142 ANGLING. 



a position corresponding to those of the other side : 

 next pass the loop of the longer piece of gimp 

 through that of the shorter, and pull all straight : 

 finally, tie the two pieces of gimp together close to 

 the fish's mouth, and sew the latter up. 



Some anglers prefer fishing for pike with a 

 floated line and a live bait. When a single hook 

 is used for this purpose, it is baited in one or other 

 of the two following ways : Either pass the point 

 and barb of the hook through the lips of the bait, 

 towards the side of the mouth, or through beneath 

 the base of the anterior portion of the dorsal fin. 

 When a double hook is used, take a baiting-needle, 

 hook its curved end into the loop of the gimp, and 

 pass its point beneath the skin of the bait from 

 behind the gills upwards in a sloping direction, 

 bringing it out behind the extremity of the dorsal 

 fin ; then draw the gimp till the bend of the hooks 

 are brought to the place where the needle entered, 

 and attach the loop to the trolling line. Unless a 

 kind of snap-fishing is intended, the hooks for the 

 above purpose should be of such a size as that 

 neither the points nor the barbs project beyond 

 either the shoulder or the belly of the bait. 



Snap-fishing is certainly a less scientific method 

 of angling for pike than that with the gorge or 

 live-bait ; for when the hooks are baited, the angler 

 casts in search, draws, raises, and sinks his bait, 

 until he feels a bite. He then strikes strongly 

 and dras;s or throws his victim on shore ; for 

 there is little fear of his tackle giving way, as that 

 used in snap-fishing is of the largest and stoutest 



