TACKLE. 69 



tangled, no reel is necessary. It is in fact an en- 

 cumbrance. Longer, quicker and better casts can 

 be made without one. The troller has only to 

 gather up his line around him and alter his cast, 

 which is chiefly made with the right hand, and he 

 has his left at liberty to draw in the line which he 

 disposes on the ground near him, stepping forward 

 a pace or two, so as to vary the place where his 

 bait is thrown. In this way he may make his 

 casts with great rapidity, letting his bait sink or 

 keeping it near the surface according to the depth 

 of the water, or the heighth of the weeds. When 

 weeds are found within six or eight inches of the 

 surface, the bait should be skimmed nearly along 

 the top of the water. This may be done by having 

 a small one, fewer shot, keeping the top of the rod 

 well elevated, and by throwing out a lesser length 

 of line. On the contrary, when the water is deep, 

 the point of the rod should be held near the water, 

 and additional shot should be added to the trace to 

 make the bait sink the quicker. 



In this way of trolling, the large rings recom- 

 mended to be fixed on the rod are of essential use. 

 In case of any knot in the line, or any bit of grass 

 or small stick adhering to it, an obstruction seldom 

 takes place, as the rings are sufficiently large to 

 let them through when the line is cast. This 

 hint is well worth the attention of trollers. The 

 only objection to it is that the joints of the rod cannot 



