98 SPINNING FOR TROUT. 



the peculiar motions of a specimen as you slowly bring 

 it through the clear water. You observe that it des- 

 cribes a kind of corkscrew motion. This, especially 

 when accomplished rapidly, will entice fish far oftener 

 than it will hook them ; long practice dictates that 

 nine " runs " make one capture, through the instru- 

 mentality of these curved or turn-tailed " artificials." 

 What is needed is a perfectly straight bait, when an 

 artificial is employed, no matter whether the spinning 

 propellers or Archimedean flies be at the head or the 

 tail. So far as this is concerned it will then take a 

 direct " pigeon " flight through the water, moving an 

 equal number of fish, whilst being more effective in 

 hooking them. In natural minnow spinning this 

 is not of so much importance, the fish that 

 " goes " for the natural bait without getting 

 hooked, will more frequently come again, not 

 "meeting with so hard a substance. The min- 

 now flight we have found preferable to those 

 generally in use, we give on plate III., fig. i. The 

 minnow is placed upon Ihe tackle in the following 

 manner : First, the lead is inserted in the mouth of 

 the fish, the lips being closed by the movable lip 

 hook. This done the bait is pierced through from the 

 one side to the other with the large hook, which should 

 be so placed as to keep the lead well up in the min- 

 now's back. Lastly, one of the pair of tail hooks 

 should be made to slightly curl the tail of the minnow. 

 When this arrangement of hooks is correctly inserted 

 the bait is more secure, and will be found to last longer 

 than when mounted in the older and general style. 



