172 MINNOW AND PARR-TAIL FISHING. 



additions of swivels and shot properly, it must be 

 stiff. The reel, line, and casting-line in common 

 use will answer very well for this also. It is the 

 common practice to dress minnow-tackle on gut 

 strong enough to draw out a salmon by main force, 

 as if the trout, which requires the finest gut to 

 deceive it when angling with the fly, would seize 

 a minnow at the end of a rope. The argument 

 used in favour of this practice is, that it lasts the 

 longer, as no doubt it does ; but what is the use of 

 tackle lasting that will not catch? and the strong 

 white glittering gut upon which minnow-tackles are 

 usually tied is quite sufficient, when the waters are 

 clear, to frighten away three trout out of four. 

 That the gut used for minnow-tackles must be a 

 little stronger than that used for flies, is quite true, 

 but a very little difference will do ; if it is so strong 

 that the spinning of the minnow does not twist it, 

 it is all that is necessary. 



With regard to the number of hooks of which 

 the minnow-tackle should consist, great diversity 

 of opinion exists. Some use only two, while others 

 use four, five, six, and even seven. We have tried 

 all varieties, and think that two hooks with a drag 

 behind will kill more than any other combination ; 

 and two, or at most three hooks are now most com- 

 monly used by those whose opinion is worth having. 

 There are occasions when, from the trout biting shy, 

 the angler may raise ten trout, and not secure one. 

 On such occasions we have found a drag, consisting 



