A MINNOW TBAP. 99 



The bait, in minnow-trolling, is swung across the pool, 

 as in trolling ; and though there are various dogmas about 

 fishing up the stream and down the stream, as in fly-fishing, 

 the angler will do well to consult his own judgment, and be 

 guided by the character of the water and surrounding cir- 

 cumstances. I had long in use a pet set of spinning-tackle; 

 but I confess that it will not bear comparison with the one 

 invented by the author of the " Angler's Naturalist." 



In the last chapter of this little book I have given a few 

 hints on catching the minnow, in addition to those general 

 directions when speaking of this pretty fish in Chapter VII. 

 A good stock of minnows is highly necessary to an angler, 

 and they should be small, silver-sided, and about an inch 

 and a half to two inches long. The coarser and dingier 

 members of the family are of little use. 



In the far North minnows are captured by the following 

 ingenious contrivance : A clean glass bottle is obtained of 



Fig. 35. 



the shape shown in fig. 35. A fine meshed net is tied over 

 the mouth, A, and a few crumbs of bread are placed inside. 

 It is then placed with its mouth to the current, in a stream 

 frequented by minnows ; the water agitates the crumbs ; 

 the little gentry assemble to see the fun, and quickly find 

 their way through the aperture B into the bottle, where 

 they are joined by their companions by the dozen. This 

 bottle is invaluable, though awkward to carry ubout. Min- 

 nows may be kept alive in a running .stream in a wire- work 



