1 64 THE PIKE 



jack captured, big or little, but also because with the 

 modern snap-tackle many more fish are to be caught. 



It might be supposed that a jack would at all 

 times much more readily take a live-bait than one 

 which was dead, however skilfully spun or trolled ; 

 but when the fish are well on the feed this is not the 

 case, as I have shown in the previous chapter. When 

 the fish are sulky and have to be tempted, then a 

 live-bait often has the advantage, particularly if the 

 water is clear. In fact, for live-baiting with float- 

 tackle I always prefer clear water to coloured, because 

 the bait is brought within the view of a larger number 

 of fish. 



There are practically three methods of live-bait- 

 ing with the float which suspends the bait in mid- 

 water or a little lower, and permits it to rove ; with 

 the paternoster, which anchors the bait near, but not 

 on, the bottom by means of a lead, and is particularly 

 useful for fishing small open spaces between weeds ; 

 and lastly, the ledger which moors the bait to the 

 bottom, and, owing to the line being below the 

 vision of the fish, is perhaps the least observable 

 tackle of the three, though it is less used than the two 

 foregoing methods, and is more particularly to be 

 recommended when the fish are exceedingly shy or 

 are found collected in winter-time in small weedless 



