FLOAT-TACKLE AND ITS USES 169 



or stout, according to the size of fish expected, and 

 tied with buffer knots whipped with very fine gut. 

 This should terminate in a small brass hook-swivel 

 immediately above which is a pipe-lead painted a dull 

 green in summer, a pale brown in winter. The gut 

 on which the lead works should be carefully served 

 with silk or thread to prevent fraying. Below the 

 lead should come the snap-tackle on at least one foot 

 of gimp. As a rule the tackles sold in the shops are 

 somewhat skimped in the matter of gimp. I have 

 seen them as short as six inches, which brings the 

 lead far too near the bait. 



As to the very best form of snap-tackle, a great 

 deal depends on the size of the bait to be used. A 

 pike of any size will take the whole of a very small 

 bait into its mouth, and will, as a general rule, be 

 secured on a single hook. For medium-sized baits we 

 require nothing more than two triangles, one of which 

 is placed in the back fin of the bait and the other 

 caught near one of its pectoral or breast fins. This 

 is a tackle which has been strongly recommended by 

 Mr. A. Jardine. Larger baits have to be more care- 

 fully armed, and the best tackle I know of is one I 

 worked out some years ago after many careful experi- 

 ments. The first time I tried it a friend and I took 

 eleven jack in twelve runs, and I was fishing with 





