PRACTICAL LESSONS IN THE GENTLE CRAFT. 485 



being more likely to scare a shy- feeding fish than to find 

 that he is dragging a lot of unknown apparatus behind him. 

 Besides that, a smaller float, supposing it to be a weedy 

 water, is the less likely to be " hung up " during the pre- 

 liminary canter. I prefer an oval-shaped float, bored, of 

 course, and with a quill through it, through which the 

 running line is passed, and a wooden peg fitting firmly 

 into the orifice of the quill, keeps all tight particularly 

 as the action of the water causes the peg to swell. Many 

 anglers use the above float and one or two smaller floats, 

 called "pilots," which prevents the line "bagging" im- 

 mediately round the float, and from twisting, and they 

 are doubtless a useful adjunct. In windy, boisterous, 

 and very cold weather, the nearer one's bait swims 

 to the bottom the better, as the fish the larger ones 

 especially under such circumstances always resort to the 

 deeps, while on fine, mild days they will be found more in 

 the shallows ; and it has seemed to me that on such occasions, 

 when the wind and atmosphere is nipping keen, live-bait 

 fishing in the deepest portions of the river is more likely to 

 command success from the fact that the fisher goes at 

 once into a likely stronghold. A big gudgeon, carefully 

 put on the hook, is, when the water is bright, as good and 

 attractive a bait for pike as can well be used he is, besides, 

 a tough and game little fish, and, if uninjured when thrown 

 into the water, has another qualification, which makes him 

 valuable, he always seeks the bottom. In thick water, 

 he is, from his sombre colour, not so good a bait as the 

 more silvery dace. This latter fish, as well as small' chub, 

 are also excellent as pike baits, and good-sized bleak as 

 well, but bleak are an excessively delicate fish, and require 

 most careful handling in any case of live-baiting, and if hurt 

 in the least degree, soon " turn it up." Small carp furnish 



