THE PIKE. 133 



toughens them considerably. To fix a spinning 

 bait on the hooks requires a little practice, and the 

 insertion of the hooks somewhat depends on the 

 style of flight you are using and the size of bait. 

 Fix the tail-triangle first, then if the tackle has a 

 single hook tied the reverse way, crook the tail by 

 inserting the reverse hook in the side of the bait, 

 the point of the hook must be inserted at a spot 

 that will pull the tail very far back, as when the 

 single hook is driven into the bait the tail will slip 

 back considerably. After getting the tail angle, a 

 hook of the next triangle is driven into the side of 

 the bait (we are working towards the head). If 

 you are using a large bait, there may be yet 

 another triangle ; if so, one hook of this must also 

 be driven in. All these hooks should be deeply 

 inserted, to get a firm hold, or perhaps a throw or 

 two will drag the tackle away from the side of the 

 bait. Then comes the lip-hook. If this is a sliding 

 lip-hook, see that the gimp or gut has several turns 

 round its shank ; otherwise, in striking, the tackle 

 will run through it, and, instead of properly hook- 

 ing your pike, you will probably only double up 

 the bait, which will very likely come back in a loop, 

 head and tail together, scored to pieces by the 

 pike's teeth. To make more certain of hooking fish, 

 there should be a perfectly loose triangle some- 

 where; a second triangle below the tail is excellent, 

 or a flying triangle may be attached, resting near 

 the lip-hook, not inserted in the bait at all, but left 

 entirely loose. Whatever tackle you employ, do 

 not have anything to do with split rings ; even in 

 spoonbaits, split rings and brazed rings are not 

 reliable. After inserting the lip-hook through both 

 lips of the bait, hooking the under lip first, work 



