110 BOTTOM FISHING IN THE NOTTINGHAM STYLE. 



hooks with a pair of flat-nosed pliers. Contrivances have, 

 however, been brought out, on purpose to prop open the 

 mouth of the pike, so that the hooks can be disengaged with- 

 out fear of the fish closing his jaws over your hand. Before 

 concluding spinning for pike, I may be allowed to again refer 

 to Mr, Gregory's " Archimedean Spinner" in detail. Its merits 

 are so obvious that it were a pity to omit description. They 

 consist, as I have said, of a long brass hook and lead to 

 thrust down the belly of the bait, three triangles, a single 

 hook to stick in the head of the bait, and the "Archimedean 

 fins " at the head to cause the spin. To put on a bait pro- 

 perly, thrust the brass hook with the lead, in the mouth of 

 the bait, and down the belly, with the point towards the 

 belly, taking particular care that the head of the bait is 

 brought as closely up between the Archimedean fins as pos- 

 sible ; when you have done this, the bait will be perfectly 

 straight ; next bring over the hook at the top, and send it 

 well into the head of the bait, and adjust the treble hooks to 

 suit the size of the bait you are using. This can be done by 

 drawing the gimp through the tubes, but take care the hooks 

 are not twisted before putting on the bait, or the gimp will 

 not draw properly through. A six-inch dace is as good a bait 

 as you can use with this tackle. Do not bend the tail at all, 

 let it be perfectly straight, and the fins of the tackle will 

 cause the bait to have a brilliant spin. Mr. Gregory tells me 

 that with this very tackle, in the season 1880-81, he 

 killed fifty-eight fish. I might just mention that these 

 tackles are made in five sizes, two for pike and three for 

 salmon and trout. I must now just caution the angler to exa- 

 mine and test his hooks, and the spring loops and swivels 

 before he makes his tackle, or if he buys his tackle ready- 

 made before he uses them, for I have lost a good fish or 

 two by the spring loop snapping at the bend, and the hooks 

 of the flight either breaking, or pulling straight. 



