io TRACE. 



good Pike) heavy traces are required, although 

 great care must be taken, if the fisherman is 

 above or on a weir, that the bait does not 

 catch the under-current, as it is almost certain, 

 in this case, to foul, and will cause considerable 

 trouble to extricate, in addition to a great loss 

 of time, if the fish are on the feed ; by judi- 

 cious handling, however, and by slightly raising 

 the top of the rod, fouling may be avoided. 

 For my own part, I prefer the largest salmon- 

 gut, slightly coloured, for the material of the 

 trace, as it is quite as strong as gimp, if not 

 stronger, (still using moderate-sized gimp for 

 the flight of hooks or artificial bait,) besides 

 being transparent in the water. The trace I 

 use in the Thames is about two yards long, 

 with five swivels, and from twelve to sixteen 

 large shots ; in still water eight shots would 

 be quite sufficient. 



An extremely useful weight for the trace is 

 that known as the Field lead, so called from 

 being originated by one of the editors of 

 that celebrated sporting newspaper. A sketch 

 is annexed ; and it will be observed that the 

 lead is made so that all the weight is on the 

 under side, the upper side being just thick 

 enough to cover the hole through which the 

 gut or gimp is passed ; the swivels are between 

 the bait and the lead ; and the weight being 

 entirely underneath the line, this is prevented 

 kinking or turning round when in use. It is 

 much used in trailing ; and for the Thames or 



