THE SPINMMJ-TRACE. 



Some Thames fishers, who like ten or a dozen hooks to 

 tlu-ir tackle, may say that there are not enough hooks in 

 tlii> to give a sufficient chance of hooking these fish. To 

 this I say, that, if the trout runs well and takes the bait 

 fairly, there are quite enough hooks to bring him to 

 basket ; but if he runs badly, I would rather not hook 

 him at all, as a slight hold followed by a scramble and a 

 li> will certainly be the result, and the trout is shy for 

 weeks, if not for the season. This is what I complain of 

 in those many but small-hooked tackles. 



The trace to be employed in spinning for the Thames 

 trout should be as long as can be conveniently managed ;. 

 and there should be from two to three feet of good round 

 sound trout-gut at least below the lead, which should be 

 a * Field ' lead, or one on a similar principle, to prevent 

 kinking, with at least two swivels below the lead. A 

 large swivel at the head of the trace, to connect the run- 

 ning-line, is all that is needed above the lead if it be on 

 the ' Field ' principle, as all the spinning takes place 

 below it. The trace above the lead should consist of 

 one strand of stouter single gut, one of double twisted, 

 and two of treble twisted. This makes up a very useful 

 trace. 



In spinning for these large trout, the brighter and 

 more attractive the bait is the better. A small dace or a 

 small bleak I always prefer to any other bait, as a gudgeon or 

 loach. It is desirable that they should spin evenly and well,. 

 if only to prevent the quick-eyed trout from seeing the 

 hooks about the bait. All that I have said about putting 

 a bait on to jack-tackle will apply equally to trout ; the 

 same rules must be observed if the bait be required to 

 spin well, but it is much easier to make a small bait spin 

 well than a large one. 



In the early part of the season the trout will be found 

 in the open streams ; but as the season advances, and the 



