FISHING AT A DISTANCE. 69 



easier and more productive than the last. It 

 consists in angling on the bottom without a float, 

 and trusting to the hand instead of the eye for 

 intimation of a bite. The novice can easily make 

 himself a leger line by pinching a shot onto his cast 

 about i Sin. from the hook, and then slipping one of 

 his perforated bullets down the cast above it. One 

 bullet is heavy enough for a slow stream, but for a 

 fast one two, or even three, will be necessary. The 

 baited hook is cast out either down or down and 

 somewhat across stream, the line being coiled in 

 the manner already described. When the bullet 

 has reached the bottom slack line is wound up until 

 the weight of the lead can just be felt from the rod 

 top. Then the angler awaits a bite, which usually 

 takes the form of a sharp tug or two. The 

 moment I feel a bite I generally relax the strain for 

 a second, so that the fish may not become suspicious 

 from resistance. If the bait is a lobworm I give it 

 two or three seconds until I feel that the line is 

 being drawn away, tightening when it seems 

 probable that the fish has got the bait well in its 

 mouth and is making off with it. Even when 

 legering for roach it is not necessary to be in a 

 hurry ; the fish bite much more boldly at a bait on 

 the bottom. All fish can be caught by this method, 

 and practically all the baits hitherto enumerated 



