350 SALMON AND TROUT. 



first instance to be slipped off altogether. The mode of baiting 

 is as follows : 



Having attached a baiting needle to the loop of the strand 

 of salmon gut on which the flight is tied, pass it in at the vent 

 of the bait and out at its mouth. The baiting needle is now 

 taken off, the leaden cap slipped over the gut into the posi- 

 tion indicated in fig. i, and pushed down the bait's throat 

 until it occupies the position shown in fig. 2, the whole bait 

 being then pressed, or pushed, downwards on to the triangle, 

 sufficiently to curve it, by a bending of the back, in the manner 

 represented in the diagram. The ' nicks ' or slices on the 

 bottom part of the lead are made with a penknife for the pur- 

 poses of keeping the lead in its place in the bait's throat and 

 belly, but some spinners prefer it smooth. 



The trace consists of two or three yards of picked salmon 

 gut, with a good sprinkling of swivels at convenient intervals 

 N.B. double swivels best- and attached to a light well- 

 dressed silk plaited running line, such as would be used in fine 

 spinning for pike. When using the above tackle for spinning 

 in lakes, &c., if the lead is insufficient, weight to any extent 

 can be added by twisting lead wire round the reel line, two or 

 three yards above the bait. 



This tackle besides being excellent for spinning for salmon 

 with the minnow in both river and lake is also one of the best 

 I know for spinning that most deadly bait in Irish waters, the 

 stone loach or coliey, as it is locally termed. The loach, how- 

 ever, to spin well must not exceed three and a half inches in 

 length as a maximum. Some further remarks as to the propor- 

 tions to be observed between the length of the bait and that of 

 the lead will be found farther on under the heading of ' Lake 

 Spinning for Trout.' 



The rod cannot be better than that described for worm 

 fishing for salmon. 



The best times of year for using this minnow-spinning bait 

 are the spring and late autumn months. For some reason hot 

 weather appears to be destructive of its killing properties, and 



