78 DAYS AMONG THE PIKE AND PERCH 



liking, he could drop it at once. I have always found that 

 if the bait was freshly caught and put on the hooks fresh 

 and bleeding the chances were much better. 



In trolling the angler selects the clearest place he can find, 

 and draws down a length of line from between the rings of 

 the rod and just tosses the bait towards that opening, at the 

 same time letting go of the loop or length of line he holds 

 in one hand. As soon as the bait touches the water it will 

 dive down very quickly, the heavy lead inside causing this. 

 Always keep a tight line, don't have any slack hanging loose 

 if you can help it. As soon as the bait begins to sink, 

 lower the point of the rod until you think the bait has gone 

 far enough, and then raise it slowly until it comes near the 

 surface, then again drop the rod point quickly, so as to 

 cause the bait to again shoot or dive towards the bottom, 

 repeating this a few times until the bait works too near the 

 weeds ; then withdraw it as well as you can, clear the stray 

 weeds from the hooks, and make a fresh cast. 



I have seen a dead gorge worked with success in a very 

 wide and deep stretch of a sluggish river, when neither live 

 bait nor spinning tackle stood much chance ; the bait 

 thrown out to the utmost limit of a cast, allowed to sink to 

 the bottom, and then inch by inch slowly worked home. 

 But this plan is more for choked-up, weedy places ; let 

 it plump down as quickly as it likes, but bring it up again 

 to the surface slowly ; the action of the water, in con- 

 junction with the shape of the bait, causing it to gyrate 

 more in its upward journey than during its downward 

 plunge. I always fancied a dead gorge looked more natural 

 in the water than the very neatest spinning bait I ever 

 mounted ; anyhow, I know that a dead gorge worked as it 

 should be among the weeds is the most deadly plan that 

 can be tried. 



When a pike takes the bait do not get flurried and strike 

 at once, or most likely you will jerk it out of his mouth ; 

 this bait must be swallowed, and it all depends on the 

 humour of the jack as to how long it will take him ; he 



