202 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PAUT I. 



direction to catch a pike thus do you no good, yet I am 

 certain this direction how to roast him -when he is caught is 

 choicely good, for I have tried it ; and it is somewhat the 



THE COMMON TROLLING-HOOK for a living bait, consists of two large hooks, 

 with, a common shank, made of one piece of wire, of about three quar- 

 ters of an inch long, placed back to back, so that the points may not stand 

 in the right line, but incline so much inwards, as that they with the shank 

 may form an angle little less than equilateral. At the top of the shank is 

 a loop left in the bending the wire to make the hook double through, 

 which is put a strong twisted brass wire, of about six inches long ; and to 

 this is looped another such link, but both so loose that the hook and the 

 lower link may have room to play. To the end of the line, fasten a steel 

 swivel. 



But there is a sort of trolling-hook diifereut from that already described, 

 and to which it is by some thought preferable which will require another 

 management : this is no more than two single hooks tied back to back with 

 a strong piece of gimp between the shanks. In whipping the hooks and 

 the gimp together, make a small loop, and take into it two links of chain 

 of about an eighth of an inch diameter; and into the lower link, by 

 means of a small staple of wire, fasten, by the greater end, a bit of lead ot 

 a conical figure, and somewhat sharp at the point. These hooks are to be 

 had at the fishing-tackle shops ready fitted up. 



This latter kind of hook is to be thus used : put the lead into the mouth 

 of the bait -fish, and sew it up ; the fish will live some time, and though 

 the weight of the lead will keep his head down, he will swim with near 

 the same ease as if at liberty. 



BUT IF YOU TROLL WITH A DEAD-BAIT as some do, for a reason which the 

 angler will be glad to know, viz. that a living bait makes too great a 

 slaughter among the fish do it with a hook, of which the following para- 

 graph contains a description. 



Let the shank be about six inches long, and leaded, from the middle as 

 low as the bent of the hook, to which a piece of very strong gimp must be 

 fastened by a staple and two links of chain ; the shank must be barbed 

 like a dart, and the lead a quarter of an inch square : the barb of the shank 

 must stand like the fluke of an anchor, which is placed in a contrary 

 direction to that of the stock. Let the gimp be about a foot long, and to 

 the end thereof on a swivel. To bait it, thrust the barb of the shank 

 into the mouth of the bait-fish, and bring it out at his side near the tail : 

 when the barb is thus brought through, it cannot return, and the fish will 

 lie perfectly straight, a circumstance that renders the trouble of tying the 

 tail unnecessary. 



THERE is YET ANOTHER SORT OP TROLLING-HOOK which is, indeed, no other 

 than what most writers on this subject have mentioned ; whereas the others, 

 here described, are late improvements and this is a hook, either single or 

 double, with a long shank, leaded about three inches up the wire with a 

 piece of lead about a quarter of an inch square at the greater or lower end ; 

 fix to the shank an armed wire about eight inches long. To bait this hook, 

 thrust your wire into the mouth of the fish, quite through his belly, and 

 out at his tail ; placing the wire so as that the point of the hook may be 



