CHAPTER VII. 



PATERNOSTERS AND TRIMMERS. 



A NOTHER branch of livebait-fishing is with 

 Jr\. paternoster tackle. There are conflicting 

 opinions as to the meaning of the word "pater- 

 noster" as applied to angling; the origin of it is 

 obscure, but in practice the mode is deadly ; and 

 from the manner in which the lure is manipulated, it 

 approaches more nearly to spinning than any other 

 method. But although spinning may be considered 

 the most artistic way to fish for pike, yet I have 

 frequently found paternostering the most successful, 

 especially in the capturing of much the larger fish. 

 This may be because large pike (by which I mean 

 twenty pounders) are often sluggish, and while 

 making up their minds about going for a spinning 

 bait, it has passed them, or younger and more 

 active fish have darted through the intervening 

 water and seized the lure, thus anticipating the 

 older esox. My own experience has taught me 

 that pike under 8 or 10 Ibs. are, as a rule, caught 

 by spinning. I saw the late Mr. Francis Francis 

 catch one of 18 Ibs. at Sir Henry Mildmay's, Bart.. 

 Dogmersfield Lake, on spinning-tackle ; but on 

 paternoster I have considerably exceeded that 

 weight ; and once, fishing by that method, ncai 



