SPINNING FLIGHTS AND THEIR USES 67 



with hooked pike in a dangerous and weedy place, and 

 gave them the butt with a vengeance. 



In some waters that I am familiar with it is a frequent 

 occurrence for pike hooked on spinning tackle to leap a 

 couple of feet or more into the air. A tight line and a 

 heavy drag will lose him at the first jump. Lower the rod 

 point, and ease the pressure of your finger on the edge of 

 the reel, so that the line at any rate will respond to his 

 weight. I did not mind how heavy a fish was ; if weed- 

 beds and dangerous obstructions were in close proximity 

 I never let him have his own way quite ; I used to think 

 I might as well have my tackle broken one way as have it 

 broken another among the weeds and roots. Anyhow, I 

 always had a good fair try at stopping him before he got 

 very far towards a dangerous position. 



Anglers who spin with a natural bait used to sigh for a 

 good and easily applied preservative in which to store baits 

 until wanted. We have tried salting them, putting them 

 in glycerine or in spirits of wine ; but these methods were 

 anything but successful. The brightness soon vanished. 

 A mixture of formalin and water is much the best ; sprats, 

 smelts, bleak, dace, gudgeon, or any small fish can be 

 preserved quickly, easily, and well. A tablespoonful of 

 formalin to a quart of clean water is about the proportion 

 to use. The baits should be put in a wide-necked jar or 

 bottle, and as fresh as possible, that is as quickly as ever 

 you can after catching them ; put a dozen or two in each 

 bottle or jar, and well cover them with the mixture, and 

 cork them down securely. After being in this mixture for 

 a week or two, they will sometimes turn dirty and look 

 disagreeable. Remove the cork, pour away the liquid, 

 wash the baits well in cold water, rinse out the bottles, 

 put the baits back, and fill up with the fresh mixture as 

 before in about the same proportion of strength, or perhaps 

 a little weaker ; cork them down again, and they will keep 

 good and bright for a year or more. Sprats are particularly 

 good treated in this way. A lever-stoppered bottle with a 



