156 FAMILIAR FISH, THEIR HABITS AND CAPTURE 



up 1^ inch. The other end is bent up 15 to 20 

 inches, according to the thickness of the ice, and bent 

 over to form a hook 5 or 6 inches long. In use, 20 

 or 25 feet of line are wound around the spool, and 6 

 or 8 feet left hanging, to which are attached the same 

 hook and bait as with the other tip-up. A stick is 

 placed across the hole, and the loop of wire hung 

 over it, allowing the spool to hang below the ice in 

 the water. A fish biting unrolls the line from the 

 spool until the end is reached, when it is hooked. If 

 the hole freezes over, the ice can be broken at any 

 time, and if the line is unrolled, a fish has taken the 

 bait, otherwise not. 



In fishing through the ice, pike perch are taken 

 as readily as are pike and pickerel, but they seem to 

 take the bait best at night. In summer the favorite 

 method of taking them is to troll with a ISTo. 4 or 

 No. 5 spoon without feathers, and two or three good 

 worms looped on the hook. Trolling for these fish 

 is usually done with 25 or 30 feet of line, about 15 

 feet of No. 18 copper wire being fastened to it, the 

 spoon being attached with a swivel. The wire is 

 less noticeable than the line, causes the spoon to sink 

 deep without a sinker, and reduces the liability of 

 catching in the weeds. The depth desired is easily 

 maintained by letting out or drawing in the line. 



Trolling with a gang, or single hook, with min- 



