HOW TO PRESERVE MINNOWS. 289 



for the minnow is the first few yards of each stream. 1 Dull 

 pools, as a matter of course, are not commended for 

 minnow, though at times any water will give fish to the 

 minnow if they are there ; but sharp rattling or swiftly 

 gliding water is far preferable. 



When a fish runs, some anglers hit him hard, and some 

 raise the point of the rod and tighten the line, and hold 

 on to him for a second. I think a strike is preferable. If 

 a fish will stand striking tolerably sharply, you know that 

 the hook is home. If he will not, it is better to be quit 

 of him at once than to disturb the water by playing him, 

 and then to lose him after all. I ain sure that many good 

 fish are lost by not striking, or rather not striking sharp 

 enough ; but do not on any account strike until you feel 

 the tug of the fish if you do you will often scare him. 

 The best time for the minnow is at the commencement of 

 a flood, when the water is rising, as the fish are then all 

 over the water in search of the food that is beginning to 

 come down. 



The same plan may be used for preserving minnows 

 as I have recommended for large trout and jack-baits 

 namely, of preserving them in spirits of wine. It is a far 

 better one than the common plan of salting, as salting 

 the minnows renders them soft, so that every run will be 

 likely to cost you a fresh bait, whether you get a fish or 

 no, while the colour and brilliancy are much impaired. 

 One thing, however, I have remarked and I have heard 

 other anglers remark the same thing, though it may only 

 be a fancy difficult to prove viz. that trout seem to like 

 the flavour of a salted minnow, and, after missing it, often 

 dash at it more savagely than they do at a fresh one, 



1 This, of course, applies chiefly to streams where minnow is habitually 

 used. In streams where it is not commonly used the trout will take it almost 

 anywhere, even in almost still water for a time, but they soon become aware, 

 of it. 



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