to the gimp. Loop now the gimp to the line, and 

 commence trolling as soon as you please. Some 

 anglers recommend that the mouth of the bait 

 should be sewed up, though for what purpose 

 we never yet could clearly make out. Let the angler 

 make it a general rule never to adopt fanciful con- 

 trivances when he can make more simple tackle do, 

 nor to attend to fiddle-faddle directions, which only 

 give additional trouble, without answering any useful 

 purpose. He is the best angler who can catch the moat 

 fish with the simplest contrivances; and he is an 

 ass who goes out loaded with complicated tackle 

 to catch fish which are not worth dressing, and 

 which any school-boy can take with an untrimmed 

 hazel-rod, a halfpenny- worth of twine for a line, a far- 

 thing hook, and, for a float, an old cork which has 

 done service for an age in repressing the sallies of 

 his grandmother's or maiden aunt's small beer. 

 To return to our trolling. When all is ready, the 

 bait is to be cast into the water, near to where pike 

 are likely to lie, the angler, as he draws it towards 

 him, now letting it sink, and now raising it towards 

 the surface. AB the pike, in seizing the bait, does 

 not immediately swallow it, but makes off to some 

 distance to pouch it, the angler must give him line 

 freely. After the pike has had what the angler con- 

 siders sufficient time in giving which he must fre- 

 quently be guided by the motions of his prey 

 let him strike, and, if he hooks the fish, let him 

 manage and land him in the best manner he can. 



