MINNOW-SPINNING. 141 



then in another, in the most natural manner possible, and 

 have very much the appearance of a minnow at play. This 

 piece of impertinence on the part of the bait, if played 

 off in the presence of a dignified trout, will be certain 

 to excite his indignation, and he will, on most occasions, 

 very unceremoniously resolve to make it pay the penalty 

 of its impudence by a consignment to his paunch. 



I shall close my observations on this method of troll- 

 ing, by remarking that it invariably happens that both 

 trout and pike will seize the bait when it is being drawn 

 up towards the surface, when its motion is comparatively 

 slow, and scarcely ever while it is shooting rapidly to- 

 wards the bottom ; and that the former generally follow 

 it near in shore before they take it. As soon as a fish is 

 felt at the bait, do not strike instantly, as is done with 

 the spinning-tackle, but immediately slacken the line, 

 and allow him fairly to turn and gorge it, which he will 

 do in the course of a second or two, then fix the hooks 

 in his throat by a sharp twitch, and he is your own. 

 The same swivel-traces must be used in this kind of 

 fishing as are used in spinning. Some sportsmen are in 

 the habit of lopping off a pectoral and a ventral fin on 

 opposite sides of the minnow, supposing it causes it to 

 play more briskly, but I have found this mutilation un- 

 necessary. 



MINNOW-SPINNING. 



The following are a few sets of spinning tackle which 

 I have been in the habit of using myself, and which I 

 consider to be quite as efficient, and as free from defects, 



