90 HOW TO USE A PATERNOSTER. 



may be seen in Plate II. fig. 10, p. 70. If any other 

 form is wanted the angler must go to the tackle- shops, 

 for no other in my opinion is worth a straw. 



To use the paternoster, first be sure your baits are 

 alive, and then commence at the top of the eddy or 

 stream, and fish the eye, or first eddy, carefully, for there 

 the best fish lie. Drop the tackle to the bottom, keeping 

 a tight line, so that the lead touches the bottom, but with 

 no slack line ; let it rest a minute, and if no bite come, 

 lift it, and move it from left to right, or vice versa, round 

 about you, until the immediate neighbourhood is fished ; 

 then, lifting the tackle out of the water, swing it out a 

 yard or two further down stream ; let it rest a minute 

 and then draw it towards you, a foot or so at a time, until 

 the tackle comes home, when repeat the cast, lengthening 

 the distance each time, until the place is fished out, or 

 you have to move lower down. If you get a bite, do not 

 strike at the first nibble, but drop the point of the rod so 

 as to yield a little line ; but when you feel a quick 

 ' pluck, pluck, pluck,' strike firmly, but not too heavily, 

 and remember that the heavier the fish you eocpect to 

 catch, the more time you must give them, as they are slow 

 and cautious, and if the hook be not well in their mouths, 

 you will lose them to a certainty when good-bye to sport. 

 I always use a landing-net if the fish is over half a pound ; 

 if under, I lift him in at once, as it saves so much time, 

 from the other hooks often getting hung up in the net. 

 Take care how you handle Master Perch, for he has sharp 

 spines and gill-points, and will frequently resent rough 

 and unskilful handling by a sharp stab or two. 



When two persons are paternostering from a punt, they 

 should stand side by side in the stern of the punt, fishing 

 right and left, merely bringing the rod round to the fisher- 

 man, who will take the fish off and re-bait. Much depends 

 upon the puntsman, and his skill in holding and managing 



