THE PIKE. 127 



-unless very carefully balanced. I prefer the weight 

 well back in the butt. 



A good winch is important, if you are to fish in 



any comfort. A four-inch Nottingham T 



.. Winch 



centre-pin with adjustable check (to slip on 

 and off) is a good size, and the throwing should 

 all be done from the winch. In January, 1897, I 

 tried Messrs. Hardy's new winch, the " Silex," for 

 pike-fishing. This is a good strong metal winch, 

 and using a spinning bait and fairly light lead I 

 found I could throw well with it on a first trial. 

 I consider this winch will be valuable to beginners 

 in the Nottingham style of throwing ; it has a 

 finger catch to prevent over-running, the check is 

 silent, and the pressure is adjustable. During an 

 afternoon's practice with it, I had only one over-run, 

 through trying to throw too far ; and I was rather 

 hampered by using a dressed line, being accus- 

 tomed to a plain line (greased) when spinning. 

 Another detriment to comfort was that, during 

 most of the time, I was nearly up to my knees in 

 snow, making the foothold bad, which is against 

 good throwing. 



I always use a plaited silk line, soft dressed with 

 vaseline and enamel (see p. 73). For throw- 

 ing from the coil, a dressed line is better ; 

 though by the time the angler has learned to 

 throw from /a coiled line, he can learn to throw 

 from the winch, avoiding all tangling in sticks and 

 other obstacles ; and in pike-fishing, it is often 

 most convenient to be able to stand in the midst 

 of rushes or in high grass, and throwing from the 

 ground cannot be done in these places. 



The long ' oval floats, green with a red or white 

 top, are best. Now, as a really good " tip " in live- 



