22 PIKE. 



for fishing from a punt, and rather longer for bank-fishing. 

 It is best in four pieces, so as to be in a compact form for 

 travelling ; and with two extra tops of .different lengths, to be 

 used for Snap, and Live-bait-fishing. The shoulders of each 

 joint should be double brazed, the plain shoulders almost invari- 

 ably sticking in the ferrule of the next joint, in wet weather, in 

 consequence of the wood swelling ; when this occurs, any 

 difficulty in taking the rod to pieces, arising from this cause 

 may be obviated by warming the long ferrule in the flame of 

 a candle ; when cold, it may be separated easily. The rings 

 at the end of the tops should be of steel, to counteract the 

 effects of the constant friction of the line. All the other 

 rings shoidd be fixed upright. 



Besides the mottled cane rods, there are others of hickory 

 with the butt of ash and the tops of lancewood. These are 

 capital for heavy fishing and rough work, but I give the pre- 

 ference to the mottled East India cane as much for its 

 handsome appearance as for the difference in weight and its 

 general utility. 



The Winch should be either entirely a* plain one, or, what 

 is called, a plain-check. For convenience of packing I should 

 recommend the check-winch, with the handle made to turn 

 over ; when the handle is left up in the ordinary manner, a 

 slight blow will sometimes render it almost unserviceable ; 

 through being bent or twisted. For this reason I always use 

 the spring handle. Some fishermen prefer the hard- wood 

 winches, which run very easy ; these are very useful when 

 live-baiting. 



The Line should be from sixty to a hundred yards long, 

 of the best eight-plait silk, rather fine, so as to make as little 

 show as possible in the water. It should be prepared with 

 waterproof dressing to prevent kinking. 



The "Trace for Spinning, which is fastened to the line 

 thus : 



the end of the line being first knotted to prevent it slipping 

 when wet, should be of moderate sized gimp, with from two 



