140 Big Game Fishes 



piano, bronze, or copper wire leader in two 

 links. The leader should be fastened to the line 

 with a double swivel. The bait is either smelt 

 or sardine four to six inches in length. The 

 hook enters the mouth, coming out at the gill ; 

 then turned, is embedded in the belly of the 

 fish, so that the entire hook, except the upper 

 shank, is concealed. The mouth of the sardine 

 is now wound or closed with a five-inch, very 

 fine silver wire which is attached to the shank 

 of the hook. This is an important feature, as 

 it prevents the bait from whirling too rapidly, 

 which often results in ruining the line by un- 

 winding it. I have never been able to take 

 the fish with a spoon. ' At times, when the fish 

 are fickle, I have found a large flying-fish very 

 effective as bait, trolling slowly with a light pipe 

 sinker sufficient to take the bait down twenty or 

 thirty feet. This is an extraordinary bait for the 

 fish, being ten inches in length, but it frequently 

 results in the capture of exceptionally large yel- 

 lowtails that seemingly find it irresistible. 



Thus equipped the lines are unreeled for fifty 

 or sixty feet and the launch, or rowboat, moves 

 slowly along the line of kelp with a rod out on 

 either side. The fishing is best in the morning, 



