155 



" When rivers are ' in flood,' and in thick water especially, 

 a capital plan is to ' leger ' for pike with tackle consisting of 1 1 

 yard of stained salmon-gut, on which is placed a half-ounce per- 

 forated bullet, with a swan-shot and swivel 20 in. above the 

 * snap-tackle,' to prevent the bullet slipping down too near the bait 

 which should be a dace 5 or 6 in. long. 



" On getting ' a run,' wait for four or five seconds before 

 tightening up the line and striking the fish. Quiet eddies and 

 backwaters, where roach and dace congregate in floods, are the 

 best places in which to ' leger,' for in such places pike also retire, 

 to shelter and rest themselves from the impetuosity of the streams 

 and for the purpose of being near their ' commissariat.' Under 

 such circumstances they may frequently be caught when the 

 chances are apparently all against the angler filling his fish bag, 

 so that ' never despair ' is a maxim well worth a pike-fisher's 

 adoption. 



" In 'leger-fishing' there is no reasonable limit to the depth. 

 Even 30 or 40 ft. can be readily fished, and in the Scotch or 

 Irish lakes looft. for the matter of that if desirable without 

 difficulty. 



" Supposing you threw 30 or more yards from where you are ; 

 when the 'leger-bait' drops in the water, immediately pay out 

 more line (say six or eight yards), according to the depth you are 

 fishing, until the bait rests on the bottom, then gather up the 

 ' slack ' until you have a tight line. If after a few minutes no ' tug ' 

 occurs, lift the point of your rod and draw the bait to another 

 place, where let it again remain for a short time and pirouette about. 

 By pursuing this method you can fish and search every portion of 

 the bed of the river or lake round about you, and should any pike 

 near get a ' kick ' or ' knock on the head ' by the bait, it is pretty 

 sure to be immediately seized for pike are certain to be hungry 

 and on the ' look-out ' for food which it is difficult for them to find 

 in floods and thick water." 



