BAITS AND BAIT-CATCHING. 55 



upon the latter with good results where whitebait is not to be had. 

 Nor should I omit to state that the whitebait plumps out after being 

 removed from the spirit and coming in contact with the fresh water. 



Upon learning these facts, I at once communicated with the 

 Gravesend fishmongers, who tell me that the larger 'whitebait' 

 some of which are from two to four inches long are picked out 

 as not saleable in the London market, and that if there was a demand 

 for them almost any quantity might be had at a nominal price. 

 My calculation shows that any one or two persons entering into 

 this little speculation might make a considerable profit by selling 

 bottles of these prepared bait to the tackle shops, or supplying 

 them direct to the angler. Certainly a bottle with fifty bait therein 

 might be sold for a shilling, and leave 100 to 200 per cent, to their 

 credit. 



Since writing the above, I have been trying the experiment 

 how long the whitebait will keep fresh out of the spirit after perfect 

 saturation therein, and I have carried about with me a few, both 

 loose in my waistcoat pocket and in an envelope, to show to friends, 

 when now, after ten days, the bait appear as good and sweet as 

 ever, the air apparently not acting the least upon the silver colour 

 of the scales, and indeed it is difficult to rub the scales off with the 

 finger. These whitebait can be got at least six months in the year, 

 and if the size or sizes required were given on paper to a fish- 

 monger, he would, no doubt, get them for a customer a day after 

 they were alive. It is curious that several other spirits I have 

 tried have not the hardening and preservative effect of the 

 methylated. 



Mr. Rolfe used these baits for trout-spinning, but if they 

 will do for trout they will do for pike, especially if, as stated, 

 they can be procured of the length of four inches. 



The fresh eel (and tail) makes an excellent spinning-bait, 

 tough and enduring, although not quite so long-lasting as that 

 which has been salted. It has the advantage of being obtain- 

 able at almost any pond, river, or canal by simply setting a 

 ' night line ' baited with worms. The line, however, must be 

 taken up early in the morning, as, if allowed to remain long 

 after sunrise, the major part of the eels will escape. 



I have used fresh eel-bait dressed in a great many different 

 fashions, from the whole eel (where the latter is not above 



