PIKE LINES AND THE OUTFIT 47 



when we were obliged to use them, as plaited lines were not 

 in general use, we had to lay them out at full length on 

 the grass of a big meadow, take hold of one end, and trail 

 them behind us four or five times round that meadow. 

 This was only a sorry plan for preventing kinking ; but 

 still it was better than nothing, and we had to frequently 

 repeat the operation, as the constant throwing out and 

 winding in soon twisted the kink in it as bad as ever. 



I might add that these plaited silk lines are very cheap, 

 one hundred yards costing from three-and-sixpence up to a 

 matter of six shillings, according to weight of silk. 



There are one or two sundries and oddments that a pike 

 fisherman should always have, if he anyhow can afford 

 them. One of the most important is a line dryer, because 

 you must unwind your line from the reel and dry it on 

 arriving home. If you neglect this many times you will 

 most likely get a startling reminder sooner or later ; lines 

 will rot if not carefully and frequently dried. The brass 

 line dryer, that is in the shape of a cross when opened, and 

 can be closed into a small compass, I would recommend. 

 The one I mean has a handle on one side and a screw clamp 

 to the centre, which is used to fasten it to the edge of a 

 bench or table. It takes only about a minute to wind the 

 damp line from the reel on to the winder, and back again 

 when dry ; and as they are so useful and easily carried, 

 one should always be in the bag when a holiday is likely 

 to extend over several days. A line should never be 

 dried on the top of the stove, or hung round and round 

 the oven door, or even in too close proximity to a fire, as 

 the heat has a tendency to blister the dressing. 



A landing-net that screws firmly into a stout handle, 

 and if a gaff-hook will also fit the same shaft, will also be 

 found indispensable. The net I used all the years I lived 

 in and fished the eastern counties was a strong eighteen- 

 inch folding iron ring, screwed into a four-and-a-half-foot 

 handle of East India cane, while the net was a strong black 

 polished cotton one, nearly a yard deep. Mr. Pike was 



