112 BOTTOM FISHING IN THE NOTTINGHAM STYLE. 



is certainly the most scientific, and is practised more on the 

 Trent than is any other style. I will commence with that, 

 therefore, and shall be as brief as possible in my instructions, 

 merely giving the tyro a few hints, so that he may know how 

 to go on. Those anglers who would like to know the whole 

 art of jack fishing, I would recommend to purchase Mr. 

 Pennell's " Book of the Pike," which treats the subject in an 

 exhaustive manner. 



The rod for pike fishing differs from the ordinary bottom 

 rod in one or two particulars. It is stronger and stitfer, and 

 is nothing like so fine at the extreme point, the rings also on 

 it are larger, so as to allow the line to run freely through them 

 without the possibility of a catch or tangle. My favourite 

 pike rod is in three joints, twelve feet in length, fitted up with 

 very strong and large-sized safety rings, as described in Chapter 

 II. It is not necessary in a pike rod to have the Bell's 

 Life rings on, although the angler can please himself, as scores 

 of pike rods are so fitted. In a river, like the Trent, where it 

 is often necessary to swing your bait out extra long distances, 

 and the rod is subjected to a severe strain, it should be built 

 specially for the purpose. I like plenty of timber in the 

 grasp of the hand, and the ferrule on the butt should be a 

 size larger than the ordinary three-quarter inch one that is 

 generally put on this class of weapon. Of course, when a rod 

 is made after this pattern, extra long and powerful, it is apt 

 to be heavy, but it need not on any account weigh more than 

 from one and a quarter pounds to one and a half pounds at 

 the most ; and in order to use this long rod comfortably, I 

 have a big, hard-wood knob or button on the butt end, 90 

 that when I am spinning it can always be pressed and held 

 tightly in the hollow of the thigh ; by this plan the bait can 

 be swung out great distances with the utmost ease. For all 

 ordinary purposes of jack spinning, perhaps, a light eleven- 

 foot rod would be better, as being more handy to use, especially 

 on a small river, or from a boat ; and pike rods are made in 

 greenheart, very light and powerful, and also in mottled cane ; 

 but, however, the would-be pike angler can please himself. 

 Let him go to a good practical rod-maker, tell him what he 

 w-ants, and in the end he cannot be very far out. 



