FLOAT-TACKLE AND ITS USES 173 



selves and to feed better, and now we must search 

 far and wide for our fish, but always bearing in mind 

 the spots where grew the weeds in summer. 



Finally winter comes with its roaring yellow flood 

 and the pike rod rests awhile on the rack ; but when 

 the clearing takes place we may look for the best 

 sport of the year and all the lay-bys and eddies should 

 be fished most carefully. Maybe there is some quiet 

 backwater available which is now full of small fry 

 and not a few jack which take toll of them. I have 

 one such place in my mind, where on a day in late 

 autumn I had no less than twenty-two runs from jack, 

 but this was not until I had taken off my ordinary 

 jack baits and tackle and substituted a single hook 

 and one of the very small roach on which the pike 

 were feeding. I have never before nor since seen 

 such a sight, except in a salmon river. The fish were 

 roving about like a pack of beagles, and each time 

 they dashed through the shoal of roach fry they made 

 a swirl like a big salmon taking a fly. There was no 

 need to make many casts ; it was sufficient to throw 

 out the float in one spot and leave it there. Sooner 

 or later a jack would see the little bait, and dash 

 off with it. 



