MINNOW FISHING 115 



rough towels to dry. When sufficient have been 

 captured, and are fairly dry and dead, they are 

 packed head to tail between layers of common salt, 

 in old flat tobacco tins, like sardines. The drying 

 does away to a great extent with the collection of 

 brine in the boxes. They are examined next day, 

 and if there is any brine it is allowed to trickle out. 



In a briny box minnows are too soft for use. It 

 is therefore advisable to see that the layers of salt 

 are dry. The minnows will keep for three or four 

 weeks in this way. But if it is desired to keep them 

 longer in salt they should be bottled, and the cork 

 sealed down. 



Formalined minnows are not so good as those 

 salted. The former probably smell, and are too 

 stiff, but if soaked in fresh water for a short time 

 before use some of the formalin smell is done away 

 with. Salted minnows shrivel up a trifle but seem 

 to retain their colour. They are, however, second 

 rate to absolutely fresh caught minnows, and, when 

 these latter can be procured as required, they are 

 always to be preferred to any other. The day's 

 supply can be put into a bottle of water where their 

 flexibility and colour will be retained for that day. 



As it is a bother to be always taking a minnow 

 out of a bottle of water a few should be taken out 

 at a time, and put into either an indiarubber sponge 



