38 BOTTOM FISHING IN THE NOTTINGHAM STYLE. 



ground bait, a drag-hook and cord, and a clearing-ring will 

 also be very useful articles ; this latter is used in clearing 

 the tackle and hook from weeds, roots, sticks, or any encum- 

 brances occasionally found in the bed of the river. It is 

 made of iron, and need not weigh more than an ounce or so ; 

 there is an eye at the top end for the cord to be knotted to, 

 and it is bent in a circular shape until it nearly touches the 

 other side, leaving only a small nick for the line to pass 

 through ; it need not be above two inches and a half inside. 

 With the cord this is guided down the line, over the float, 

 and down to the obstruction, when by pulling the cord the 

 hook and tackle may be saved. A landing-net is also re- 

 quired in the outfit of a Nottingham angler, and the frame 

 of this should be made of jointed brass, so that it can be 

 folded up and the net itself wrapped around it, that it may 

 lie snugly in the basket when not in use. It should be 

 made to screw into a brass socket, which latter is fitted on 

 the end of a staff, or handle, about four feet long. The 

 angler can please himself as to whether he has a wicker 

 basket or a mat one, o"r whether he has a waterproof haver- 

 sack ; all three sorts are found in the outfit of a Nottingham 

 angler ; he also has bags for his worms, tin boxes for his 

 gentles, bags for his fish, &c., and a pair of flat-nosed pliers 

 will also be found a useful article. 



And now having described a Nottingham bottom fisher's 

 outfit, it is time to hark back to where the angler has made 

 his gut " tackle," and got it ready for the hook. Supposing 

 this to be done, he now takes a piece of the coloured silk, 

 and waxes it slightly, and, taking his hook in one hand, he 

 winds the waxed silk two or three times round the shank ; 

 he then draws the end of the gut through his teeth to flatten 

 it slightly, and lays it on the shank, and binds it tightly and 

 closely as far up the shank as he requires. This operation 

 should be done as neatly and as closely as possible, or you 

 may have a difficulty in threading on a fine worm or gentle, 

 to say nothing of the curious spectacle you would present to 

 the fish. (A little of the varnish described some time back, 

 just touched over the whipping of the hook, will be found a 

 decided improvement.) The split shots are now put on the 



