DIPPING-BAITS. 119 



and smoking himself into a red herring to avoid the 

 effects of ennui. 



The tod used for dipping ought to be long not 

 less than sixteen or eighteen feet, and in fact the longer 

 it is the better, provided it can be conveniently managed. 

 A common salmon-rod will answer the purpose well. 

 The line, which must be of the finest but very stoutest 

 gut, may be about three feet shorter than the rod ; and 

 the hooks must have their shanks shortened, and be of 

 proportionate size to that of the fly used as bait. 



The insects used as live baits for dipping are the 

 following : 



The green and grey drakes form excellent dipping- 

 baits when they can be procured ; but in most cases this 

 is rather a difficult matter, and the capture of the baits 

 will often involve more trouble than catching the fish, 

 unless the sportsman is young, nimble, and fond of pe- 

 destrian exercise. They may occasionally be found in 

 numbers among the long grass by the river-side towards 

 the height of the day, or be taken when on the wing in 

 the afternoon, by means of a small gauze net fixed into 

 the upper ferrule of a fishing-rod, and may be preserved 

 for any reasonable length of time, in a roomy box of 

 wood or pasteboard, bored full of holes. 



To apply these baits to the hook, which must be a 

 fine small fly one, simply pass it crosswise through 

 the thorax of the fly ; and if a couple are used at a 

 time (but one is best), place them upon the hook in the 

 same manner, heads to tails. 



The stone-fly is a large tough bait, and may be 



