104 BOTTOM FISHING IN THE NOTTINGHAM STYLE. 



of lancewood. It is rather more lissom made in that fashion 

 than if it had been made like the generality of Trent pike 

 rods, that is of red deal and lancewood, because when the 

 middle joint is of red deal it must be thick and strong, for the 

 purpose of withstanding the wear and tear consequent on 

 throwing a heavy bait thirty or forty yards. My rod being 

 rather more lissom or whippy, as I said, it bends nicely to the 

 throw, and I can cast long distances with the greatest ease. 

 The would-be pike angler, however, can. please himself ; let 

 him go to a good rod-maker, and he cannot be far out. 



The reel described and recommended in Chapter II. for 

 the bottom fisher will be just the thing, and for a line I 

 should use a plaited one, as they are better than the twisted 

 ones. Select one of middling stoutness, but not too thick or 

 heavy. A Nottingham spinning line or one that is made by 

 the Manchester Cotton Company is the best. Undressed 

 ones are best, the dressed lines for spinning are not so good in 

 my idea. The lines recommended are very cheap, and will do 

 for any sort of pike fishing. 



To spin a bait properly the angler requires a trace, a lead, 

 and a flight of hooks on which to fasten his bait. The trace 

 consists of a yard of stoutish gimp with a steel loop and 

 swivel on one end and a large loop on the other, to which the 

 reel line is fastened. Some anglers use stout twisted gut for 

 these traces, but gimp is the cheapest. On the bottom of 

 this trace, and fastened to the steel loop and swivel is a lead, 

 and a lead that hangs below the line is the best. I used to 

 make these leads something in this fashion : — I took one of the 

 long pear shaped leads that are termed heavy corking weights 

 on the Trent, and bent it slightly in the middle, so that it was 

 in the form of a crescent. I next put a piece of gimp through 

 the hole, and then one of the spring loops and swivels on 

 the gimp, lapping the two ends of the gimp over each other, 

 and binding them tightly together with a bit of waxed silk. 



