PRACTICAL LESSONS IN THE GENTLE CRAFT. 487 



sufficient ; indeed, where the line is taut, as it should be, 

 a simple pull on the fish when running fixes the hook firmly. 

 A point that may be mentioned is the likelihood of an 

 inexperienced hand mistaking the efforts of a bait to escape 

 the murderous jaws of a big pike, for "a run." It is 

 astonishing what an amount of strength is shown by an 

 active, lively dace, when he sees, as he doubtless does, the 

 fish poke his shark-like head out from a weed patch or the 

 cover of a bank, before making his fatal rush. I have seen 

 a large float go clean down out of sight ; and where the 

 water has been very clear, have traced the white top for 

 some little distance, as the dace shot down -stream. A jack 

 usually leaves little doubt on the subject: down goes the 

 float clean away, and the water frequently eddies and 

 surges round, showing where our friend " Johnnie " has shot 

 out from cover. 



Paternostering, another class of live-bait fishing, is a 

 method of which I am excessively fond. It is carried out 

 as follows : Attached to the running line by means of a 

 loop is a yard of good stout gut, the rounder it is the 

 better, with a further loop at the other end A pater- 

 noster lead, not heavier than is absolutely necessary, 

 shaped like a pear, and with an eye of brass wire, is next 

 fastened to the bottom loop, by simply slipping the loop 

 through the eye and over the extremity of the lead, and 

 then drawing it tight. Personally I prefer a silk loop 

 attached to the end of the gut, and this loop to be put 

 through the eye of the lead. A foot or a foot and a half 

 above the lead a single hook (on gimp) is fastened, and a 

 small dace or gudgeon is lip-hooked as the attraction. 

 Drawing a sufficient quantity of line from the reel, the 

 angler casts out in the most likely place where jack harbour, 

 round the edge of rush-beds and reeds, or in deep still 



