

VARIOUS BAITS FOR PIKE 95 



the reverse), cut a rude resemblance of a fish out of it, turned 

 the lobes of the tail reverse ways to make the bait spin, armed it 

 well, and it succeeded admirably, never giving the spoon a 

 chance. The otter (previously referred to in perch-fishing) is 

 also a useful lure at times. And Mr. Hearder's plano-convex 

 bait is an excellent one for general spinning either in fresh or 

 salt water, and any fish which will take a spinning bait may be 

 taken by the plano-convex. It is made of various sizes to suit 

 the sort of fish angled for, and is contrived upon much the 

 same principle as the other just alluded to. As regards the 

 imitations of fish used for artificial baits, they are so numerous 

 that it is quite impossible to catalogue them ; made of every 

 metal, from tin to silver, and of all sorts of substances, from 

 bone or horn and glass to indiarubber and leather, the angler 

 must be difficult to please if he cannot select one to suit him 

 from the stock usually displayed in our fishing-tackle shops. 

 Perhaps as easily made and as effective a bait as any, is formed 

 in the following way : Take a thin bar or strip of lead, of 

 suitable length and expanded at the latter end into a tail, lash a 

 wire eye on to the upper end ; wrap this over and over, round 

 and round, with worsted or wool, moulded so as to shape a 

 body ; then get two strips of kid glove, one olive for the back 

 of the bait, and one white for the belly these must be stretched 

 tightly on the wool body and sewn on to it ;] the leather 

 should be well varnished, and the tail twisted as usual. I 

 recommend this bait to the notice of economic anglers. If 

 they like to put a strip of silver leaf along either side, under 

 the varnish, and define a head and eyes, they may render it a 

 little more attractive ; but it will be found quite killing enough 

 without it indeed, I doubt if any better artificial bait than 

 this is made. It will stand a good deal of wear and tear, and has 

 the advantage of being soft to the fish's teeth. In an artificial 

 bait I certainly prefer a soft one to a hard one ; when it is soft 

 a pike will hold it in his mouth as long as he will a natural 

 bait ; when it is hard, of course he speedily rejects it.* 



Pike are also taken in some waters with an artificial fly, 

 and it is not a very uncommon thing for the angler to hook 

 one on his salmon fly, nor to lose fly and all in consequence. 

 The kind of fly most commonly employed is one of large size, 

 with a pair of big outspreading hooks, the body being com- 

 posed of divers coloured pig's wool, blue, yellow, and green, is 



* The phantom minnow had not been invented when Francis wrote, else 

 he would have assuredly recommended it. ED. 



