17 



The dobson is the most stable bait for still fish- 

 ing, and a good plan is to pass a piece of silk under 

 the shield in the back and then pass the hook 

 through that ; the same scheme is equally good with 

 grasshoppers. Towards evening, I found worms a 

 very good bait, except when rain threatened. 



In using a minnow, I pass the hook up through 

 the lower lip and out the nostril ; it then lives a 

 long time. Some anglers hook through both lips, 

 the lower one first. Hooked either way, a dead 

 minnow moves like a live one. I always treat a min- 

 now as Izaak Walton spoke of a frog, " as if I loved 

 him." 



The angler cannot be too careful of his minnows. I 

 change the water frequently, not waiting for them 

 to come up to breathe ; it is then too late, and they 

 cannot be resuscitated. In hot weather I place a 

 piece of ice in flannel on the top of the pail. 

 A little salt added to the water is a great improve- 

 ment, about as much as will lie on a silver quarter, 

 to two gallons of water. Fifty minnows to a five 

 gallon pail with a handful of weeds to keep the 

 fish from bruising themselves, is about the right 

 proportion of fish to space. 



Of all baits the old Florida "bob," I think, is 

 still the most effective. It was mentioned by Ber- 

 tram, in 1764, and is still used. It is made by tying 

 three hooks back to back, invested with a piece of 

 deer's tail somewhat in the manner of a large hackle, 

 studded with scarlet feathers, forming a tassel or 

 tuft similar to that used on the trolling spoon. 



