124 BOTTOM FISHING IN THE NOTTINGHAM STYLE. 



couple of inches lower down, the gimp is then drawn through 

 until the shank of the hook is under the skin, and the hooks 

 are laid close to the side of the bait. The " Jardine " live- 

 bait snap is a very useful and simple one, being merely two 

 treble hooks (but one of the hooks forming each treble is 

 smaller than the other two) fastened at the proper distance 

 from each other on a length of gimp. In baiting, the small 

 hook of the end treble is put well into the shoulder fin of 

 the bait, and the small hook of the other treble in the back 

 tin ; very good, very simple, very cheap, and a good killer. The 

 " Saddle " live-bait snap is another very useful one ; it has 

 two treble hooks of the same pattern as the " Jardine," but 

 each one is on a separate bit of gimp, about six inches long ; 

 the other two ends of these bits of gimp are fastened 

 together in a small brass swivel, so that each hook hangs 

 independent of the other ; at the other end of the swivel 

 there is another length of gimp, about two feet long, in 

 baiting this the small hook of one treble is firmly fixed in 

 the bait on one side near the head, and the small hook of the 

 other treble is fixed in on the other side near the tail, so 

 that the bait swings as it were in harness. A large float 

 is used with these baits, and is put on the line, and there- 

 after a running lead which is fastened halfway between 

 the float and the bait. When a pike takes these live 

 baits, I advise you to give him a minute or so to get it 

 well into his mouth, but don't give him time to gorge it, 

 and then strike smartly. A single hook is sometimes hung 

 through the lip of a bleak, or a small dace, by way of a live 

 bait ; but a pike when he takes this bait must have time to 

 gorge. There are several other sorts of snap hooks and 

 live-bait tackles that have been introduced to the public, 

 and amongst others an arrangement in which a live bait can 

 be fastened to the tackle by means of india-rubber bands, 

 instead of having the hooks stuck in the body of the bait. 

 For that, however, and other inventions, I must refer the 

 angler to the nearest tackle-maker. All sorts of creatures 

 have been recommended as baits for pike, such as frogs, rats, 

 mice, small birds, &c., but I don't much believe in any of 

 them, except, perhaps, the frog. 



