SCIENCE OF FISHING. 



about an inch back from the point. The handle is about five 

 or six feet long and it is best to have the gig fastened to the 

 handle by a long iron shank as it does not disturb the water 

 so much as the chisel socket often used. The fisherman 

 wades slowly up stream throwing the bright light from his 

 reflecting torch down onto the bed of the stream. When a 

 fish is seen the spear is lowered quietly to within eight or 

 ten inches of the fish, when a quick thrust usually secures the 

 prize. Many eels and suckers are taken this way. 



Fishing through the ice in winter is practiced in northern 

 districts, especially where pickerel abound, and this way of 



Eel or Sucker Spear. 



fishing is also employed for trout, lake trout, etc. There are 

 many styles of so-called "pickerel traps" which trip up or 

 show a flag when a fish is hooked. The simplest of these is 

 made of a strip of thin board or shingle with a hole bored 

 through near the narrow end and the line fastened at the 

 short end. A hole is cut through the ice, the hook is baited 

 and let down, and a round stick is thrust through the hole in 

 the shingle and across the hole in the ice. When a fish 

 lakes the bait he makes a run with it and hooks himself and 

 his pulling on the line trips the shingle up, warning the 

 Fsherman that he has made a catch. The fish is then pulled 



