490 AMERICAN FISHES. 



day's fishing. Black Bass, Pike, Rock Bass, Psrch and White Bass 

 seem equally to like it. 



No. 4 is an Artificial Glass Minnow a plate of fluted glass some 

 three inches long by three-eighths wide, is set into a back of German 

 silver, the tail of German silver, hooks used as in the others, only larger 

 and set on gimp instead of gut, tied down at the tail. It is extremely 

 showy in the water, and well calculated for pike, which run at it 

 greedily. 



No. 5 is a Spoon, with a large Cod-fish hook soldered on to it at the 

 point, a hole being drilled through the shoulder end of it, to which 

 usually a few links of chain are fastened. It is used with tolerable 

 success for Black Bass, and also for Lake Trout. 



No. 6 and 7 represent a Spring Snap-hook, set and unset. I do 

 not value them at all ; they are liable to get out of order, catch in the 

 weeds, and tear your bait, which is hooked through the lips with the 

 small hook, a, and tied with a thread at b. 



No. 8 is the Common Double Gorge-Hook on brass wire, leaded at 

 a. This is baited by inserting the hook end of No. 9, called a baiting 

 needle into the loop-hole at b, passihg it into the mouth of the fish and 

 out of the vent, drawing the hooks close up to the mouth. This bait 

 is generally used for night or lay-lines ; it will catch any fish almost, 

 but is more particularly used for Pike or Eels. 



I have not thought it necessary to mention the common sort of Arti- 

 ficial Minnow, because no one who can get the Flexible would ever use 

 it. It is made of lead, and painted to represent the fish; is very 

 clumsy and not worth having. We have now disposed of the artificial 

 baits, and come to natural ones. Of these we shall enumerate only 

 five the Salmon Roe, Minnow, Worm, Maggots, Craw-fish and Frogs. 

 Pieces of fish we look on only as a substitute for the Minnow. 



Salmon Roe, one of the most killing baits for Trout, Eels, Salmon, 

 and I may say, all kinds of fish, is thus prepared, according to 

 Blaine : " A pound of spawn taken from a Salmon some ten days or 

 so before spawning, at which time it is in the best state, is im- 

 mersed in water as hot as the hands can bear, and is then picked free 

 from membraneous films, &c. It is now to be rinsed with cold water 

 and hung up to drain for twenty-four hours, after which put to it two 

 ounces of rock or bag salt, and a quarter of an ounce of saltpetre, and 

 again hang it up for twenty-four hours more. Now gently dry it be- 



