THE PATERNOSTER 65 



two or three inches off the bottom, and the next one should 

 hang between mid- water and the bottom. The best way of 

 baiting the minnow is to pass the hook tenderly and carefully 

 through the gristle of the upper lip ; some choose the back 

 fin, but a minnow so hooked neither lives so long nor moves 

 so freely as when hooked by the lip. When a perch takes the 

 float down, do not strike directly, as the tackle used for this 

 fishing being usually fine, it is as well to make sure of him, 

 for, in spite of anything that some sceptical anglers may say 

 to the contrary, the scratching and losing of one or two perch 

 does most indubitably very often I won't say always, because 

 there may be exceptions, but does very often drive the shoal 

 away. I have noticed it scores of times, and have heard many 

 good and experienced anglers verify the fact. Therefore rather 

 give him a little time, and even let him leave the bait, or cut it 

 off, in preference to being too hasty and scratching him. 



The paternoster is simply a gut line, a yard or four feet 

 long, with hooks about a foot apart, and weighted at the end 

 with a bullet or pear-shaped plummet. Some anglers use three 

 hooks, and some two. a necessity which is more often regulated 

 by the depth of the water to be fished. But the lowest hook, 

 unless the bottom is unusually foul, should be almost on the 

 ground, as it is the habit of the minnows to strike up toward 

 the surface in their efforts to escape, just as it is the habit 

 of all fish when pursued by an enemy ; fear causes them to 

 seek the surface, and even to jump out of the water. Therefore 

 if the minnow be not kept down, it will be much above the head 

 of such perch as are lying at the bottom ; and, if the water 

 be at all coloured (as is best for perch-fishing), this will not 

 only be a fault, but a great one ; whereas, if the hook be 

 kept close down to the lead, it will catch two or three fish 

 against either of the other hook's one. The second hook 

 should be fixed nine inches above, and must hang clear of the 

 tie of the lower hook. This is the best form of paternoster 

 made. 



Some people make a paternoster by tying their hooks on 

 to coarse hog bristles, and these again on to a piece of per- 

 forated bone, through which the main line runs, a shot above 

 and below it keeping the bristled hook in its place. This is 

 done in order to keep the minnows clear of the main line 

 (bristles being stiffer than gut) and to permit him to swim 

 freely and unnaturally round and round like a mill-horse a 

 very clever contrivance, and very exquisite fooling, but an 



