4 6 Fly-Fifliing. 



Old Soldier. Not a bit too ftrong for thefe de- 

 vils of pike, which I look upon not only as frefh- 

 water fharks, but know them to bite as keen, and 

 to be as fierce. You fee I am trying to tempt 

 them with one of their favourite laftfprings. 



Thefe gorge hooks which are put thus back to 

 back, and leaded fufficiently high, I pull through 

 the mouth and body of the bait, by means of a long 

 needle curved at the end, and which is hooked to 

 the top of the gimp that conne&s the wire fattened 

 to the leaded hooks. The ftrongeft gut that was 

 ever made would be but a mere cobweb in a 

 pike's mouth ; and therefore I am obliged to ufe 

 gimp inftead. The bait hangs down with the two 

 barbs, as you fee, juft appearing on each fide the 

 mouth. To keep the bait fteady, I ufually tie it 

 to the gimp with white thread juft above the fork 

 of the tail ; and to prevent the line from twifting, 

 one or two fwivels are needed. 



Clerlcus. I fee exaclly ; but you can't poflibly 

 handle that great rod, as you would if trolling for 

 trout ? 



Old Soldier. Certainly not ; it's quite a different 

 thing. You muft hold the rod above the reel, 

 refting the butt of it on the upper part of your 

 thigh. When you have drawn out a yard at leaft 



