TRENT FISHING. 35 



be supposed from its name, this float slides or runs up and 

 down the line, and can be easily made from one of the 

 ordinary swan quill or cork floats. A small upright rod ring 

 is whipped about half an inch or so from the top, and a very 

 small ring about an inch from the bottom. This ring can be 

 made out of a piece of very thin copper or brass wire, as 

 follows : — Wind the wire two or three times round a small 

 knitting or stocking needle, and then draw it off ; cut off 

 each end to within three-eights of an inch, which must be 

 left for the purpose of whipping it to the quill ; this small 

 ring will just allow for the passage of the line. Thread the 

 line through the rings on the float, and when you have got 

 the exact depth, knot a little bit of line or wood or straw in 

 the line above the float. When the float is out of the water it 

 drops down to the loop of the tackle, and when it is thrown in 

 the water, the shots or sinkers carry the line through the 

 float rings until it is stopped by the little bit of wood, &c., 

 mentioned above. If the Nottingham bottom fisher uses a 

 cork float and a heavier tackle, he mostly throws his bait 

 from the reel, that is in a manner somewhat similar to that 

 of jack spinning. He winds up the line until the float 

 nearly touches the top ring of his rod, and then gives it the 

 desired swing over the river. I have seen baits cast by this 

 means thirty, or even more, yards. This plan is chiefly used 

 in barbel fishing, and the swim is a good distance from the 

 bank, and I shall touch upon it, as well as on ledgering and 

 plumbing in the chapter on Barbel. I ought to just men- 

 tion that when the slider float is used, the little piece of 

 line that is knotted in the line should be so contrived 

 that it will run with freedom through the rings of the 

 rod, so that when winding up or playing a fish, it does not 

 catch. The different baits used in bottom fishing, when and 

 how to use them, wiU be fully explained in the chapters on 

 the different fish. 



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