114 SCIENCE OF FISHING. 



sinks the line to the proper depth. For very deep fishing, 

 as for lake trout, a braided copper line is sometimes em- 

 ployed. This is used in connection with a short rod and the 

 wooden reel before described. The large diameter of the 

 wooden reel makes it espcially good for a wire line, as the 

 line being stiff in comparison to other lines, winds more 

 readily on the large wood reel. 



In trolling, a common mistake is to go too fast; most 

 of the fish are c:ught when moving slowly, about one and a 

 half miles an nour. The bait is trolled at a distance of about 

 100 feet behind the boat. 



For a trolling spoon, the rule is to use a bright spoon on 

 a dark day or in dark waters, and a sombre colored spoon on 

 bright days. As before mentioned, the smaller sizes seem to 

 get the most strikes. The Archer spinner used with a min- 

 now is also a good bait to use for trolling, especially for lake 

 trout. More will be said of this later. 



A bait-casting rod may be used for trolling, but if large 

 fish are found where you fish it is best to have a large reel 

 and a long line. For such large fish as muskellunge it is 

 better tc ase a light salt-water rod, about six feet long, as a 

 rod is likely to get warped in trolling. If you do much fish- 

 ing where such fish are found the rod will be generally use- 

 ful. In case you do use a bait-casting rod, use it from the 

 back of the boat, so that it projects straight out behind, and 

 never use it out over the boat at right angles, as the strain on 

 it is too severe. 



Still fishing is the oldest and most common form of 

 angling, and if we consider the number of devotees, it is the 

 most popular. But this is not because it is a better way or 

 that it yields more sport, but because it is so simple and 

 easily mastered, and requires no elaborate or expensive 

 tackle. A long cane rod with a light linen line of about the 

 same length as the rod, a lec.d sinker of the proper weight, 

 and some common ringed hcoks are all that is needed. Such 



