CHAPTER XXIV. 



TROLLING. 



"And then you are to know that your minnow must he so put on your 

 hook that it must turn round when 'tis drawn against the stream. IZAAK 

 WALTON. 



TROLLING WITH THE ROD. 



TROLLING with the rod, and with the artificial fly, the 

 live minnow, or the spoon for bait, is capital sport; and is 

 a very popular style of angling in the lakes and lakelets 

 of the North-west. It is more en regie than still-fishing, 

 and is, besides, more exciting sport, possessing advantages 

 over the latter method in several respects. 



The angler can fish with a long line, even though he be 

 indifferent at casting; for, as the boat moves along, the 

 line can be pulled off from the reel, yard by yard, with 

 the hand, while the resistance of the bait, or leader, in the 

 water, takes it from the rod. The bait, being in constant 

 motion, is more likely to be seen and taken by the fish 

 than in still-fishing; while the great length of line takes 

 the bait so far from the boat as to remove or quiet any 

 suspicions or apprehensions of danger on the part of the 

 wily Bass. 



Then the boat, not being anchored, as in still-fishing, 



the boatman can favor the angler in many ways when 



playing or landing his fish. Then, again, in moving over 



so much and so great a variety of ground, the angler is 



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