ill THE NOTTINGHAM FLIGHT. 



and they were not few, numbering thirty-six. This 

 took place at Fordingbridge on the Avon, in Hampshire,, 

 many years since ; but the whilom worthy host of the 

 Star, Mr. Stewart, who wanted the pike taken out of 

 the stream, as they had almost destroyed all the trout, 

 will, if still alive, well remember the slaughter of that 

 day ; the strike, however, would almost have broken 

 ordinary hooks and tackle. I had used a single flight of 

 bmall brazed triangles the day before and lost a great 

 number of fish, and so resorted to these in desperation : 

 almost every stroke took one or two hooks clean through 

 the jaws. "NVhere pike are at all shy, this tackle would be 

 useless, as there was visible more of the hooks than of the 

 bait. If the angler wishes to fish very neatly and without 

 show, he can, if using the white brazed triangles, wrap 

 the silk lapping over with stout silver tinsel. This will 

 protect the silk from the fishes' teeth, show little or 

 nothing to alarm, and, if anything, lend an attractive 

 brilliancy to the bait. 



Before using any tackle composed of brazed triangles, 

 the angler should test each hook carefully, more particu- 

 larly if they are at all old or have been used and laid 

 by for any length of time, or if they show any trace of 

 rust, as the brazing often destroys the tempering of the 

 hooks ; at least, I conclude so, as I have frequently found 



any large number of fish run. The largest fish was ten pounds ; the rest 

 nbout three and four pounds each. The day was very windy and boisterous, 

 nnd the fish hungry. Mr. Stewart and myself had as many fish to carry 

 home as we could manage. The set of hooks I used was very largo, and 

 had three triangles on one side and one on the other. I gave the fish plenty 

 of time, and then struck them as hard as I could with safety to my rod. 

 Usually, the angler will find that upon a f;iir average he loses fully one- 

 t bird of the runs he has, if he keeps a fair and honest score. On somo clays 

 he will lose nearly half when the fish run badly, on others of course much 

 less ; this may be modified to some small extent by improved tackle, but 

 there will always remain a considerable percentage of scratched and lost 

 fish, no matter what tackle you use. 



