ARTIFICIAL BAITS 105 



It may be a matter of interest, however, to know that 

 a fourteen year old girl once landed a 35-pound 

 "muskie" on a number one Skinner spoon. 



For a long time spoons were used with plain single 

 hooks; then someone conceived the idea of using a 

 treble hook concealed in a tuft of feathers, but the 

 tendency now is toward the single hook again. Few 

 casters use the hook only but add a minnow, a frog; 

 a strip of pork, or a single hook fly. The spinner with 

 minnow or fly is the most popular for fishing fast 

 water, but in large slow streams or weedy lakes the 

 addition of a strip of pork is considered a help. 



As to flies, when the solid colors are wanted the 

 bucktails are recommended as they do not mat down 

 or bedraggle like the feathered ones and they last 

 longer. A feathered red Ibis fly with turned wings 

 to act as weed guard is very popular with casters who 

 fish weedy waters; the weedless bucktail is also good. 

 In selecting weedless hooks with wire weed guards 

 avoid those with very stiff guards. They are weed- 

 less no doubt also fishless. Ordinary eyed or ringed 

 bass flies are also useful. Let most of your selection 

 be well-colored or "contrasty" patterns such as: Silver 

 Doctor, Red Ibis, Parmechenee Belle, Yellow May, 

 Col Fuller, Jungle Cock. A dark pattern or two 

 Black Gnat, Lord Baltimore, etc. might be added 

 for the sake of variety. 



Most spinners are made with a snap safety pin fast- 

 ening so that flies may be changed quickly and easily 

 and this kind is what the caster needs. With a few 



