong gut line, heavy 

 float, and from ten to twelve hooks, about 

 eight or nine inches apart; the hooks will 

 stand better from the line if tied on a fine 

 bristle. Use No. 9 hooks, baited with a small 

 piece of an Eel, or pieces of a smelt, the 

 bottom hook touching the ground. Note, 

 when they bite they throw the float up, all 

 other fish pull it down. 



They are sometimes fished for without a 

 float, having a small piece of lead at bottom, 

 which you let touch the ground, gently raising 

 and sinking it till you feel a bite : this is called 

 dip fishing, from the name of the lead (which 

 may be procured at the tackle-shops), and is 

 the most destructive way of killing Smelts, 

 The best place to catch these fish near Lon- 

 don, is in the canal that runs from Limehouse- 

 hole to Blackwall, through the Isle of Dogs ; 

 they are also frequently taken off the logs lying 

 in the Thames, and in all the Wet Docks, be- 



