OPINIONS OF THE PRESS, ftc. 



The Field. " Spinning for Pike is an accomplishment so very widely 

 practised by modern Anglers, and the means hitherto adopted are, from a 

 variety of circumstances, so unsatisfactory, that we are glad to welcome any 

 attempt to improve the apparatus in general use, or to render those sudden 

 partings between individuals connected by the fine line or strong gimp 

 sympathy, which are so distressing to one of the parties concerned, less 

 common 'than they unfortunately are. It is notorious among spinners for 

 Pike that no tackle has ever yet been invented from which a very large 

 proportion of fish hooked do not manage by some inscrutable means to 

 effect their escape. We have ourselves noticed this fact, and many of 

 Mr. Penn ell's views upon this head, as well as others connected with the 

 art, certainly meet our warm approbation. His remarks regarding kinking, 

 for example, are excellent, and the means he takes to avoid it are apparently 

 all that is needed. His plan of employing flying triangles is, to us, 

 original." * * * * 



The Sporting Life. " We have great pleasure in calling the attention of 

 our Pike fishing readers to this brochure. It contains numerous sugges- 

 tions with regard to tackle which we intend to try on the earliest occasion. 

 * * * * We may say that the Author's chief maxim, ' fish fine,' is one 

 which we have all along impressed upon our piscatorial readers." * * * * 



The following are extracted from among the various letters which appeared 

 in the " Field," and elsewhere : 



' PIKE FISHING. Sir, As I observe that a discussion has lately appeared 



opportunity of testing them. During the last fortnight I have been using 

 a set of the spinning-tackle recommended by Mr. Peunell, and nothing 

 could be more admirable than its working ; ' kinking,' an old enemy of 

 mine, did not once make its appearance, and of the six fish run on the 

 last day, not one failed to find its way safely to the bag. ONE WHO is 



NOT TO* OLD TO LEARN." 30th Nov., 1861. 



" MR. PENN ELL'S SPINNING-TACKLE : "Sir, Allow me to add my 

 testimony to that of youi correspondent, ' One who is not too old to 

 learn,' as to the merits of the spinning-tackle explained in your columns by 

 Mr. Pennell the 'apostle of fine fishing.' I dressed a trace, flight, c., 

 according to his plan, and I must say that I never had better sport (for 

 the water) than since I have used it. I lost comparatively few fish, and 

 besides basketed several perch, which I had not previously done over 

 the same ground, probably owing to the coarser tackle then employed. The 

 greatest boon, however, for which spinners are indebted to Mr. Peunell, is 

 the complete cure of ' kinking.' accomplished by his mode of fastening the 

 lead. JACK KETCH." 7th Dec., 1861. 



" MR. PENSELL'S SPINNING-TACKLE : Sir, When I first saw the above 

 tackle I had no great opinion of it, there appeared to be too much whipping, 

 and too many strands of gimp showing along the side of the bait ; but the 



