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live bait put on a cork flout and live bait tackle. Take the 

 small hook and remove a scale by the side of the back, or 

 dorsal fin, at which place put the hook carefully in, but not so 

 deep as to touch the back bone, which would kill the bait. Fix 

 your float about two feet above the bait, if the water is from 

 four to five deep ; and higher or lower according to the depth of 

 the water. Cast your bait from your reel to a likely place. If 

 you have not a run in the course of a minute, remove it two or 

 three yards this way or that Never allow the bait to remain 

 longer than a minute in one place. When you get a run, the 

 float will sometimes vanish as if shot off, but you must not 

 strike when the float disappears. If the fish runs give him line 

 slack from the reel. As soon as he has done running allow 

 him a minute to gorge ; then wind up the slack of your line 

 and strike sharp, but not too hard, or you may cause a break. 

 If you find you have got him strike again twice, sharp and quick, 

 so as to make sure of having him fairly and securely hooked. 

 By always adopting this plan I do not loose a fish out of twenty. 

 Spinning the Minnow is considered by some people a capital 

 mode of fishing for Pike. Indeed, I know several gentlemen 

 who never angle for Pike with any other bait but the Minnow ; 

 using it either as a live or dead bait. I have myself had excel- 

 lent sport with the Minnow. I have seen Pike snap the live 

 Minnow as frequently as cast. In the summer months when 

 the fish are in the streams, spin the Minnow in the same way, 

 and in the same places, as recommended for spinning with the 

 Dace; but your tackle must be lighter. A one-handed rod, 

 twelve feet long, and not very stifi', is the best. As you have 

 little weight to throw you must cast from the hand. Tour line, 

 which must be made of the best silk, must be finely plaited, and 

 one hundred yards of it should weigh about three quarters of 

 an ounce. Your tackle must be made in the same form as that 

 recommended for spinning the Dace with ; but instead of gimp 

 use Spanish gut. Here is an explanation : Take two lengths 

 of stout gut, join them, and put a swivel and small lead in 

 the middle, and a swivel at the top. Lap your bottom gut five 



