THE TROUT. 87 



your fly-line, will be sufficient. Some Anglers use a rod 20 

 feet long. To enable them to fish a wide stream, this length 

 of rod is necessary, as the line, in spinning the minnow, is 

 somewhat short of the rod; if you wade the stream, a rod of 

 12 feet will be long enough. 



" For Baiting with the Minnow. In the first place, pro- 

 cure a piece of brass wire, about three inches long ; one end 

 of which must be hammered into a small loop, and the other 

 end flattened with a hammer, and sharpened in the shape of 

 a spear head. This must be drawn through a tapering piece 

 of lead,* cast for the purpose. Wires of this description may 

 be kept by you, of different lengths, to suit the size of the 

 bait-fish used. 



" Enter the spear end of the leaded wire at the mouth of 

 the minnow, and bring it out at the fork of the tail. Then 

 take a triangular hook, formed by tying together three No. 8 

 or 9 hooks on a piece of strong gut, one inch and a quarter 

 long, with a small loop on the end. Now, with a baiting- 

 needle, enter the point under the back fin of the bait, when 

 one of the triangular hooks will enter the bait under the back 

 fin, the other two will lie by its sides, and the loop of the 

 gut will be even with the brass loop in the minnow's mouth. 



" You must now prepare a minnow-trace, of three yards of 

 gut, at.one end of which tie on a Limerick hook No. 9 ; 12 

 inches above this, place a fine swivel, and 24 inches higher 

 up another swivel, and your trace is ready. Next, enter the 

 hook at the end of your trace, at the back of the bait's head, 

 and pass it through the two loops now in its mouth, and 

 bring it out under the lips, when the bait's mouth will be 

 closed. Then, bend gently the spear of brass wire, so as to 

 gently curve the tail of the minnow, and then tie the tail fast to 

 the wire with white thread, and you are ready for the stream." 



* These articles can be purchased at the tackle stores, of different 

 sizes and descriptions. 



